Thursday, September 29, 2016

Assignment for Tuesday, 10-04-16

Dear Mythologists,

For Tuesday, October 4, please do the following:

(1) Watch the epoch-making Hercules (Le fatiche di Ercole) (Pietro Francisci, 1958), taking notes as you see fit. In addition to the DVD being reserved at the library, the film is also streaming on Amazon. Remember that this is the film that launched the peplum genre and its Hercules sub-genre.

(2) Read Chapter 8, "Editing" in Looking at Movies, pp. 339-75. Here you'll learn about the work of the film editor and techniques of transitioning between shots.

(3) Read "Peplum Traditions: Hercules," which is Chapter 3 of Alastair Blanshard's and Kim Shahabudin's 2011 book, Classics on Screen. This chapter covers the origins of the peplum genre, with case studies from our film.

(4) Remember by noon on Tuesday to comment on this post with your choice of a sequence from Hercules to view in class.

DC

12 comments:

  1. (1:28:00-1:30:00) I wanted to look at the sequence where Jason fights the dragon and gets the fleece. i wanted to look at this sequence because it was clearly the main draw of the film for audiences at the time. This also seems to be kind of the "magnum opus" for other hercules films as it shows a hyper masculine figure fighting a huge monster.

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  2. The sequence that first caught my eye is the one that introduces Eurysteus (0:17:52-0:19:09). At first, all we see is his hand banging down a goblet. For about 45 seconds after we see him, the only connection the audience has with him is through the sound of his voice as he speaks with King Pelias. When he finally shows his face to the camera (0:18:32) - made more sudden by the quick trill of some instrument - the filmmakers use a medium-to-closeup shot, but he's almost entirely hidden in the shadows. They quickly pan out so that his face, partially in the light, is more difficult to see as Pelias' figure takes up more of the frame. I think that this is a valuable sequence to revisit because it shows how filmmakers play with light, sound, and space to set up an audience's expectation for a character. Eurysteus' shadowed appearance makes the audience think he's mysterious and someone who is not to be trusted.

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  3. I would like to watch the scene when Hercules fights Pelias' men. It is an entertaining action packed scene and the director takes this opportunity to focus on Steve Reeve's body. Also, the way he swings the chains around his wrist are similar to him swinging his well known club. His muscles are especially shown off when he pulls down the columns of the portico. That scene specifically could have inspired other bodybuilders to portray Hercules.

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    1. I also want to look at part of this sequence, in particular from around 1:35:45 to 1:36:45 because of the biblical imagery used in Hercules bringing down the columns on the enemy. I thought it was fascinating how the film used a common biblical motif to portray the purity of Hercules against the evil of the guards trying to defend the king.

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  4. I think 1:07:05 - 1:08:22 is important cuz wow look at that sexism. Its almost like a parody of itself. Dialogue like "a woman is incomplete without a man" is a testament to sexism in the 50's.

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  5. I wanted to look at the scene where Hercules denies his godhood. I think it is the most visually interesting scene, and sort of the emotional heart of the story. I think that the denial of godly powers in this is so much more bombastic(almost similar to several christian story's) and we have also seen it in the more recent clash movies, so I think it bears a in depth look with the class.

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  6. I would like to watch the stadium scene (00:19:40- 00:26:50) for two reasons: 1) because it is a very representative portrait of Hercules’ character and ethos in this movie (quite contrary to the classical myth) in which Hercules appears to be more of a caring teacher who seeks no laurels for his excellence, but he is truly interested in the personal growth of his students and promotes brains over muscles 2) cause I find it hilarious when Ifitus tries to compete with Hercules and he ends up running away from him as if someone put his clothes on fire.

    -Frini

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    1. I also wanted to watch this scene! I thought it was an interesting way to introduce Odysseus (not to mention that little quip about the bow). I agree with Frini that it was interesting Hercules put brains before muscle, too.

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  7. I would like to watch the scene where Hercules fights the Nemean Lion (around 00:29:00-00:30:00). I thought was an interesting way to introduce one of the labors of Hercules without bringing up the death of his family and his eleven other labors. It is a nod to the original myth while keeping the movie a reasonable length. Also, I thought the editing in this section was great, I could almost believe Hercules was fighting a real lion. The switch between long shots of the lion, medium to close shots of Hercules preparing to face the lion and then close up shots where the audience can tell Hercules is fighting something with tan fur really give the viewer a sense of the action without actually putting Steve Reeves or the lion in danger. As the scene climaxes, the switches between shots become more rapid and frantic thus creating anxiety over Hercules in the viewer.

    ~Sophie Heath

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  8. I'd like to discuss the scene from about 13:10 to 16:30, the prophecy of the sibyl and Pelias's discussion with Hercules. I thought it was interesting to watch the sibyl as she slowly approached, and when she first mentions Pelias's destruction, she opens up her blue cloak to reveal striking red clothes beneath while a red light shines over her face. Then, when Hercules is introduced to Pelias, the camera pans down to look at Hercules's feet, signaling Pelias's paranoia. Lastly, during Pelias's conversation with Hercules, I thought it was interesting that Hercules frames the scene on the left and Iphitus on the right, and while Hercules is calm and confident, Iphitus seems apprehensive and insecure, almost facing away from the conversation and fidgeting and playing with his hands.

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  9. I would like to revisit the scene when Hercules fights the Nemean lion. I think this, as well as the other fight scenes, represent an important part of these classics "sword and sandal" films, and with Fatiche di Ercole being the first, I think revisiting one of these scenes could be important as we embark upon an exploration of the peplum genre.

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  10. I'd like to watch the throne room scene that properly introduces us to the Amazons, between 1:04:55 and 1:08:30. I have a general fascination with how Amazons get portrayed in different interpretations, partially because I think the reflects a lot of room for analysis of the gender expectations of the creator and culture surrounding whichever version. Here, we see a conflicted Amazonian people, one that claims the men were removed from external circumstances (a volcano eruption), that complains of men's lack of ability to commit in love but allows men on the island with open arms (of course, we learn later in the film that some want to slay the men). Of course, they also have a case of the notGays, in which they are quick to explain that love is an outdated concept on the island of the Amazons. It seems like this movie was trying to portray the Amazons in a safe, non-offensive way to 1950's America by reinforcing gender roles and heteronormativity, but also decided to have a sect of them be men-hating murderers for the sake of adding some excitement later on.

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