The Epic in Film
eBook - ePub

The Epic in Film

From Myth to Blockbuster

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Epic in Film

From Myth to Blockbuster

About this book

Constantine Santas encourages us to wonder why film critics have so routinely dismissed the epic film. In The Epic in Film, he argues that "blockbuster" and "artistic" are not mutually exclusive terms, and, perhaps more importantly, epic film is an inherently profound genre in its ability to tap into a nation's, and sometimes humanity's, dreams and fears. Why do we see dozens and dozens of films based on the King Arthur legend? Why would a presidential-hopeful borrow a 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? Start with an individual quest of some kind undertaken by an attractive hero or heroine, add the weight of a nation, and perhaps humanity, into that character's struggle, sprinkle some awe-inspiring special effects and a general sense of largesse, and don't forget the happy ending; and there you have a recipe for a film that can contain the deepest emotions-fear, hope, insecurity, pride-of a nation, and, sometimes, a world. 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, film buffs will want to read this first book-length treatment of the epic, a wildly popular, infinitely fascinating, and critically underappreciated genre.

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Yes, you can access The Epic in Film by Constantine Santas in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Media & Performing Arts & Film History & Criticism. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Preface
  5. Introduction
  6. CHAPTER ONE - The Classic Epic Form
  7. CHAPTER TWO - The Mythological Epic
  8. CHAPTER THREE - The Religious Epic
  9. CHAPTER FOUR - The Historical Epic
  10. CHAPTER FIVE - The Women-Centered Epic
  11. CHAPTER SIX - The Comic Epic
  12. CHAPTER SEVEN - The Anti-Epic
  13. CHAPTER EIGHT - The Information Age Epic
  14. CHAPTER NINE - The International and Art House Epics
  15. APPENDIX - Significant DVD Editions
  16. Selected Bibliography
  17. Index
  18. About the Author