HBO's
Rome is of course a video medium which means it feeds to the visual senses like no other media. The visuals of this show (the set, costumes, etc.) all seem very authentic and succeed like crazy in taking me back to Ancient Rome. I think this is because the designers weren't trying to make it look glamorous or over gaudy, yet they put so much attention into every detail, huge and small. Even though the Romans themselves tend to be overly lavish, they still kept it authentic and didn't over Hollywood it. The scene of Caesar's ceremony when he road in on a chariot with his face painted and the white doves reminded me of a dulled down version of the opening ceremonies in the Hunger Games by the way.
With this medium being a passive activity of just watching what others have lain before me, some things were incongruous with what I imagined in my head. The main thing involves the head honcho himself, Caesar. In this show, Caesar seems almost psycho. You can see it in those bug eyes.
He seems to be out of touch with reality in the way that he talks about Rome. This is especially highlighted in the scene when his right-hand men are all in a circle without Caesar discussing their disgust for the decision to make Vorenus a part of the republic. To me, they were meant to be made out to be the level headed, noblemen in this scene.
Another theme that stuck with me after being able to watch this story is how the men let their brutality carry over into their personal lives. Love and murder don't mix as Pullo and Vorenus found out. Being able to see the killings in full detail for nauseating amounts of time, also plays into the authenticity of the show and made me fully aware of how brutal the Romans could truly be. It makes one wonder what the true nature of these men is. Were they born power hungry murderers, or do the past battles have such an effect on them that they can't escape? As Cicero said in response to Pullo saying, "I'm a soldier, not a murderer", is there really any difference?
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thought about the Hunger Games when he rode in the way he did.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could go as far to say Caesar is psycho, but he's definitely not the smartest or most strategical. I feel the show portrays him as just doing whatever he pleases, only claiming that he has Rome's best interest at heart. It makes me wonder why they elected him in the first place...
If the noblemen are thought to be so wise and strictly take care of Rome, why would they have stooped so low as to brutally murder Caesar with their own hands if they were NOT corrupt and vicious from the beginning?
I specifically read this blog post because of the picture related to Caesar's "bug eyes." I definitely get a narcissistic vibe from Caesar in the episodes we watched. He seems fake, sneaky, and self-serving.
ReplyDeleteWith such a big budget, they could have easily made this show over the top, but I'm glad they didn't. It had the perfect amount of glamour and detail without making it seem tacky.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I like how you worded your last sentence. I think there is a difference in the mentality of a murderer and a soldier, but they are both basically committing the same deed.