The Epic in Film: From Myth to BlockbusterIn The Epic in Film, Constantine Santas argues that "blockbuster" and "artistic" are not mutually exclusive terms and, perhaps more importantly, that epic film is an inherently profound genre in its ability to tap into the dreams and fears of a nation, and sometimes those of the human race. Why do we see dozens and dozens of films based on the King Arthur legend? Why would a presidential hopeful borrow the phrase "Read my lips" from Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry? Why do war epics proliferate in times of war or national crisis? Why are epics as a whole the most popular movie genre? Whether you love Gone with the Wind and hate Troy, find Akira Kurosawa's films brilliant or marvel over the depth of the Matrix trilogy, if you're a film buff, you will want to read this first book-length treatment of the epic-a wildly popular, infinitely fascinating, and critically underappreciated genre. |
Contents
The Classic Epic Form | 19 |
The Mythological Epic | 49 |
The Religious Epic | 69 |
The Historical Epic | 83 |
The WomenCentered Epic | 107 |
6 The Comic Epic | 123 |
The AntiEpic | 153 |
The Information Age Epic | 175 |
The International and Art House Epics | 201 |
Significant DVD Editions | 213 |
Selected Bibliography | 217 |
221 | |
231 | |
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Common terms and phrases
achieved action actual adventures Algiers American appear archetypal attack attempt audiences authority battle become beginning called cause century chapter character characteristics Clark Gable classic comedy comic communal course Criticism death defeat despite Director early effects entirely epic film epic form episodes escape especially evil example expressed face fact fear fight figure follow forces French genre gives hero heroic historical Hollywood human instance killed later leader length literary lives look means mind mock moral movie myths narrative nature noted novel offers Oliver Stone perhaps person played plot popular present producers qualities ring role Roman samurai scenes screen seems seen sense shows social soon spectacle Star Steven Spielberg story takes tells theme tion underground viewer villains Western woman women York young
Popular passages
Page 9 - One aspect of this movement was a growing dissatisfaction with the empty formalism of much educational content in the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century; with stultifying drill and catechism-like methods of teaching; with the curriculum's lack of relatedness to the everyday experience of the child, his physical world, and social environment; and with pupils' rote verbalization and memorization of ideas for which they had no adequate referents in experience.
Page 2 - Collective and communal by nature, myths bind a tribe or a nation together in that people's common psychological and spiritual activities.
Page 3 - Pearl, 2003; The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2003; Ned Kelly, 2003.