The epic in film : from myth to blockbuster / Constantine Santas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Santas, Constantine.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Epic films--History and criticism.

Epic films.

Physical Description:

ix, 235 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2008]

Summary:

In 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:

Chapter 1 The Classic Epic Form 23

Chapter 2 The Mythological Epic 53

Chapter 3 The Religious Epic 73

Chapter 4 The Historical Epic 87

Chapter 5 The Women-Centered Epic 111

Chapter 6 The Comic Epic 127

Chapter 7 The Anti-Epic 157

Chapter 8 The Information Age Epic 179

Chapter 9 The International and Art House Epics 205

Appendix Significant DVD Editions 217.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-223) and index.

ISBN:

9780742555280

0742555283

9780742555297

0742555291

OCLC:

104884687