Sword and sandal movi have always been a ltle gay, but now that might actually be on purpose!
Contents:
THE OUT TAKE: 'HERCUL' AND THE RISE OF THE GAY {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY DANIEL WALBERJANUARY 9, 2014/2:41 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BY DANIEL WALBERJANUARY 9, 2014 / 2:41 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE OUT TAKE: 'HERCUL' AND THE RISE OF THE GAY BLOCKBTER","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2014-01-09T19:41:25.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2014-01-09T19:41:25.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"DANIEL WALBER","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE OUT TAKE IS A BI-WEEKLY LUMN ON QUEER REPRENTATNS FILM. IT NS ON ALTERNATG THURSDAYS. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SWORD AND SANDAL MOVI HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A B {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OK, I’LL REPHRASE THAT. THERE’S SOMETHG UNNIABLY HOMOEROTIC ABOUT THE VERY NCEPT OF THE SWORD AND SANDAL FLICK. IT WAS TE BACK WHEN THEY WERE LLED “PEPLUM” MOVI (A WORD FOR TUNIC), AND ’S ABSOLUTELY TE TODAY. FROM 1958’S “HERCUL” WH STEVE REEV TO THE NEW “THE LEGEND OF HERCUL” STARRG KELLAN LUTZ, AND EVERYTHG BETWEEN, THE GENRE LIV AND BREATH THROUGH THE MCLED BODI OF OFTEN SNTILY-CLAD ACTORS. WE’RE THE MIDST OF A RENAISSANCE OF SORTS, ACTUALLY. ZACK SNYR’S ENTIRELY RIDICULO “300” WAS A SENSATN 2007, AND SCE THEN WE’VE GOTTEN SUCH DIVERSE ENTERTAMENTS AS TARSEM SGH’S “IMMORTALS” AND TV’S “SPARTAC.” AND NOW, 2014, WE’RE ANTICIPATG “THE LEGEND OF HERCUL,” THE ROCK’S “HERCUL,” “POMPEII” AND “300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS FAR AS THE EYE N SEE, GIANT SHOUTG MEN ELABORATE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE OLD WAVE OF PEPLUM MOVI, BACK THE LATE 1950S AND EARLY 1960S, WAS AN ENTIRELY UNTENTNAL GAY PHENOMENON. THE ABSURDLY SUCCSFUL ACTN MOVI, MA PRIMARILY BY ITALIAN STUDS, BEME CULT HS AMONG A VERY PARTICULAR AND THEN-IGNORED SEGMENT OF THE DIENCE. NONE OF THE ORIGAL “HERCUL” SERI PRENTED AN EROTICIZED PROTAGONIST AS SUCH, BUT THEY WERE EROTICIZED ANYWAY BY THE GAY MUNY THAT TOOK THEM , A MUNY THAT AT THAT TIME WAS STILL VERY MUCH A CLOSETED AND ABED MORY THE UNED STAT. THE PEPLUM BOOM WAS SET OFF BY THE SUCCS OF THE 1958 “HERCUL,” JT OVER A BEFORE THE STONEWALL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NONE OF THE OLD PEPLUM FILMS EMBRACE THE POTENTIAL OF THEIR PROTAGONISTS TO BE SEXUAL OBJECTS. THEY WEREN’T MA FOR WOMEN, CERTALY, AND THEY VERY EVINTLY WERE NOT SHOT WH THE MALE HOMOSEXUAL GAZE MD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW. NOT THAT MAJOR RELEAS ARE EVER MA WH GAY PEOPLE SPECIFILLY MD AS A TARGET DIENCE, BUT THE WIR CULTURE HAS ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT GAY PEOPLE EXIST. NOT THAT THE DOMANCE OF THE STRAIGHT MALE GAZE IS GONE, BUT THE EXISTENCE OF BOTH GAY MALE AND FEMALE SIRE IS REGNIZED BY MOVI. SO, HERE’S THE QUTN: WHILE THE OLD PEPLUM FILMS ACCINTALLY STUMBLED TO GAY SIRE, IS POSSIBLE THAT THE NEW BATCH OF BIGGER-BUDGET HOLLYWOOD SWORD AND SANDAL MOVI ARE VG ?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BELIEVE OR NOT, ’S HAS A LOT TO DO WH SPECIAL EFFECTS. THE BODY OF HERCUL (OR SAMSON, OR MACISTE, OR GOLIATH OR WHOEVER) WAS THE PRIMARY VISUAL DRAW OF THE ITALIAN PEPLUM FLICK, THE SOURCE OF THE ACTN. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN MY PERSONAL FAVORE ANACHRONISTIC MS, 1963’S “HERCUL AND THE MASKED RIR.” THE FILM IS SET SPA THE 16TH CENTURY, BEE WHY NOT? HERCUL IS A BLON, HULKG GYPSY PLAYED BY ALAN STEEL, BUT THE PLOT IS MOSTLY ABOUT DON JUAN (THE ALMOST-AS-BEEFY MIMMO PALMARA). ACTUALLY, HERCUL HAS VERY LTLE TO DO EXCEPT ACT AS DON JUAN’S SUPPORT, SHOWG UP TO THROW THGS AROUND AND FLEX FOR THE MERA. ALAN STEEL, AS HERCUL, PLAYS THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EFFECTS AN ACTN MOVIE ABOUT SOMEONE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE ARE PLENTY OF MOVI WHICH HERCUL IS MORE CENTRAL TO THE PLOT, BUT THE ATHETICS ARE THE SAME. THE MERA IS OBSSED WH THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE MCLEMAN, AND THE WAY THAT HE MOV, BUT ’S DONE WHOUT EVEN A HT OF SELF-AWARENS. IN “THE FURY OF HERCUL” (1962), BRAD HARRIS AS HERCUL ACTUALLY SHOWS UP TO EVERY FIGHT SCENE WH AN EXTRA LAYER OF BODY OIL. THIS IS EVEN TE OF THE STEVE REEV FILMS, CLUDG THE 1958 ORIGAL. HIS MCL UPSTAGE THE ACTUAL SPECIAL EFFECTS, NOT LEAST OF WHICH IS AN ENORMO MAKHIFT DRAGON THAT FALLS OVER AFTER A VERY SHORT FIGHT WH THE YOUNG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE LEGACY OF THE OLD FILMS IS THEREFORE ONE OF GIDDY, NOCENT OBSSN WH THE MALE FORM. IT’S ALMOST REMISCENT OF PROFSNAL WRTLG, ANOTHER MCLE-OBSSED CULTURAL FORM THAT OFTEN CHOOS TO IGNORE THE EROTIC POTENTIAL OF S GREASE AND S TIGHT BRIGHTLY-LORED BRIEFS. AND PROFSNAL WRTLG IS STILL AROUND, LOUDLY. HAVE THGS CHANGED THAT MUCH?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOOKG OVER THE LAST , THE EVINCE IS MIXED. “TROY” WAS ABSOLUTELY PLIC THE EROTIC PRENTATN OF S MA CHARACTERS. IT FEATUR BRAD PT’S BODY, OFTEN RTG RATHER THAN FIGHTG, AND OCSNALLY MOSTLY-NAKED A TENT OF FURS. THAT’S TO SAY NOTHG OF THE RT OF THE ST. IT’S A SHAME THE MOVIE WAS SO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOWEVER, THE FLUENCE OF ZACK SNYR’S “300” CHANG THGS A B. NOT NTENT TO SIMPLY E THE EXAGGERATED MASCULY OF THE BODYBUILR PHYSIQUE AS A SPECIAL EFFECT, SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE ED ON THE MALE FORM. THE RULT IS A GROUP OF SPARTANS THAT PHYSILLY OVERWHELM, A FEVERISH FANTASY OF MASCULY. THE STUM REVEAL FAR MORE SK THAN ALMOST ANYTHG AN OLD HERCUL MOVIE, AND SNYR TOSS A FEW MOMENTS OF ACTUAL NUDY JT TO MAKE SURE YOU’VE NOTICED . IN A SENSE, “300”IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A MORN SWORD AND SANDAL FILM THAT BOTH MATAS THE ACTN POTENTIAL OF THE EXCSIVELY BUILT MALE FORM AND RPORAT A NSCNS OF S EROTIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THEN AGA, THE SNYR’S EPIC OF WEIRD VLENCE ALSO HAS SOME OTHER IAS. IT’S EQUALLY TERTED THE GROTQUE, OPPOSG THE ENGEERED ADONIS OF SPARTA WH AN ARMY OF CREASGLY HORRIFIC PERSIANS. WHEN EPHIALT, MA REPULSIVE BY THE FILM WH PALPABLE GLEE, FALLY ENTERS THE PERSIAN ROYAL TENT TO BETRAY THE SPARTANS, HE IS MET BY A SICKLY Y THAT SEEMS TO INTIFY TRANSGRSIVE SEXUAL AND GENR IAS WH EVERYTHG DISGTG ABOUT PERSIA. THIS IS OPPOSED TO A SPARTAN GENR BARY OF ENRAGED MALE MCULATURE AND A LONELY LENA HEAY TO STAND FOR EVERYTHG FEME ABOUT THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE ASSUM THAT THE SEQUEL WILL BE AK TO THAT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE RT OF THE OVERABUNDANCE OF PEPLUM THIS YEAR? THIS WEEK WE GET THE NEW “HERCUL” AFTER ALL, A MOVIE WHICH SEEMS STED TO FALL SOMEWHERE THE MIDDLE. THE TRAILER HTS AT ELEMENTS OF THE “300” STYLE, EXAGGERATED FIGHTG MECHANICS TO PLEMENT THE EXAGGERATED PHYSIL PRENCE OF KELLAN LUTZ. BUT THIS IS ALSO GOG TO BE A LOVE STORY, AND ONE BUILT AROUND A MAN OM THE “TWILIGHT” STABLE OF BEEFK. LUTZ HAS ALREADY BEEN THE EROTIC OBJECT FILMS DIRECTED AT A PRIMARY FEMALE DIENCE, AND ONE N ONLY ASSUME THAT HIS STG WAS AT LEAST RMED BY THAT. THE MEDIA IS OBSSED WH HIS WORKOUT ROUTE, BUT WHAT EXACTLY DO THAT IMPLY?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE END OF THE DAY DO THIS MEAN ANYTHG? WOULD BE A VICTORY IF MAJOR STUD ACTN FILMS MORE EXPLICLY BEGAN MARKETG THEMSELV TO GAY MEN? I SUPPOSE ’D BE NICE, BUT I’M HARDLY GOG TO START MPAIGNG FOR MORE SHIRTLS LUTZ AS A CIVIL RIGHTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS AN IMPORTANT NVERSATN TO BE HAD AROUND MALE NUDY POPULAR CULTURE. IN MANY PLAC ’S TABOO, TOO MUCH OF AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE MALE BODY N BE JT AS EROTILLY APPROPRIATED AS THE FEMALE. INTERTGLY, THE SAFT PLAC FOR MALE NUDY ON SCREEN APPEAR TO BE EDI OF RIDICULE AND THE SUPPOSEDLY HYPER-MASCULE WORLDS OF THE SWORD AND SANDAL FLICK, WRTLG, ETC. YET THAT’S A BLISSFUL IGNORANCE, ONE WHICH FALLS APART THE MOMENT YOU NOTICE HOW MUCH GAY MEN LOVED THOSE STEVE REEV MOVI. AND IF A FILM IS NSC OF THAT, I’D LIKE TO THK THAT WOULD MAKE MORE TERTG TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RELATED: THIS! IS! (STILL!) SPARTA! HOW "300" LOWERED THE BAR FOR SWORD & SANDAL MOVI {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
Another one was fdg out that you’re gay. The fal film I ma was about this guy who go to the mirror, starts cuttg himself, begs to thk he’s gay, is makg a movie about him cuttg himself and then ms suici, and then he wak up and realiz ’s all a dream! There’s somethg unniably homoerotic about the very ncept of the sword and sandal flick.
”As far as the eye n see, giant shoutg men elaborate old wave of peplum movi, back the late 1950s and early 1960s, was an entirely untentnal gay phenomenon. None of the origal “Hercul” seri prented an eroticized protagonist as such, but they were eroticized anyway by the gay muny that took them , a muny that at that time was still very much a closeted and abed mory the Uned Stat. They weren’t ma for women, certaly, and they very evintly were not shot wh the male homosexual gaze md are different now.
Not that major releas are ever ma wh gay people specifilly md as a target dience, but the wir culture has accepted the fact that gay people exist.