Yo, Hadrian! (t/y snicks) Daniel Craig to play the Emperor?
In a continued effort to bring you all that is important in the world of gay entertainment and ensure that you are being spoon-fed images of gorgeous, commoditized manflesh, we present the newly-minted AfterElton Briefs. Following the usual assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.
- Contrary to earlier reports, The Advocate is reporting that Daniel Craig will play Hadrian in John Boorman's adaptation of Memoirs of Hadrian, which explored the Roman Emperor's relationship with his male lover. Fans of Blonde Bond know this isn't his first time playing gay, but we certainly don't mind his returning to that particular well.
- The nasty Project Runway custody battle has revealed that silver stepfather Tim Gunn received not a dime for the first season and $2500/episode for season two. (Nina Garcia, meanwhile, was paid in gallons of fresh virgin's blood.)
- No, Mister Rogers is not gay. But he did contribute to my love of cardigans and sneakers, and for that I will be participating in the drive to save his show from extinction.
Still "so fine", still "blows my mind":
Toni Basil at last night's Tribute to Television Dance and Choreography
(Credit: Getty)
- This isn't technically entertainment news, but since some people enjoy seeing a grown man cry, here's the news about today's historic overturn of Massachusetts 1913 marriage law, meaning that as of today gay couples from all 50 states can get married in the state. Seriously, real tears here.
- Folks are upset that gay author Tom Rob Smith's thriller Child 44 made the Booker Prize longlist. Not because he's gay, but because it's a thriller. It's always something!
And today's Briefs are brought to you by...
Former Aussie Queer Eye host Will Fennell! (for more of this gorgeous specimen, head on over here)
Submitted by
on Thu, 2008-07-31 19:38.
Best AE Briefs Ever!
Starting off with a gorgeous photo of Danny Craig, moving on to the mention of Tim Gunn (and Nina's payment schedule made me LOL and nearly PMP!), the fabulous news about the repeal of the 1913 law banning out-of-state couples from being married in Massachusetts (Gov. Deval Patrick and daughter Katharine, you are heroes!), and ending with the photo of that beautiful hairy man! Yummy. Yummy. Yummy. (Oh, and there was some other stuff, too.)
Yet another great column, Brian. You have had a hell of a day. Good luck going home tonight.
mmm Will Fennell
I always love Fennell in my salad.
;)
Toni Basil RULES!
And here's why
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rehb7cUyWE
Unfortunately...
Goodness gracious!
Will I have some Fennell? Yes I will!!! What a gorgeous man. Thanks for that.
Daniel Craig is a very interesting choice. Hell do well.
That comment about Nina García was hillarious.
OMG - Daniel Craig!!!
Allow me to point out the gay.
There are so many reasons to love Daniel Craig:
He's played gay/kissed boys in this and this movie, and he kissed a man in Infamous as well (unfortunately, the user took the video of it off youtube).
Daniel Craig is a way better Hadrian than Antonio
Dany Boy gets his wish
Daniel Craig has always said he wanted to play gay again, as he did in LOVE IS THE DEVIL and INFAMOUS, to win and Oscar. What can I say, the guy's an egotistical actor. None the less Hadrain was 48 (Craig is 40) when he met the 14 year old Antinous and they fell in love. Six years later Antinous drowned under mysterious circumstances. Hadrian deified him and mourned the boy until his own death eight years later. Margaret Youcenar's novel MEMOIRS OF HADRIAN (the basis for the film) suggests that Antinous' death was a suicide to spare Hadrian's life who was ill.
The age difference will make it very difficult to play the true story out as it actually happened. It will, however, be unavoidable. Our cultural standards are very different today. In ancient times this sort of relationship was accepted as boys were mentored by an older man into manhood. This indcluded teaching them how to have sex. That is not to say they couldn't also fall deeply in love, just as some men are gay and others are not today.
John Boorman created a revisionist view of King Arthur in his 1982 film EXCALIBUR. It was a very real and intriguing take on the oft retold tales we grew up on. I hope this goes foraward as Boorman is a very talented film maker. I doubt he will give the film a cursorory telling. Perhaps if we are lucky it will be the next BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.
Casting for Hadrian
Daniel Craig would certainly bring some gravitas to the role of Hadrian. Gay military figures have never been translated well in film.
And of course the film will be aimed at the het community, and many of them have a hard time internalizing that gay people not only have always served and presently serve in militaries across the planet, but also that our people even excel at it. Some hets in the USA, for example, don't want to be reminded of that reality (if I had violated the human rights of so many people I wouldn't want to be reminded of their military prowess either). One wonders whether U.S. public support for gay people serving openly in the military comes from respect for the service rendered by gay people or if it comes from the hope more gay people will join and subsequently go off to die in a far off land in place of a het soldier.
That video was Bruce Conner's film "Breakaway"
It was up as of at least a week ago as I went searching for Conner videos on YouTube right after his death.
There is an utterly iconic photography that Dennis Hopper took of Bruce Conner back in the 60's of Bruce in a bathtub with two female attendants wrapped in towels. Those attendants are Toni Basil and Teri Garr.
Before she turned to acting Teri Garr was a dancer in Toni Basil's troupe and therefore can bespotted frugging away in the back ground in Elvis Presley movies, the T.A.M.I. Show and Shindig. They're fast friends to this day.
Breakaway is a song written and performed by Toni Basil LONG before "Hey Mickey." Bruce Conner's film shows her against a black background, pixillating her form in any number of ways.