What I’m Watching: Rome Monday, Feb 5 2007 

television thisgaudygildedstage 11:05 pm

In the past year or so, I’ve cut back on the number of TV shows I watch. I seem to only have a few that I keep up with regularly: American Idol, The Office, and whatever Bravo reality show is on Wednesday nights (though none are as good as Project Runway). But my favorite show right now is HBO’s Rome.

I love its use of history and politics as a set for its drama, intrigue, and occasional humor. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s not afraid of a little male nudity from time to time! Last season ended with the death of Caesar. (I’m a little disappointed that the scene didn’t steal Shakespeare’s famous line, “Et tu Brute.”) I love how self-centered and cruel Atia can be (this week’s scene of her supervising the torture of a servant is typically delicious).

The friendship between Pullo and Vorenus is the heart of the show. I’ve liked Kevin McKidd since I saw him in Topsy Turvy, one of my favorite movies. McKidd is also great in Bedrooms and Hallways, in which he plays a gay man who joins a men’s group and falls in love with the seemingly straight Brendan, played by James Purefoy, who happens to play Marc Antony in Rome — clearly the English acting pool is a small one.

My favorite character has been Brutus, played by Tobias Menzies. He’s the conscience of Rome’s conniving elite. I think he’s cute and I love his accent, but he’s also a very good actor. A lesser performer would quickly make Brutus seem morose and weak. Menzies embodies his conflicted sense of honor and the welfare of the republic, which are often mutually exclusive in this series. I hope to see him in other productions.

I’ve also enjoyed Octavius, who until this week was played by Max Pirkis. Pirkis has been great in this role; he has the perfect blend of patrician arrogance and childish lack of experience. Starting this past week, Octavius is now an adult and is played by Simon Woods, who played Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice last year. Here he is in Rome:

Not only is Woods in this series now, but so is Alex Wyndham from The Line of Beauty. Again, the British pool is a small one. Hopefully, Octavius gets a little action soon — Woods is adorably cute, though I prefer him with his faux-hawk from Pride and Prejudice rather than with his Caesar cut here!

Unfortunately, this season is the last one of Rome, or so I’ve read. Apparently, it’s too expensive to produce. I really wish it would go on and on. I really enjoy the show. I don’t know what I’ll start watching once it goes off — where else can I see handsome British actors, historical intrigue, and frequent male nudity all at once? And when is someone going to produce a series that traces the politics, sexual hijinks, and social activities of the Restoration/late seventeenth century? Wouldn’t we all like to see Behn, Rochester, Charles II, etc. on our TV screens? Maybe Alex Wyndham could play Rochester and Simon Woods could be Etherege. It could be Rochester getting it on with his servants (instead of Atia’s bald servant buggering the other slaves).

Until someone creates that show, I’ll enjoy my new favorite Atia quote:

“It would serve you right to be gelded. And I would, you know, if eunuchs weren’t so unfashionable. Next time, if you want a boy, pick one up at the market! Everyone knows boys you pick up on the street aren’t to be trusted.”

 

Discourse Communities & Department Strife Sunday, Feb 4 2007 

academia thisgaudygildedstage 2:07 pm

According to Wikipedia, the term discourse community

was first used by sociolinguist Martin Nystrand in 1982, and further developed by American linguist John Swales. Writing about the acquisition of academic writing styles of those who are learning English as an additional language, Swales presents six defining characteristics:

A discourse community:
  1. has a broadly agreed set of common public goals.
  2. has mechanisms of intercommunication among its members.
  3. uses its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.
  4. utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.
  5. in addition to owning genres, it has acquired some specific lexis.
  6. has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise.

James Porter defined the discourse community as: “a local and temporary constraining system, defined by a body of texts (or more generally, practices) that are unified by a common focus. A discourse community is a textual system with stated and unstated conventions, a vital history, mechanisms for wielding power, institutional hierarchies, vested interests, and so on.”

In effect, a discourse community is a group of people who not only share a particular form of communication but are also shaped as a group by that particular form of communication. The students in a class form a discourse community, as do the members of a group on facebook.

Consequently, discourse communities are everywhere. One such community that I’m a part of is my department, hereafter referred to as the “departmental community.” For many of us, our belonging to the departmental community is the primary structuring force in our relationship — I don’t see them or communicate with them outside of this community. But there are also smaller discourse communities within larger ones. There is, for example, a network of “younger” faculty within my department (subsequently referred to as the “new community,” one that includes many (most?) of the people hired within the past decade or so, that also forms a discourse community.

(more…)

 

C.R.A.Z.Y.: A Review Friday, Feb 2 2007 

movies thisgaudygildedstage 11:09 am

C.R.A.Z.Y. is a French-Canadian film that follows Zac from his birth on December 25, 1960 to the early 1980s, tracing his evolution toward acceptance of his sexual identity. Born in a family of devout Catholics, he learns from an early age to hide and reject his difference. His life takes many unexpected turns, the sum of which ultimately allows him to accept and love himself. Eventually, this self-acceptance leads his conservative, homophobic father to love him for who he really is rather for who he–the father–wants him to be.

Here’s a clip of the film’s star, Marc-Andre Grondin, who plays Zac for most of the film, talking about the movie. It also features a few brief scenes from the film that give a sense of its plot, look, and feel.

This is an interesting, slightly bizarre, and worthwhile film. Marc-Andre Grondin is especially good in the leading role. He brings an everyman quality to the part of Zac without losing touch with what makes Zac an individual character. His portrayal of Zac as a teenager and young adult is sensitive and very well done. And he’s gorgeous! Several websites I glanced at describe Grondin as the Canadian Gael Garcia Bernal. I can see why. He immerses himself in this role. And, like Bernal, has an innate sexiness that adds complexity and realism to his character.

I also really like the film’s emphasis on historical detail. The wardrobe, set design, hairstyling, etc. all work together to create a realistic portrayal of the 1960s and 1970s. The makeup in the film is also amazing — Marc-Andre Grondin plays Zac from the age of 15 to 21; the use of makeup to make him younger and then older is very well done.

I should also say that his film is a little bizarre in at least one way: it includes a few fantasy sequences that are meant to show Zac’s internal yearnings but ultimately serve to disrupt the film’s flow. Most of these sequences also involve religious imagery, which makes sense since the film is very much interested in the ways in which religion in general and Catholicism in particular affects people’s (in)ability to accept themselves and their loved ones for who they are.

Overall, this is a very good film about one kid’s coming of age and struggle to come out. In contrast to other coming out films, this one feels more realistic and emotionally true, even when it departs from reality or takes a somewhat surprising excursion to Israel. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

 

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