The Historical Epic

Russell Crowe in Master and Commander.

The historical epic movie is one of Hollywood's best traditions and greatest formulas. In an average year there may be one historical epic film released. Starting November 14 and going through Christmas, Hollywood is releasing no less than 4 historical epic movies.

First up is Master and Commander, starring an overweight Russell Crowe. He plays British captain Jack Aubrey, of the HMS Surprise. Based on the novels by Patrick O'Brian, the movie promises big period sea battles. Of course, he battles the French so how tense can the fighting be?

Tom Cruise brings The Last Samurai to theatres December 5. Cruise plays an American army officer in the 1870s, who is hired by the Japanese Emperor to train his army in modern warfare. You know, like Bill Clinton did for North Korea, by helping them with their Nuke program?

The final journey of the Ring begins December 17th. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, continues Frodo's endless trek to Mount Doom. Gandalf should have bought that guy a horse. Meanwhile, Aragorn does battle and rises to his place of lordship.

December 25th, is the release date of Cold Mountain. Jude Law and Nicole Kidman star in this American Civil War epic/love story. Law is a Limey and Kidman is an Aussie. The exteriors were shot in Europe. It sounds authentic to me.

Epic films are usually very expensive to make. They traditionally feature large casts. Nine times out of ten, they contain at least one large battle. Historical films can often bring some controversy as filmmakers sometimes tweak or even butcher history for the sake of their story. (Oscar Schindler a hero my ass)

However, historical epics, in my opinion, is Hollywood at it's best. Audiences are transported to another time and place where big things are happening. It is the best escape Hollywood can provide.

One of the best-known silent films, that does not have a mustached tramp, is Birth of a Nation. It set the standard for historical epics. Costumes, battles and romance are the main ingredients in this D W Griffith's classic. Gone With the Wind was the first color epic film. It set an extremely high bar for all to follow. It took Griffith's recipe and made it gourmet.

In the years to follow many historical epics like: How The West Was Won, Spartacus, Ben-Hur, The 10 Commandments and Lawrence Of Arabia would come out. All of these films did well at the box office and garnished numerous awards.

However, historical epics do not guarantee box office revenue and critical praise. Elizabeth Taylor's disastrous Cleopatra is the best example. So expensive was this film at the time that it nearly drove 20th Century Fox into bankruptcy. British born Taylor was an over weight thirty something playing an Egyptian teenager. Gee, I wonder what the first clue was that this movie might not work?

Tom Cruise, who is single handedly carrying the 120 million dollar The Last Samurai, knows about box office failure. He and, then wife, Nicole Kidman starred in the already forgotten historical epic, Far and Away. Apparently their onscreen chemistry is even worse then their off screen chemistry.

The John Wayne epic, The Alamo, was boring and slow. The new version, coming out this spring, stars Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Quaid. It has little to live up to when compared to the original. However, having had its release date moved back is never a good sign.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic.

Does anyone want to talk about the historical epic, epic disaster Heaven's Gate? Does anyone even remember Heaven's Gate?

Although the historical epic is not a success guarantee, it still has a good track record in money and awards. Dances with Wolves and Braveheart each won best director Oscars for Kevin Costner and Mel Gibson.

Titanic and Gladiator each utilized computer graphics to great effects. Each film's historical locale becomes alive on screen due to this fairly new Hollywood tool. Peter Jackson has made full use of computerized film making for his Lord of the Rings movies. Not only does it help him in locales, Gollum is the most realistic computerized character to date. Jar Jar who?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is not exactly historical. It exists outside the parameters of actually history. Still, it does contain the classic elements of historical epics. It has the battles, the costumes and the romance.

Hollywood is quite simply the most popular history teacher. Whether they get history right or wrong, whether it makes money or wins awards, a historical epic transports its audience to a forgotten place where we see how people lived and loved. Sure, they may not always get it right, but that does not mean that we do not wish to visit there any less.