Past and Present: National Identity and the British Historical Film (Cinema and Society)

This groundbreaking book by one of Britain's leading film historians is the first to take on this major genre in all its complexity. It takes to heart Ken Loach's view that ""the only reason to make films that are a reflection on history is to talk about the present."" With this proposition as his starting point, James Chapman examines the place of historical films in British cinema history and film culture. Through in-depth case studies of fourteen key films, from Henry V and Zulu to Chariots of Fire and Elizabeth, he analyzes the themes they present, including gender, ethnicity, militarism and and imperialism--throughout exploring their dialectical relationship between past and present and how they project images and ideologies of ""Britishness"" to audiences in the UK and North America. Exploring Throughout The Dialectical Relationship Between Past And Present, Chapman Reveals How Such Films Promote British Achievements - But Also Sometimes Question Them - And How They Project Images Of 'britishness' To Audiences Both In The Uk And Internationally. List Of Illustrations -- General Editor's Introduction -- Acknowledgements -- List Of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1. Merrie England : The Private Life Of Henry Viii (1933) -- 2. Age Of Appeasement : The Iron Duke (1934) -- 3. Monarchy And Empire : Victoria The Great (1937) And Sixty Glorious Years (1938) -- 4. Class And Nation : This England (1941) -- 5. Cry God For Larry, England And St George : Henry V (1944) -- 6. The Dunkirk Spirit : Scott Of The Antarctic (1948) -- 7. Hollywood's England : Beau Brummell (1954) -- 8. Nearer, My God, To Thee : A Night To Remember (1958) -- 9. Men Of Harlech : Zulu (1964) -- 10. Decline And Fall : The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1968) -- 11. The Conscience Of The King : Henry Viii And His Six Wives (1972) -- 12. The British Are Coming : Chariots Of Fire (1981) -- 13. Queen And Country : Elizabeth (1998) -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Filmography -- Index. James Chapman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [365]-376) And Index. Includes Filmography. This ground-breaking book takes as its focal point director Ken Loach's view that'The only reason to make films that are a reflection on history is to talk about the present.'In the first book to take on this major genre in all its complexity, James Chapman argues that historical films say as much about the times in which they are made as about the past they purport to portray. Through in-depth case studies of fourteen key films spanning the 1930s up to the turn of the twenty first century, from The Private Life of Henry VIII and Zulu to Chariots of Fire and Elizabeth, Chapman examines the place of historical films in British cinema history and film culture. Looking closely at the issues that they present, from gender, class and ethnicity to militarism and imperialism, he also discusses controversies over historical accuracy, and the ways in which devices such as voice overs, title captions, and visual references to photographs and paintings assert a sense of historical verisimilitude.Exploring throughout the book the dialectical relationship between past and present, Chapman reveals how such films promote British achievements - but also sometimes question them - and how they project images of'Britishness'to audiences both in the UK and internationally. From the classic The Private Life of Henry VIII to more recent landmarks such as Elizabeth, the historical feature film has been a major genre of British national cinema. Historical films have won both popular and critical success and have scored at the box office over many decades. Films such as Henry V, Scott of the Antarctic, Zulu and Chariots of Fire represent some of the greatest achievements of British cinema, acclaimed for bringing inspiring stories of Britain's past to life. At the same time they have provoked controversy for taking liberties with the past, with the desire to provide n