orichalcum

So, I should say, I'm not a book-to-movie purist on principle. I cheered at the absence of Tom Bombadil from Fellowship and thought the elimination of the Scouring was regrettable but understandable.

But someone's leaked the casting call for the new Dark is Rising movie, tentatively scheduled for release in September '07, and it's pretty depressing.

One of the whole points of the book is that Will is fighting to save his lovable, sweet, normal, caring, _English_ family. Not to mention, he's the youngest. And who thought a September release of a movie that's _all about Christmas_ was a good idea?

In other, semi-related news, the APA (my classics convention) is putting on a big panel next year on Classics and Comics. I feel like I really ought to submit something. Two items mentioned where they're looking for papers are Classics and Sandman and Classical narratives in manga. Anyone got any good ideas or directions to point me towards on those topics? (We're looking for a 20 minute paper worth of idea, here.) Deadline is Feb 5th.

So, it seems clear to me that the Democrats are embarking on a clear Mother Strategy in terms of their representation and refiguring of their female political leaders. Hillary Clinton has begun using the phrase "as a mother" in her stump speech, Nancy Pelosi pointedly assumed the Speakership surrounded by her horde of grandkids, and Barbara Boxer today got into a spat with Condi Rice when Boxer said, in reference to the war in Iraq, "“You’re not going to pay any particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family.”

I think this is an interesting and potentially extremely effective ploy, for two reasons.

1. Mothers can be authority figures, even to fairly conservative men. Mothers are competent; they are "managers;" they don't get the anti-feminist rap of being unfeminine. Mothers can kick ass and take names and still have respect as women.

2. As A. pointed out to me, there's a long tradition of associating mothers with anti-war movements, going back to WWI. It's politically and socially acceptable for a mother to be against the war - to not want her children to die - in a way where it isn't for a father, or a single man or woman. Cindy Sheehan is a great example here.

I predict lots and lots of Mom-Leader rhetoric in the next two years.

So, last night, hours before the final final deadline, I turned in my edited book-chapter on HBO's Rome series and the prevalence of incest plotlines in 2005-6 television, about which many of you have heard.

This morning, I got back email from the editor, calling it "excellent, well written, and provocative," and asking if I was on the market right now, as her university (unfortunately in a non-ideal location) had an unexpected 1-year-position/tenure-track search in the fall opening up.

I couldn't figure out a way to thank you guys formally in the endnotes, because it would have been too long a list, and "my friends on LJ" is just a wee bit unprofessional. But thanks so much to all of you for all your suggestions, helpful advice, and useful points. I've been working on this piece for six months, and I was totally uncertain as to whether or not it was totally shallow and worthless, and it seems like it's not.

I'm happy to email the article out to anyone who wants it, and keep an eye out for _Rome: Television Makes History_ at your local academic bookstore in September 2007.

I may not have gotten a job yet, but it's been a good week for my ego.