Rome, Episode One

[vaznetti]

This isn't a review. These are just a couple nitpicks and quick comments:


What was with the casting of Cicero and Cato? Cato was too old, and Cicero too young. They should have switched the actors, since Cicero is Pompey's age, and Cato is much younger.

Also, I've aways associated the taurobolium (bull-sacrifice over a pit) with Mithraic initiation -- later and all-male. But I don't know enough about the cult of Cybele to know for certain that it wasn't associated with oracular practices related to that cult. I just doubt it.

And consuls don't have a veto. Duh. And even the most forward-thinking Roman matrons didn't offer up their daughters for premarital sex like that. It would seem undignified.


That said, the casting was generally quite good -- especially Brutus and Antony, who were spot-on. And Octavius (not Octavian! Octavius!) probably was an irritating smartass teenager. And I liked the two soldiers they'll be hanging the story on, I think. Expanding Atia's character was an interesting choice, since we don't really know anything about her.

Visually, it's splendid -- the colors and the crowding and the whole range of people, and the buildings and the interiors and the candles! I like the opening credits, although they seem to have been made by the same people who made the Deadwood credits.

The storytelling seems to be moving rather quickly, but I think I'm just sorry that the entire year of 51, which I happen to like (Curio! Marcus Marcellus!) seems to be about to be elided to hurry us on to Rubicon. But I suppose that Roman politics are a little complicated, and the issue of Caesar's right to stand in absentia even more so.

Comments

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

But I suppose that Roman politics are a little complicated.

I have always admired your gift for understatement.

[vaznetti]

It's a skill I'm secretly very proud of.

[cofax7]

Really, the most important question is, "is Ciaran Hinds hot?" Because lo! I am shallow.

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

Um, not particularly, actually. James Purefoy, however, is still very much my thing.

Anyway, I'm surprised at how much of the history is coming back to me, from a rather scary mishmash of sources, to fill in the blanks.

[vaznetti]

Which one is James Purefoy? And are the blanks very noticeable, to someone who doesn't know this stuff backward and forward?

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

He's Mark Antony.

And I'll need to watch it again, because I got a phone call right at the beginning and was kind of distracted for the first 10 minutes, but for me it's more that I'm noticing areas where they mention things, but stop short of the full explanation that I remember once they've prompted my memory. The political structure reasons that it's a big deal that Caesar isn't in Rome is one of those areas. It's also a little bizarre getting dropped into the end of the Gaul campaign without more explanation than "barbarians" and "pillaged riches."

[vaznetti]

Strangely, not. He's looking a little blurred, if you know what I mean.

[maidenjedi]

I appreciate this little tidbit, since I'm going to end up missing most of the show unless I bug my folks for tapes. And you are the resident expert, so....yeah. :-) Thanks for the post!

[vaznetti]

It's really good, don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the first episode immensely, even things I didn't think I'd care for, likethe use of the two soldiers as viewpoint characters.

[alysswolf.livejournal.com]

Your comments pricked my curiosity and since I work in a library, naturally I had to do a little research.... *grin*

According to the Encyclopedia of Religion (Eliade) the ritual of the taurobolium began to be associated with the cult of Cybele around the 2nd century CE. I suppose it's barely plausible that it was occasionally practiced before then, but I think it's more the case of a writer finding a visually dramatic ritual and going with it despite the timeline.

Since I enjoyed the episode and have high hopes for the remaining episodes, pouncing on historical quibbles becomes an amusement rather than a distraction. I'll look forward to your comments as the series progresses.

[vaznetti]

Interesting -- thanks for looking that up! And I agree -- the writers found somethig that looked good and decided to run with it. Which is fine, as far as it goes.

[forodwaith.livejournal.com]

It was entertaining, but not nearly as gripping as Deadwood (of course, I know almost nothing about the history of the American West). I agree that the two soldiers were the most enjoyable characters, though Octavia may develop into something now that she's got a taste for revenge.

I spent the entire episode distracted by wondering where I'd seen Octavian before. Five minutes before the end I remembered that he was the wee midshipman in Master & Commander.

[vaznetti]

Sadly, BH mentioned halfway through that Octavian reminded him of Dougie Howser. That was it for me.

I think it's going to be a slower show than Deadwood, but I'm not disappointed in it yet.

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

Everybody is too damn attractive for it to be Deadwood. It's Deadwood with a lot of bathing and blood patches that scrub out a lot easier because it's on either sand or marble. Agreed on the opening credit sequence, but with a much heavier impressionist brush.

Jeff Beal, who does the music, by the by, also wrote the score for Carnivale. Those at HBO really do stick to their own don't they?

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

I must be tired because I've just left out an entire phrase in the above reply. It's supposed to read:

Agreed on the opening credit sequence, it's like Deadwood but with a much heavier impressionist brush.

[meridym.livejournal.com]

Jeff Beal, who does the music, by the by, also wrote the score for Carnivale.

Ahhhh, thanks! I just posted below that the credits/music reminded me of Carnivale. Very similar orchestration, for one thing. : )

[darcydodo]

Yay, I'm glad someone saw it. I only found out about it yesterday and don't have any sort of cable, let alone HBO...

[vaznetti]

It's pretty good so far. I wish they'd paid a little more attention to senatorial procedure, but you can't have everything.

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Well it's a far cry from Asterix, that's all I can say.

[vaznetti]

You know, there really should have been more Gallic stuff!

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

...and they shall call it "All Roads Leading to ROME". :D

As a fan of the comic though, I did squee a tiny when the leader of the Gauls' name was called out by the herald/soldier person: somethingsomething-IX!

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

His name was Vercingetorix, and that's who as the inspiration of the Astrix comics to begin with lol

[lenadances.livejournal.com]

I have to ask, because you're most likely to know: the neatly groomed pubic hair on the two women we saw do full-frontal is making me crazy. Did Romans do this, and it's just that the history books I've read have been a bit coy about it, or did these actresses get a little obsessive about the fact that they'd be doing full-frontal and forget about the ROME part?

[vaznetti]

Hunh. I thought I just posted an answer to this, but it doesn't seem to have gone through.

Romans were very into depilation -- favored methods included plucking and shaving, and also burning away unwanted hair by the application of something hot (heated walnut shells were apparently rather popular). Men who removed too much hair from around their genitals were considered effeminate, but I think it's possible that a woman like Atia would have had even less pubic hair than we saw.

[lenadances.livejournal.com]

Oh thank God. I feel much better now. You are a godsend.

Although now I'm going to be wigged out by the concept of the heated walnut shells.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

that's really facinating. more body-function and hair-removal information!

[meridym.livejournal.com]

I like the opening credits, although they seem to have been made by the same people who made the Deadwood credits.

Interesting...the credits and the theme reminded me more of Carnivale's. I wonder who actually did the opening.

[rhi]

::grinning:: Thanks for the nit-picking; I'd wondered about several of those.

And, completely off-topic, "Lee Shore" was recommended on crack_van yesterday!

[vaznetti]

I'm sure I'll be nit-picking plenty in the future -- the visuals are good but I have my soubts about the storytelling.

And yes, I saw the rec! very nice.