Light In The Sandals

[Moloch]

November 18, 2004 -- IS Oliver Stone's $150 million epic "Alexander" too gay for mainstream audiences? Stone, who previously stirred controversy with "JFK" and "Natural Born Killers," is on the hot seat again with his biopic about the bisexual Macedonian emperor, played by Colin Farrell, which opens next Wednesday.

As Alexander the Great, Farrell speaks softly and sports a blond pageboy and mini-toga, looking a bit like something out of Queer Eye for the Macedonian Guy.

In scenes that may raise eyebrows with some action-movie fans, the Irish actor kisses two men - a Macedonian soldier and a hunky topless Persian castrato named Bogoas, who becomes his lover - full on the mouth.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/34381.htm

woohoo! Finally a major movie that doesn't try to gloss over us gays!

[sam sarrha]

1. It wasn't 'Gay' in those days.. they didn't have the problems with sex that

the later Christians developed into and art form.

[ihaveaquestion]

2. My understanding is that Greeks and Romans

considered women so inferior to men that love bonds between men and women were considered inferior. True love was considered possible only between men.

Any Greek or Roman scholars out there?

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Greeks and Romans

The Greeks were a little more strict than the Romans. It is true the Greeks women as little more than property, but all men were expected to marry. Sexual relationships between adult men and prepubescent boys was considered OK. Sexual relationships between teens was OK, but generally, romantic relations between adult men was frowned upon. In warrior states, it was more common for adult men to have same-sex relations. In "thinking-states," it was seen as a "no-no." However, prostitution was seen as acceptable and it didn't matter if the prostitute was male or female.

In Rome, the saying "any port in the storm will do" would probably be a good one! Sexuality, until the Christian uprising, was often very liberal. Romans also allowed same-sex marriages. It is believed that some Greeks may have allowed this too.

Love in the ancient world was not like we see it now. Marriage was more a business deal, than a love match.

[damntexdem]

3. It's all Greek to me.

But something Ptolemy that the movie would be good.

[Chovexani]

5. I have heard conflicting reports about this flick

From what I understand there was only a kiss between Alex and Hephaestion (sp?), who was Alex's One True Love, and also a mild but hot make-out scene, and that both were filmed but then later cut out due to studio pressure or something.

Well, there goes 70% of my reason for wanting to see this movie. I only wanted to see Alexander because even though Colin Farrell is the world's biggest asshole, he's a pretty one and I would happily pay cash money to watch him make out with Jared Leto, who is also Very Pretty. Now all I have left are the swordfights. Dammit. The really silly part of it is I guarantee you a surprising (to the suits) number of people wanted to see it for exactly that reason also. Those of us who are familiar with Alex's story know that he was bisexual and don't care if the movie portrays him like that (which would be some historical accuracy for once). The only people who would have a problem with it are the brain-dead homophobic straight male action movie fans.

You know what the hilarious and really fucking sad part about that is? There is a racy makeout scene with his mom that is in the movie, and wasn't cut. So incest is okay but the boylove? Not so much. :argh:

I so want this movie to bomb worse than Gigli now. Just so that Hollywood will wake up and smell the vast, untapped market of slash fans. There's a LOT of us and we're obsessive and pissing us off probably isn't smart.