Popular Culture Review Vol. 13, No. 1, January 2002 | Page 9

particularly as exemplified by creature we all know as 'T he Mummy”. He focuses
most directly on a comparison of the original 1932 Universal Studios film, The
Mummy with its 1999 remake. As Craig makes clear, the remake adds little to the
classic (starring Boris Karloff in the lead role) but computer generated special
effects and an alleged feminist slant And in “The Sexual/Textual Infidelities of
Peter Sellar’s Don Giovanni”, Denise DiPuccio summarizes the latest reincarnation
o f Don Juan. Despite contemporary claims that Don Juan is dead (“ .. .defeated not
by moral rectitude but ethical indifference” claims DiPuccio), DiPuccio reaffirms
that the “bad boy” is still alive and tricking. As she explains, in Sellar’s opera the
infamous lover is characterized as a “black drug dealer and user from the projects”
and the opera becomes a comment on the racial, social and economic inequalities
of contempo rary American society. DiPuccio comments that Don Juan’s character
has recurred right up through the twentieth century because of his ability to
“insinuat[e] himself into the needs of a particular historical period or a specific
dramatic moment.” Robin Blyn’s article actually intersects several of the themes
and topics of this issue: her article touches on sex, film, and film re-makes. In her
comparison of Nabokov’s Lolita with director Adrian Lyne’s 1995 film adaptation
of the novel, Blyn re-addresses - and boldly “challenges and supplements”—
traditional scholarship’s study of film adaptations of literary works with its emphasis
on the “fidelity” of film to literary precursors. Proving the inevitable filmic
“perversion” in attempts at fidelity to the literary text, Blyn’s essay is yet another
provocative take on Lolita.
Finally, in a category all his own, Daniel Metzger discusses the important
works of the early twentieth century philosopher, Jacques Maritain. Metzger
demonstrates Maritain’s focus to be one of re-situating medievalism and medieval
studies in Universities today even when, for the students, “ ...there is little chance
of their gainful employment.” In the process, Metzger attempts to define Maritain’s
“medievalism” and to summarize some of his hefty (and voluminous) Thought.
Touching on some of his ideas relating to history, philosophy, and Christian theology
in general, and Thomism in particular, Metzger guides us through the intricacies
of Maritain’s work (at least I think that’s what he’s doing).. .It will take uninterrupted
concentration (and more than one read through) to truly grasp Metzger’s take on
this historian/philosopher/medievalist but it is worth the effort. (Kind of brings
you back to graduate school - So do it for the memories!).
We hope that you enjoy this 13*^' issue of Popular Culture Review and
welcome your input and articles on the many “Popular Culutre” events that are
affecting our world today.
Juli Barry
Associate Editor
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