{"id":319,"date":"2020-11-30T23:00:19","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T23:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/classics.domains.skidmore.edu\/aims\/?page_id=319"},"modified":"2021-06-21T20:47:17","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T20:47:17","slug":"abstracts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/classics.domains.skidmore.edu\/aims\/abstracts\/","title":{"rendered":"Abstracts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AREZZOLO, Amy \/ University of New England, Australia<\/em>
“Long Ago, in the Faraway Land of Ancient Greece”: Setting the Scene and Establishing Engagement in Disney’s Hercules<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adapting millennia-old myths such as those belonging to the Greek demigod (and later, god) Hercules to modern audiences in the 20th century, let alone a primarily juvenile and parental audience is a challenging task given the disparity in time, culture and space between the two. The narrative presented in Disney\u2019s 1997 film Hercules <\/em>added but also erased elements of Hercules’ core myth to render the film appropriate, relevant and relatable for their audience has already been well discussed by reception scholars in the past two decades. However, in addition to narrative changes, the setting, background and landscape featured throughout the film serve the same function and are deserving of further attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These backgrounds in the film work with and support the narrative. In Hercules<\/em>, a fusion of classical motifs, artistic pieces and architectural elements are deployed by artists to establish a “lived-in\u2019”world in which characters such as Hercules, Meg, Phil and Pegasus operate. These scenes are also designed to appease audience expectations and connotations about what Ancient Greece looked “like.” In Hercules<\/em>, this occurs through the aforementioned motifs, art and architecture that were fused anachronistically, irrespective of times that the pieces were actually in use. Likewise, many of the scenes such as those featuring Hercules, Pegasus and Phil in front of a sunset, and the “Zero to Hero” montage are imposed with modern popular culture references to make this ancient setting more relatable to the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This presentation, therefore, argues that the setting of Disney\u2019s Hercules<\/em> is an important factor in how audiences receive the film. Through the use of a generalized range of classical imagery and the placement of modern references in the background to the narrative, Hercules <\/em>largely aims to satisfy audience expectations about the appearance of Ancient Greece. By doing so, it will be suggested that this aspect of the film optimized the audience to become invested in the narrative and its themes, leading to what Disney hoped would result in a resonance expressed through purchasing the film and its accompanying merchandise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BUT, Ekaterina \/ Ohio State University \/\/ SULPRIZIO, Chiara \/ Vanderbilt University<\/em>
Netflix\u2019s Blood of Zeus<\/em>: Greek Mythology Meets American Anime<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this roundtable, we propose a moderated discussion of the anime TV series Blood of Zeus<\/em>, which was released on Netflix on October 27th, 2020. The show, which adapts facets of ancient Greek mythology for modern audiences, was created by two brothers, Vlas and Charley Parlapanides, second-generation Greek Americans who aim to both promote their cultural background and increase Greek representation in American popular entertainment more generally. This production can be considered a successful example of how elements informed by different cultures (American-based streaming service format, Japanese anime, and Greek mythology) are combined together in a complementary fashion that allows for the creation of new meanings and new directions in Classical reception within modern popular culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We plan to begin the roundtable with a screening of the trailer and a brief summary of the show\u2019s plot and creative background. Then we will open the floor to the discussion, which we plan to organize around three main topics. First, we will consider the factors that influenced this show\u2019s production and distribution by the most popular streaming service, as well as the distinct aspects of its appeal to adult audiences. Second, we will evaluate the balance between the original elements of Greek mythology and those features that were developed or invented by the writers and producers, including the choice of Japanese anime to represent an ancient Greek narrative. Third, we will workshop some ideas about how to introduce this production in the classroom and what type of pedagogical value it may possess for ourselves and our students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this roundtable, we plan to fulfill two objectives. First, we hope to outline what strategies the producers of Blood of Zeus<\/em> have employed to create an innovative representation of well-known mythological material that attracts modern audiences. Second, we seek to explore ways that Classicists like ourselves can deploy these and other strategies as we seek to publicize our own research and better incorporate this type of material into our pedagogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BIBLIOGRAPHY<\/p>\n\n\n\n