Soon after film came into existence, the term epic was used to
describe productions that were lengthy, spectacular, live with
action, and often filmed in exotic locales with large casts and
staggering budgets. The effort and extravagance needed to mount an
epic film paid off handsomely at the box office, for the genre
became an immediate favorite with audiences. Epic films survived
the tribulations of two world wars and the Depression and have
retained the basic characteristics of size and glamour for more
than a hundred years. Length was, and still is, one of the traits
of the epic, though monolithic three- to four-hour spectacles like
Gone with the Wind (1939) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) have been
replaced today by such franchises as the Harry Potter films and the
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although the form has evolved during
many decades of existence, its central elements have been retained,
refined, and modernized to suit the tastes of every new generation.
The Encyclopedia of Epic Films identifies, describes, and analyzes
those films that meet the criteria of the epic sweeping drama,
panoramic landscapes, lengthy adventure sequences, and, in many
cases, casts of thousands. This volume looks at the wide variety of
epics produced over the last century from the silent spectacles of
D. W. Griffith and biblical melodramas of Cecil B. DeMille to the
historical dramas of David Lean and rollercoaster thrillers of
Steven Spielberg. Each entry contains: .Major personnel behind the
camera, including directors and screenwriters .Cast and character
listings .Plot summary .Analysis .Academy Award wins and
nominations .DVD and Blu-ray availability .Resources for further
study This volume also includes appendixes of foreign epics,
superhero spectaculars, and epics produced for television, along
with a list of all the directors in the book. Despite a lack of
overall critical recognition and respect as a genre, the epic
remains a favorite of audiences, and this book pays homage to a
form of mass entertainment that continues to fill movie theaters.
The Encyclopedia of Epic Films will be of interest to academics and
scholars, as well as any fan of films made on a grand scale."
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