Designs on the past : how hollywood created the ancient world / Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd, author.

Series:

Screening antiquity.

Screening Antiquity

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Motion pictures--Setting and scenery--California--Los Angeles.

Motion pictures.

Motion pictures--Art direction--California--Los Angeles.

History, Ancient, in motion pictures.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (484 pages).

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2018]

Summary:

The epic glitter and glamour of Hollywood’s Golden AgeIn the period 1916-1966, during its so-called Golden Age, Hollywood developed a passion for the ancient world and produced many epic movie blockbusters. The studios used every device they could find to wow audiences with the spectacle of antiquity.In this unique study, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones shows how Hollywood carefully and skilfully created the popular modern perception of the ancient world. He analyses how producers, art directors, costumiers, publicity agents, movie stars, and inevitably, ‘a cast of thousands’ literally designed and crafted the ancient world from scratch.This lively book offers a technical as well as a theoretical guide to a much-neglected area of film studies and reception studies that will appeal to anyone working in these disciplines.Key FeaturesLavishly illustrated with film stills and examples of rare and fascinating marketing material Broad coverage of films including The King of Kings, The Sign of the Cross, Samson and Delilah, Land of the Pharoahs, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Spartacus and Cleopatra Considers different aspects of film production: the Hollywood set, costume design, the role of the movie star, dialogue, narration and musicSets a new agenda for exploring the relationship between history and film and between history and visual cultureExplores the archaeology of stardom examining the onscreen/offscreen images of Elizabeth Taylor, Charlton Heston and Rita HayworthIncludes a filmography, chronological outline and study aids

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

SERIES EDITORS’ PREFACE

MOVIE TRAILER

OPENING CREDITS: EPIC, HISTORY AND HOLLYWOOD

CHAPTER 1 SEE! SEE! SEE! HOLLYWOOD SELLS THE PAST

CHAPTER 2 ILLUSION MAKERS: PRODUCTION DESIGN

CHAPTER 3 DESIGNER HISTORY: COSTUMES

CHAPTER 4 MOVIE STARS: CASTING THE EPIC PAST

END CREDITS: WHY CLEOPATRA WINKS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780748675654

0748675655

9780748675661

0748675663

OCLC:

1312726479