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Gladiator - 2000, Scott

In the film, Gladiator, one of the most interesting parts of the film was the plot. Usually, for ancient texts that have a story regarding Rome or any lingering strands of gladiatorial spectacles, the story follows an intricate outline that ends with the destruction of the weak. Nevertheless, this film overlooks the classic conventions of Roman portrayals to deliberately emphasize the theme of getting revenge.

Maximus, the protagonist of the film, is seen as a powerful and important role model in Roman society. He is held with utmost respect and tolerance - for he has virtues that apparently no other man has. In the film, Maximus’s family is violently killed off due to Commodus’s childish behavior. After facing this tragedy, Maximus is captured and sent to a gladiatorial training camp

Even with his superior fighting skills, Maximus chooses not to fight. This public display of restraint allows the audience to see that Maximus is a strong a character who will not succumb to the rules of the elite - imposing death for sport.

Furthermore, this virtuous man contained hate in his heart because his son and wife were unjustly taken from him. As the plot moves forward, the audience learns that Maximus will be fighting in the Roman Colosseum. While he is anxious to be face to face with Commodus, Maximus and his fellow gladiators are thrown into the arena to reenact the battle of Carthage where Maximus was to be considered a Carthaginian. In an effort to remain alive, Maximus’s plan to defeat the Roman soldiers results in success: this victory over the soldiers was paradoxical in comparison to the actual accounts in history - since the Romans defeated Carthage, not the other way around. This scene was a direct foreshadowing that Maximus would get his revenge over the Roman Emperor.

The audience can see that the events leading up to the death of Commodus became a direct symbol of how the Roman government was also crumbling. When Maximus and Commodus die, they represent the death and rebirth of a new order of government that would benefit all of Rome, reestablishing her back to those glory days; similarly like when Maximus was reunited to his family in the heavenly afterlife.

N/A. "Gladiator." Movie Theme Songs TV Soundtracks RSS. N/A, 12 July 2014. Web. 30 May 2016. <http://www.themoviethemesong.com/gladiator/>.

#bloody

Immortals

In the film Immortals, the audience follows Theseus on his journey of retaliation. Although the film has a very low rotten tomato rating, there is a message that remains universal: if you believe, you can achieve.

The film is set in the year 1224 BCE. Even though there are no accurate representations of the Romans, Persians, or Byzantines, the constant assertion of Greek deities allows the audience to create a connection to the Hellenistic period.

In the film, the audience can make clear distinctions between the characters. The Ancient world is depicted as dirty and violent as we see the gruesome fights between enemies on screen. The barbarians are portrayed in a demonized fashion - destroying everything in their paths; whereas the heroes are aesthetically beautiful demonstrating self-restraint.

Moreover, there are clear distinctions between men and the gods. The common folk, known as mortals, are seen as small, dingy, in dark backgrounds, and for the most part underdressed; whereas Zeus, Athena and the other gods are clean, dressed in gold clothing, tall and strong, and under bright light the majority of the time.

Until the character encounters them, the gods are seen as phenomena to explain what was occurring in the world. Like that in the film, people in ancient times would use mythology to explain the metaphysical. For example, seasonal changes in the year were explained through the myth of Demeter and Persephone. In relation to the film, Theseus, from a young age, disregarded the gods’ existence completely. He always believed that his actions had consequences, that the gods never controlled his fate. Theseus’ determination to safeguard those he cherished is one of the reasons why he won so many battles: he wins because he believes in himself - not the gods. As Theseus lives on to save the world, it is clearly noted that he is doing it to keep his family safe.

Immortals. Dir. Tarsem Singh. Perf. Henry Cavill. 2011. YouTube. YouTube, 03 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX7T2VETs38>.

#immortals

Agora - 2009, Amenabar

Since the beginning of time until present day, science has been the pinnacle of human development; for if the human race hadn’t placed so much emphasis on innovating ideas, products, and ways to enjoy daily life, then, hypothetically speaking, we would all have been extinct. In the film, Agora, there is an underlying theme between religion and science. Well, more like making people forcefully acknowledge faith over science.

In today’s modern society, people of religion have a more comprehensive attitude towards science. However, in the film set in ancient times, the people of faith were not as understanding: they believed that certain aspects of knowledge should be left only to God. The scholars in Alexandria, like Hypatia, believed that they were meant to find out the truth about everything. This rivalry was extremely interesting because the film depicted the religious people as barbarians dressed in dark clothing; whereas the scholars were seen as benevolent dressed in lighter articles. This is a deliberate artistic choice to differentiate the two ideologies in order to emphasis that religion was thought of in a different standard. Although there were other scholars that pursued science, their faith was deemed more important.

Nevertheless, Hypatia’s convictions seem to never falter even when she was about to die. Even though martyrdom is usually associated with religious accounts, Hypatia, who was not religious by any means, decided to die for her beliefs. This action, in a sense, defied the undergoing theme of denouncing science.

Another aspect that intensified the battle between religion and science was certain perspectives about gender roles. Early on in the scenes of the film, Hypatia was not regarded as a woman but as a scholar. As the film moved forward, there was a lot of tension between the new prefect, Orestes, and the religious communities. The Christians in the film believed wholeheartedly that women should not be prodding into matters that should be left to the men. Since Hypatia was a woman, living in Orestes’s house, she was involved in politics and education. The situation escalated quickly for Hypatia never stopped speaking the truth. This, however, enraged the religious leaders causing chaos all over Alexandria. When the Christians placed an ultimatum, if you will, upon the prefect, Orestes was forced to choose between faith over science. The film continuously emphasizes the conflict between religion and science - where eventually - religion wins.

N/A. "Agora Picture 11." Agora Picture 11. AceShowbiz, n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.aceshowbiz.com/still/00004680/agora11.html>.

#ilikedit

The Auteur Theory

In the reading, The Auteur Theory, Peter Wollen presents a framework that can briefly explain directors behavior.

He first divulges in explaining the origins of the auteur theory. Wollen states that because the theory was “…never elaborated… [into a]… collective statement… [a]s a result, it could be interpreted and applied… within a loose framework (Wollen, 77).” With this, the reader understands that there is no defined definition of the theory, therefore, being completely subjective. Moreover, the flexibility of the theory translates over to the how people put it into practice.

Wollen continues in defining the dynamic of the auteur and the metteur en scéne. Wollen states that “[t]he work[s] of the auteur has a semantic dimension, it is not purely formal; the work of the metteur en scéne, on the other hand, does not go beyond the realm of performance, of transposing into the special complex of cinematic codes… (Wollen, 78).” With this, we understand that there are two types of directors: the metteur en scéne - those concerned with portraying the text as is and the auteur directors - those concerned in demonstrating the meaning of the script by implementing creative changes.

As Wollen takes the time to describe the impact of the auteur theory, he moves on to state that “the auteur theory… take[s] a group of films – the work of one director – and analyse[s] their structure (Wollen, 104).” With this, we understand that the theory is meant to explain the structure of a single director’s style while justifying such stylistic choices.

Overall, Wollen’s framework presents a reasoning to justify the revolutionary changes made in cinema before and after the reign under the Vichy government.

Wollen, Peter. The Auteur Theory. Signs and Meaning in the Cinema. N.p.: Palgrave Macmillan on Behalf of the British Film Institute, 2013. 76-115. Print.

N/A. "The Origins of Auteur Theory." The Awesomer. N/A, 2015. Web. 20 May 2016. <http://theawesomer.com/the-origins-of-auteur-theory/312622/>

#authors

The Warriors - 1979, Hill

In the film, The Warriors, the plot of the film was extremely intriguing. The entire conflict begins at a truce meeting led by Cyrus. In his speech advocating peace, he, unfortunately, is assassinated. In the midst of the turmoil and confusion, the Warriors were labeled as the responsible party for this murder. The violent outbursts seen in the film demonstrates a symbolic image of society. Regardless of the efforts to construct alliances and bonds amongst people, there is always going to be at least one person - like Luther - that will shred any possibility of camaraderie.

One thing to understand is that the film allowed the audience to connect with the gangs in a universal manner: their experiences became relatable. For example, the Warriors needed to coax the orphans to allow them to pass through in an attempt to remain alive and escape the other neighborhood gangs. At one point or another, everyone has become a sycophant to get what we wanted. The Warriors were placed in a tough position, they needed to embrace a sense of inferiority to continue on with their lives.

Through the film, we also can consider an overarching theme regarding gender roles. In the film, the gang society is predominately male. Being a female gang that wants respect from the macho-oriented groups, the Lizzies deliberately choose to size up to the other gangs. Without using explicit language detailing this, the audience can understand that the Lizzies want equity - equal and impartial treatment - such that in today’s society is still hard to obtain in certain parts of the world.

Overall, this film creates a mirror-image illusion of society’s behavior regarding ententes and gender ideals.

Staff, Rolling Stones. 'The Warriors' Recreate Their Last Subway Ride Home. CNN. Cable News Network, 27 Sept. 2015. Web. 16 May 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/25/entertainment/the-warriors-recreate-subway-ride/>

#swanandmercy

Jesus Christ SuperStar - 1973, Jewison

In the film, Jesus Christ Superstar, there were interesting aspects that emphasized the life of Jesus Christ. For example, during the entirety of the film everyone sang their lines. The upbeat and sentimental melodies caused the audience to focus on the vocalists, which exposed viewers to a subliminal religious message about Jesus giving his life to allow people to reach a blessed afterlife.

However, there was a fair amount of discrepancies in the film. For example, the Pharisees’s attire was not consistent with history but more so with the counter-culture. In the historical context, the Pharisees were people designated to uphold the oral law and all of its traditions. These people chose to get rid of Jesus to prevent any distortion to Judaic way of life (Mandell). Nevertheless, the clothing choices was a clear demonstration that movie was meant to attract viewers who were possibly opposed in joining Christianity. Another discrepancy that was extremely disturbing was the setting of the film. Since the film was meant to emphasis the life of Jesus, it seems that the director made a deliberate choice to place the storyline in the desert. The film relied excessively on the location to bring forth characteristics of Jesus into a modern/ ancient time frame. For example, during the scene where Jesus destroys all the merchandise from the so-called Temple, there was weaponry of the 1970’s that was destroyed. This depiction of Jesus pushing out these war elements demonstrated that Jesus was opposing all aspects that didn’t come into relation with peace.

Placing all discrepancies aside, the film had a very radical introduction and ending compared to the plot. Originally, there was no notion was what was going to happen. It’s until a cross is placed on the screen where the audience begins to inference what the story may be about. The ambiguity factor placed in the beginning can also be transposed to certain scenes of the film. For example, there were particular times where Maria’s and Jesus’s interactions/ intensions were vague. The love that they demonstrated to each other went beyond a brotherhood/ sisterhood link, but it was never seen as a martial love.

Nevertheless, the story of Jesus Christ was portrayed to attract an audience that was not interested in religion at that time.

Mandell, Alice “Ancient Near East 10W – Jerusalem: Holy City” University of California, Los Angeles. 11 April 2016.

#toomuchsinging

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

(I would just like to apologize for using the word ancient consistently.)

In the film, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, there are elements in which completely skew the historical perceptions of what the ancient world was like.

An interesting element of the movie was the depiction of the physical structures: the audience’s imagination to life in seeing all the citadels, palaces, and corridors that could have been similar in the ancient world. However, we see that film places a strong emphasis on the conquering of people in these physical spaces. The audience comprehends that, in ancient times, empires would seek out the exotic, mysterious and delectable qualities of certain people to take over their resources. In the film, we see that as soon as the Persians invade the holy city of Alamut, Tus, the successor to the throne, chooses to lather himself in the riches of the conquered nation.

Another aspect of the film, that is askew to history, is the restructuring of the title ship. The character Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, was a beggar until the king adopted him. With this, the audience sees that the conventions of a true-bred prince go out the window and learn to appreciate the wisdom of the character king. In scripture, we may also see an account in which a royal family also took in a young child and raised him as one of their own (please refer biblical scripture Exodus 2).

Through the plot, the film allows the audience to fall into a fantastic illusion of an adventuristic world: a magic dagger with time-traveling capabilities. With this story, the film also takes into account the importance of religion. Since in ancient civilizations religious devotion was an important aspect of daily life, the film did a tremendous job to link religion with the plot. We see that the princess of Alamut, who fulfilled the duties of the high priestess, conducted sacred rituals that honored the sacred dagger in a secret chamber: she was responsible for safeguarding the item such that the film revolves around her trying to restore the small knife to the temple.

Nevertheless, the film depicted elements of the ancient world infused with fantastic features in order to bring to life an adventurous story.

Mutiara, Kumpulan Kata. "DP BBM Gambar Meme Indonesia Lucu." Koleksidpbbmco. Word Press, n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2016. <http://koleksidpbbm.co/meme/meme-mondays-part-21-percy-jackson-movies-percy-jackson-movies/>.

#verysandy

Phaedra - 1962, Dassin

In the movie Phaedra, one of the most disturbing aspect of the film was the detached partial-incestual relationship portrayed between Phaedra and Alexis. The film begins with a beautiful black and white scenery: the people are celebrating, cheering, and having fun. However, after Phaedra takes Thano’s gift in vain, there is a rapid-passing ominous mood which foreshadows that she will be the root of a very huge problem.

Even though in the ancient text, Hippolytus written by Euripides, Phaedra doesn’t take into account Hippolytus, the toxic bond created by the two characters in the movie arises from Phaedra’s inability to value what is in front of her. Phaedra has a successful husband that gives her anything that she wants. However, she is filled with a desire to tap into anything that is forbidden.

As the plot moves forward, the interactions between Phaedra and Alexis escalate tremendously. For example, in the early stages of their prohibited relationship, Phaedra and Alexis laugh joyfully when he tells others that Phaedra is his mother. Although this seems harmless, the comment here illustrates that Alexis is looking beyond the paradigms to see Phaedra as more than his step-mother. As the audience places into perspective Phaedra’s and Alexis’s intense and lasting stares, in the restaurant and by the river, we can see that Alexis regards Phaedra as a woman; and with Phaedra, she sees him as a man.

With the relationship moving forward, Phaedra opens herself in a disturbing way to the audience demonstrating that she will do anything to keep Alexis. Phaedra’s boldness demonstrates her powerfulness; however, the way she uses her power foreshadows that her Machiavellian intensions will be the end of her. In the scene where she tries to manipulate her step-niece, the audience further cement that Phaedra wants to remain with Alexis without giving up her access to Thanos’s riches.

Eventually, the audience sees that Phaedra’s greediness catalyzed her death, Alexis’s death, and the death of the innocent Greek travelers on the Phaedra S.S.

N/A. "MP 2012 Track Pictures | Getty Images." Getty Images. N/A, 2012. Web. 02 May 2016. <http://www.gettyimages.com/event/track-140407601>.

#suckd

Black Orpheus - 1959, Camus

In the movie Black Orpheus, there were certain characteristics that made me dislike the film just a little bit. For example, the movie patronized the poor living conditions in the Brazilian slums. Since the display of the slum life is meant to emphasize other areas of the film such as the Carnival, the fictional representations about true Brazilian culture altered the audiences view of who those people are. This distortion of an entire social class disturbed me for the film demonstrated that the majority of the time people are dancing, laughing, partying as a way for them to forget their troubles. This is depicted in the film during the scene where Eurydice takes Serafina’s place in the parade: she forgets for a moment that death is trying to capture her. Even though there were atrocious events in some scenes, the energy the characters demonstrated with the Samba dancing quickly transformed the tone of the scene and prevented the audience from becoming emotional, which in my perspective helped the film transition between scenes.

Yet, I would have treated this movie as a contemporary film for it displayed themes of love between soul mates, pain due to unrequited love, and living to continue a legacy if I didn’t know that this film was based on a legend. All of the aspects of the film were experimental because it led to viewer to go beyond the plot and immerse themselves into the visually rich sceneries (Bork). Nevertheless, Camus’ interpretation of this Greek myth was not portrayed in any of the scenes of the film besides the names of the protagonists and the dog who was in the courtyard. The film moved forward even with lack of mythological characters whereas the play, it needed those elements to have the storyline to continue.

In my perspective, the film’s interpretation of the mythological story of Orpheus and Eurydice was bogus because there were no explicit details that demonstrate the Greek tale.

Bork, Hans “Classic 42 – Cinema and Ancient World” University of California, Los Angeles. 26 April 2016.

#eh

Spartacus - 1960, Kubrick

Movie Review for College Course below:

In the movie Spartacus, the spectacle elements projected throughout the film intensified the development of Spartacus’ character and his motivation to fight back against Rome, while also conveying a universal theme of free-will. Spartacus, a man who did not know what freedom was, wanted people to have power over themselves and not be oppressed by any means. Moreover, the spectacle traits of the film like the training and the one to one combat scenes established how Spartacus’ attitude was going to drive the plot forward: he was not going to kill on command to gratify someone else’s pleasure. Another part of the film, where Spartacus’ personality is established was when he showed restraint in his cell. The crucial part of that scene demonstrated to the audience that no matter the circumstances, Spartacus was not going to succumb to the wicked Romans.

Despite of Spartacus’ desire to become a free man, he also longed the experience to love due to his restricted exposure to Verinia. Even in their ever slow growing relationship, which later produced a mini Spartacus, Spartacus transferred his understanding of love into different parts of the film. For example, Spartacus expressed his fondness of Antoninus by not teaching him any fighting tactics: Spartacus wanted to protect him. Although in the last scenes of the movie there were some homosexual overtones between Spartacus and Antoninus, there was a clear depiction that they cared for each other - Spartacus saw a son in Antoninus and Antoninus saw a father in Spartacus. Overall, I believe that the director did a great job in portraying the Thracian Revolt by developing a strong character that wanted sovereignty for an entire social class.

#ilikedit

Ben-Hur - 1959, Wyler

In the movie, Ben-Hur, I was really interested in the development of certain relationships between the characters – most specifically – Juda and Esther. While Simonides and Juda talked about Esther, Juda did not seem interested in her, well up until she came in the screen frame. Once Juda saw her, he became enveloped into her beauty and didn’t want take his gaze off from her. Although Esther wanted a sentimental connection with Juda, it appears to be one sided. While Esther likes Juda for qualities that are not completely displayed in the plot, Juda appears to be interested in her because she is off-limits. Juda’s fascination over the prohibited drives him to seduce Esther, even though she is an engaged woman. Obviously Esther enjoys Juda’s attention, but according Laura Mulvey, author of Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, she states that the “active scopophilia…. demands identification of the ego with the object on screen” (Mulvey, 837). With this analysis regarding the “gaze (Mulvey)”, I understood that Juda engages Esther in disturbing way in order to catalyze her as an object – or in this case – an image. Moreover, his intense fascination with her further implies that Juda must want emphasize the power he has over her to maintain some sort of patriarchal affirmation*. This trait remains a prominent element of Juda and Esther’s relationship throughout the film just until Juda gets sent to the galleys.

After Juda goes through all the trials and tribulations, he eventually finds himself with Esther again. Yet, Esther challenges the role of “being the image” (Mulvey) by refraining from telling the truth to Juda regarding his mother and sister. For a brief moment, Esther becomes the leader of the relationship for she took charge of the situation to protect Juda. Nevertheless, she eventually falls back into the “active scopophilia” (Mulvey).

Overall, as I found myself becoming invested in the film, I disliked the portrayal of Esther and Juda causing me to be very critical of other unintentional aspects of the movie.

Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.”Film Theory and Criticism : Introductory Readings. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York: Oxford UP, 1999: 833-44. Picture: Granger, Katie. "Ben-Hur: How Will The Remake Measure Up?" Moviepilot.com. Movie Pilot, 25 Aug. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016. <http://moviepilot.com/posts/3499944>.

*This sentence reminded me of the song This is a Man’s World by James Brown. Brown, James. It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World Soul Brother #1. King, 1966. CD.

#it was okay

The Percy Jackson Films

Even though the Percy Jackson Series are set in modern times, there are aspects that illustrate ancient Greek mythical elements. For example, one of the major features of the films are the semi-public display of gods. In the demi-god camp where he resides most of the time, the people there pay tribute to the gods through sports and other activities. Mythical creatures like Centaurs and satyrs are seen on the camp’s grounds. The incorporation of these legendary Greek elements demonstrates that the ancient world remains relevant today.

Although the myths and legends are usually meant to teach valuable and universal lessons, the Percy Jackson films place emphasis myths in a different scope. Annabeth, Grover, and Percy are linked into a mythical story in order to illustrate the ancient elements of a hero’s journey. Similar to the Greek myths like the Odyssey, the Percy Jackson movies clearly reflect the rollercoaster events that test the character’s limits. Moreover, Percy must undergo a series of challenges, foretold by prophetic creatures, that lead him to strengthen who he is as a person.

Adding on, one of entertaining aspects of the film was the use of supernatural powers and/ or gifts. Since Percy is the son of Poseidon, one of the most powerful gods, he has the ability to control water. This illustration of inherited gifts can be seen in other parts of Greek myths. For example, in the story Hippolytus, Theseus is the son of Poseidon as well. Even though he doesn’t have powers like Percy, Theseus does have three wishes. In relation to Greek mythology Aphrodite, the goddess who has the ability to control love, is said to have been spawned by Zeus. The goddess inherited powers that allowed her to control procreation.

Furthermore, the Percy Jackson films bring components of legendary Greek stories into the modern world bringing to life.

#lighting #fleece #monsters

Quo Vadis - 1951, LeRoy

In the film, Quo Vadis, there was a strong theme of lust versus faithfulness. Early on in the movie, the audience can see that Marcus is a driven man who will stop at nothing for what he wants.

When Marcus first arrives to the edge of the city, he learns that he can’t enter yet. Wanting to seek answers, he rushes in his chariot right to where Nero is. This act of defiance illustrates that Marcus has a weak character because he ignores the orders of the emperor. Even though in the film, the Emperor is persuaded very easily and overlooks Marcus’s actions. Nevertheless, Marcus’s character can illustrate that his selfish desires will lead him to a troubled road.

Another aspect where the theme between lust and faithfulness is presented is when Marcus and Lygia meet. In the beginning, it is unrequited love but as the film moves forward, the relationship between the two builds. Marcus wants to have her demonstrating to the audience how selfish he his; while Lygia is clinging onto her religion. In a sense, Lygia is remaining faithful to God. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing battle inside of her. Lygia wants to remain with Marcus; since her religion doesn’t allow her to be with a person like Marcus - dismissive of Christianity - it constantly pains her to be away from him.

Although Marcus understands this, he finds it hard to believe that Lygia would rather have Jesus in her heart than him. This demonstration further illustrates to the audience that Marcus is an arrogant who chooses to his desires over everybody else’s. Regardless of the troubles between Lygia and Marcus, Nero’s lustful actions against the Christians led to the rise of an organized revolt set by the people who are tired of Nero’s selfish actions. These senators remain faithful and essentially cling onto the Rome’s past glory and wish to see it again.

Gallindo, Juan. "Quo Vadis? (1951). Regia: Mervyn Le Roy. Musica Di MIKLOS ROZSA." YouTube. YouTube, 13 Aug. 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS9SvREwQDs>.

#romeburns

The Passion of Saint Perpetua

Since Christianity posed a threat to the polytheistic traditions for Romans, there was a strong sentiment to push the Christians out by any means: these said means included death and more horrific accounts. Nevertheless, in the reading, The Passion of Saint Perpetua, there is a strong message about martyrdom. These people, who died for their faith, were not worried about what they were about to face but simply worried about when will their family members accept Jesus Christ.

They believed so much in God to the point where they thought that they were glorifying Him with their actions: “…you who were present may call to mind the glory of the Lord, and you who now know by hearing may have communion with those holy martyrs, and through them with the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is glory and honor for ever and ever… (Medival…).”

These accounts demonstrate to the reader that the power of believing in something can lead to overcoming all obstacles. In Saturus’s account, he states “…the Lord promised us; we have received His promise. And while we were being carried by these same four angels, a great space opened before us, as it had been a having rose-trees and all kinds of flowers. The height of the trees was after the manner of the cypress, and their leaves sang without ceasing. And there in the garden were four other angels, more glorious than the rest; who when they saw us gave us honor and said to the other angels: Lo, here are they, here are they: and marvelled. And the four angels who bore us set us down trembling; and we passed on foot by a broad way over a plain (Medival…).” Although there is no possible way to prove the beautiful scenery, the language depicts that these martyrs are encouraging others to remain faithful and strong. This determination illustrates that the Christians were planning to follow one God to the end of the line.

"Medieval Sourcebook: St.Perpetua: The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity 203." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. N/A, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2016. <https://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/perpetua.asp>.

#faithfultilldeath

The Sign of the Cross - 1932, DeMille

In the movie, The Sign of the Cross, there were certain characteristics that stood out to me, one of them was the portrayal of Christianity. The film emphasized martyrdom as the major principle feature of Christianity, demonstrated through an elaborate and contingent storyline between Marcia and the other fellow believers. What was really bothersome to me was Marcia and Marcus’ relationship and how it became linked with the overarching theme of martyrdom(ism). The exaggerated affection between the two completely shaped the audiences’ view about him - he would do anything for her, even die for her. Yet, Marcus’ iniquitous desires seen in the earlier scenes of the movie set the tone of how I would perceive his character. The so-called love Marcus had for Marcia, to follow her everywhere, in my perspective, was all lust. Marcia’s character is a symbol of purity and innocence that is inextricably linked to her faith and values, whereas Marcus is a wicked character that is soley intrigued to steal Marcia’s desirable virtues.

Marcus wants to “obtain” Marcia more than he wants to adapt to her beliefs. The element martyrdom, in this film, was explicitly portrayed as a person dying for his/ her religion. Since Marcia would not denounce her faith in Christ, she was optimistic to die and accept the treasures found in the afterlife. Marcus, a believer of Roman religion, decides to become a martyr because of his ostentatious need to be with Marcia: Marcus chose to die so he wouldn’t have to give up the person he believed in the most. Marcus never accepted Christianity and therefore should never be considered as a martyr.

The focal point of this film was supposed to be the impact of Christianity between its believers dying for their faith; however, the underlying message of the one-sided carnal love caused me to dislike the movie.

#thumbsdown

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