How does Hollywood treat the ancient world of Greeks and Romans?
Directors, writers and producers of some of the most popular films and television series will tackle this question and more when they visit campus April 27-28 for a conference on “Recreating the Classics: Hollywood and Ancient Empires.”
They will be joined by some of the top Classics scholars in the country to examine how the ancient world has enjoyed resurgence in film, television and popular culture, in part because of “Gladiator,” “300” and “Rome,” and why many scholars and students of antiquity vilify these productions, assailing them for their historical inaccuracies.
“It will be an opportunity for the campus community to engage in an intellectual discussion about how the past intersects with and is reflected in the present,” said Stacie Raucci, assistant professor of Classics and conference organizer, who is teaching “The Ancient World in Film and Literature” this term.
Hollywood representatives expected to participate include Brad Silberling, Jonathan A. Zimbert and Niels Mueller. Mueller, the writer and director of “The Assassination of Richard Nixon,” is the brother of Hans-Friedrich Mueller, professor and chair of Classics and interim chair of Modern Languages and Literatures at Union.
Zimbert, executive producer of “The Presidio,” “American Outlaws” and “Narrow Margin,” also has ties to the College. His son, Max, is set to graduate in June.
Among the films directed by Silberling are “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” and the upcoming “The Lost Boys of the Sudan.”
Also scheduled to speak are Emmy-award winner Jonathan Stamp, historical consultant and co-producer (“Rome”); Kevin Kennedy, writer and producer (“The Assassination of Richard Nixon”); and cinematographer Nate Goodman (“Heroes,” “Grey’s Anatomy”).
Scholars will come from the University of New Mexico, University of Maryland, University of the South, Barnard College, University of Illinois and George Mason University.
Members of the Union community are invited to a wine and cheese hour with the conference speakers on Friday, April 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Milano Lounge, Hale House.
Conference funding was provided by the Ahmanson Foundation and the Office of the Dean of Faculty at Union. For a schedule on roundtable discussions and presentations, go to http://www.union.edu/News/RecreatingtheClassics_prog.pdf.