Monday, January 25, 2010

Come Monday...Spartacus: Blood and Sand


“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).

Methinks that our Heavenly Father may have ruined “me” (so to speak). For after watching the first episode of the [Starz] original series, [Spartacus: Blood and Sand], all I felt was disgust and disappointment.

Come on now, what is wrong with me? For it had all of the elements that I used to delight in—graphic sex and violence, along with a heavy dose of political intrigue.

Perhaps it is a case of too much of a good thing, but I do not think so. For I have never even considered the possibility that seeing too much of what ladies who look like [Erin Cummings] has to offer could happen. Hey, in the case of [Viva Bianca] in the first episode, we are talking about FULL frontal nudity here!

No, we are not necessarily talking about soft porn. Well, at least not a cheap production. For the show does have a plot.

Those who have never seen [Gladiator], nor [HBO’s Rome], might even enjoy what is going on between scenes of naked bodies writhing in sexual ecstasy and computer-generated slow-motion shots of gushing blood. For it is based upon the exploitation of lesser peoples for the glory of the [Roman Empire].

To get more specific about it, the plot of Spartacus: Blood and Sand starts off with [Glaber], the commander of a Roman Legion, giving a representative group from [Thrace] an offer that they basically cannot refuse, which is to join with him in a rearguard action against a horde of barbarians from the north. When Glaber sees that one of his rivals is in a better position to gain prominence against a greater threat to the empire in the east, he chooses to march his forces there, which would leave the homes of the Thracians defenseless. This forces [Spartacus] to choose between his oath to support the Romans and the possible loss of his drop-dead gorgeous wife, who is played by the aforementioned Ms. Cummings. Needless to say, he chooses to go save his wife, which embarrasses Glaber, who tracks them down and forces both into slavery.

Well, almost. For Spartacus is actually scheduled for death at the hand of four gladiators in front of a roaring crowd for the pleasure and political gain of Glaber’s father-in-law, but Spartacus wasn’t so willing to go along with the script. You can probably figure out where the rest of the story is going on your own.

In all fairness, the producers of the show were able to sign some fairly big names. For [Lucy Lawless], of [Xena: Warrior Princess] fame, and [John Hannah], who you may recognize from [The Mummy] movie series, play key roles.

Maybe they saw something in the show that I missed? I don’t see how. For my eyes were really wide-open for the entire hour. In fact, my mouth was even fully [agape] at times!

No, I do not think I am turning into a prude, but something is going on. Hopefully, my resistance will prove futile.

Please Also Visit: [FishHawk Dropping]

20 comments:

  1. Your aversion to the show is just the Holy Spirit sanctifying your heart, and turning you away from things of this world (I Thes. 5:19).

    I'd just urge you to guard your heart against what you see on TV these days, as there's very little edifying content out there anymore.

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  2. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Rob!!! When you get to The Nineteenth Crumb of The Crackerhead Chronicles, you will read about my horror at being left too much unchanged for my comfort. For He did change a lot, but left my GREAT appreciation for the female form, and what pleasures could be beheld by it, intact. I even seriously considered following what appears to be suggested in Matthew 5:27-30, but when He made me see that this would not stop the torment, I backed off. For it is all in my mind and part of the cross that I am meant to bear {Luke 9:23-26}. For as it was with the Apostle Paul, so is it also with me {2 Corinthians 12:7-12}. Be assured that I have begged our Heavenly Father to cleanse me of these abominable desires many more times than just three. For the more He shows me just how perfect He is, the more I hate how naturally imperfect I am, and that imperfection includes having a problem with grace. For I naturally want to be truly perfect in all of my ways--not just forgiven for not being so, and that was also left intact in "me." Therefore, am I not in desperate need of His grace as much as anyone who has ever lived?

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  3. Somehow I suspect this may have more to do with Hollywood than Rome!

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  4. You are probably right, my dear Adullamite. Thanks for stopping by again!!!

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  5. I have got to say that in all honesty, the naked sex scenes and overly gory images did nothing for me. I got a little exasperated actually as I thought a lot was overdone so as to catch attention and make news. The sex (multiple) scenes were a distraction to me.

    Wishing the show the best of luck though. I likely will not tune in for the second episode.

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  6. How can our children ever believe that violence, sex and the moment is what life is about when their role models project it all over the place.

    It's sad when this is what sells soap and I will not watch it and I'm not a prude either..I just have good common sense as to what is and isn't healthy for our children I think the word here is desensitize...which is what will happen to our children as this junk will be come the norm to them how sad..

    Thanks for posting, good food for thought..Dorothy from grammology
    grammology.com

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  7. I didn't watch because it's not really the type of thing I enjoy anyhow. I perfectly happy with people keeping their clothes on and doing non gory things.

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  8. Sorry the above comment belongs to me.

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  9. Not my type of thing. I'll just take your word for it rather than see for myself :)

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  10. Frequently movies are just too gratuitous for my tastes. In my mind there's 2 issues here:

    1. As Rob pointed out; the Holy Spirit within us as Believers turns away from ungodly stuff.

    2. Artistically it doesn't work for me. Any great plot line and acting ability gets lost in all the gore and soft porn stuff.

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  11. Frequently movies are just too gratuitous for my tastes. In my mind there's 2 issues here:

    1. As Rob pointed out; the Holy Spirit within us as Believers turns away from ungodly stuff.

    2. Artistically it doesn't work for me. Any great plot line and acting ability gets lost in all the gore and soft porn stuff.

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  12. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Solomonsdelle!!! I'm with you. For I won't be tuning in to the next episode, nor any afterward.

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  13. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Dorothy!!! I hear, and the only thing that keeps me from despairing all the more is that there is more going on in this world that comes to naturally meet our physical sight. Of course, that would also make reality all the more terrifying if the absolute truth of the matter wasn't that it will be as it should be in the end. For our Heavenly Father's grace is sufficient, but we would do well to not want to take advantage of it too much.

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  14. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Jude!!! I am also firmly against censorship, and those in favor of such should keep in mind that there way of thinking is very much in the minority. For who is more likely to get censored if the freedom to watch what we want is taken away?

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  15. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Ann!!! Just stick with me, and I'll steer you...um...well...someplace. Please tell Duke I said, "Howdy!"

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  16. Thanks for stopping by, my dear Tracy. In my own case, I suppose it all depends upon how well it is done, and as was said in the text of this piece, this show is taking the sex and violence way too far. Gratuitous is most definitely a good word for it.

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  17. Very interesting.

    I really enjoy many 'secular' movies and shows, or at least I have in the past, but also know that my thoughts get cluttered and heavy when exposed to them too often. All the sex and violence has a very definite impact in my mind.

    Have you seen The Book of Eli yet? It's very very violent but I found it truly uplifting in the end. But I did close my eyes to some of the more horrible scenes.

    I really like your blog by the way. :)

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  18. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Casto!!! No, we haven't seen The Book of Eli yet, but from what I am hearing about it, I am looking forward to seeing it someday. That will probably have to wait until it gets on TV, however. For I rarely leave the house, and the cost of seeing a movie these days would be prohibitive--even if I could get around.

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  19. Even seeing it at home will be powerful. . . plus, I did find it much too loud in the theater. I actually put my hands over my ears several times (much to my husband's embarrassment).

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  20. Oh, I have wanted to get a good surround-sound system for a long time now. We went over to a friend's home to watch Top Gun several years ago, and they had a Denon system, which was top-of-the-line at the time. It was like watching a completely different movie! Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Casto!!!

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