Abstract
In this essay, I explore the potential of the epic genre as a form of transnational cinema, and reconsider its traditional role as a vehicle of national ideology and aspirations. I suggest that the contemporary historical epic conveys a sense of double-voicing by adapting epic themes usually associated with national narratives to collectivities that are not framed by nation. Reading the epic alongside the work of Giorgio Agamben, I draw particular attention to the ways that the contemporary epic foregrounds the potential of “bare life” as a form of historical agency, emphasizing the emergence of the multitude and the mongrel community. I also consider the particular formal characteristics of the epic film—its design-intensive mise-en-scène, its use of spectacle and its style of sensory expansiveness—as producing an affective and emotional relation to the historical past, creating a fullness of engagement and amplitude of consciousness.
Highlights
I wish to explore the potential of the epic genre as a form of transnational cinema, and to reconsider its traditional role as a vehicle of national ideology and aspirations
Placing special emphasis on the film Gladiator, I suggest that the contemporary historical epic conveys a sense of double-voicing by adapting epic themes usually associated with national narratives to collectivities that are not framed by nation
The combination of myth and history in the epic film, the layering of “what might have been” over “what occurred” produces a narrative structure that derives from real events, but transmutes the elements of the historical past into an inspirational form, “trading on received ideas of a continuing national or cultural consciousness.”7 One writer has said that “true film epics can only be made at a time when a country’s national myths are still believed—or when a nation feels itself slipping into decline, which produces a spate of nostalgic evocations of those myths.”8 This is especially evident in critical discussion of the American historical epic
Summary
I explore the potential of the epic genre as a form of transnational cinema, and reconsider its traditional role as a vehicle of national ideology and aspirations.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Ilha do Desterro A Journal of English Language, Literatures in English and Cultural Studies
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
