Retrovisions: Reinventing the Past in Film and Fiction (Film/Fiction)

The contributors to Retrovisions consider what happens to history in the movies. Focusing on films and texts from the 1950s to the 1990s, the contributors argue that the past has always come to us by way of previous texts and culturally bounded aesthetic categories, and that history films - to the despair of historians - have always taken a 'postmodern' approach to their subject, seeing the past as a dynamic resource for exciting stories and poetic, morally uplifting untruths. Why do certain decades appeal at certain times? And what does the renewal of interest in narrative history reveal about our culture at the start of the new millennium?The authors address the variety of ways in which history can be used, refashioned and made over to reflect current concerns - and how history films from the past can be reinterrogated to learn what they tell us about their own times. The films discussed include Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love, Culloden, The Avengers, Titus, and several adaptations of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, including Cruel Intentions. Media Studies,literary Criticism Contents 6 Notes on Contributors 8 1. Introduction: Retrovisions: Historical Makeovers in Film and Literature 10 Notes 16 2. 'No Man's Elizabeth': The Virgin Queen in Recent Films 17 Notes 31 3. Shakespeare in Love and the End(s) of History 34 Notes 46 4. Reflections on Sex, Shakespeare and Nostalgia in Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night 50 Film, Nostalgia and Shakespeare 52 Gender Trouble in Illyria: Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night 56 Notes 65 5. Black Rams Tupping White Ewes: Race vs. Gender in the Final Scene of Six Othellos 68 Notes 78 6. Cool Intentions: The Literary Classic, the Teenpic and the 'Chick Flick' 83 Notes 94 7. Peter Watkins's Culloden and the Alternative Form in Historical Filmmaking 96 Notes 107 8. Mrs Brown's Mourning and Mr King's Madness: Royal Crisis on Screen 111 Monarchs in History 113 Harmless History? 119 Which Generation? 122 Notes 125 9. The Grandfathers' War: Re-imagining World War I in British Novels and Films of the 1990s 129 Notes 140 10. 'Charm, Bowler, Umbrella, Leather Boots': Remaking The Avengers 144 Notes 155 11. Forbidden Planet and the Retrospective Attribution of Intentions 157 Notes 170 Index 172 accuracy, historical 34 25 34 102 111 105 114 106 115 110 119 112 121 Adler, Allen 161 152 161 153 162 Alberge, Dalya 27 36 Alleva, Richard 19 28 Alleyn, Edward 31 40 Almereyda, Michael 83 92 Amis, Kingsley 150 159 anachronism 14 5 14 25-6 34 113 122 114 123 125 134 Andersen, Maxwell 10 19 Another World [Barker] 129 120 129 126 135 129-30 138 131 140 archetypal narratives 153 162 As You Like It [Shakespeare] 37 46 Attenborough, Richard 16 25 Austen, Jane 54 45 54 79 88 145 154 Austin Powers 142-3 151 Avengers, The 146 and Englishness 137 146 and Englishness 141-3 150 and Englishness 145-6 154 nostalgia 2 11 nostalgia 145 154 parody 6 15 parody 136 145 parody 143 152 postmodern techniques 6 15 postmodern techniques 143 152 reactions to 135 144 Avengers, The [TV series] 147 black characters 138-9 147 and class 139-40 148 and Englishness 137-8 146 and Englishness 139 148 and Englishness 141 150 and Englishness 145-6 154 gender roles 136-7 145 gender roles 141 150 parody 136 145 parody 140-1 149 Aylmer, Felix 94 103 Barthes, Roland 82 91 Bate, Jonathan 33-4 42 Batman movies [Burton] 136 145 Baxter, John 150 159 Beau Brummell [Bernhard] 107 116 Beaver, Harold 55 64 Bennett, Alan 111 102 111 103 112 108 117 113 122 114 123 116 125 Bergan, Ronald 151 160 Bevan, Tim 24 15 24 18-19 27 Birdsong [Faulks] 129 120 129 122 131 124 133 127 136 129-30 138 Blackman, Honor 145 136 145 139 148 Blade Runner 143 152 Blake Nelson, Tim 83 92 Blanchett, Cate 22 13 22 15 24 19 28 Block, Irving 152-3 161 Bloom, Harold 13 4 13 7 16 27 36 Bond movies 148 139-41 148 143 152 145 154 146 155 Bonham-Carter, Helena 51 60 Bonnie Prince Charlie 96 87-8 96 90 99 91 100 93 102 94 103 98 107 Bonnie Prince Charlie [Calvert] 88 97 Bonnie Prince Charlie [Korda] 97 88 97 93 102 Boose, Lynda 54 45 54 63 72 Brady Bunch Movie, The 15 6 15 80 89 135 144 136 145 Brake, Michael 76 85 Branagh, Kenneth 55 46 55 68 77 Breakfast Club, The 76 85 Brideshead Revisited 151 142 151 143 152 Bristol, Michael 35 26 35 27 36 Britten, Benjamin 130 121 130 130 139 Brock, Jeremy 112 103 112 114-15 123 Brode, Douglas 160 151 160 152 161 Brosnan, John 152 161 Brother to Dragons [Hartnett] 129 120-1 129 124 133 125 134 126-9 135 Brown, John 112 103-4 112 112 121 Burbage, Richard 43 34 43 35 44 Burt, Richard 54 45 54 50 59 52 61 54 63 Burton, Tim 136 145 Bush, Dick 92 101 Butler, Judith 50 59 Byrne, Alexandria 13 22 Calvert, Charles 88 97 Cappelle-Lafarge, Marie 81-2 90 Carlton, Bob 148-9 157 Carroll, Lewis 142 151 Carson, Kit 96 105 Cavell, Stanley 154 163 Cecil, William, Baron 15-16 24 Charge of the Light Brigade, The [Richardson] 107 116 Chittenden, Maurice 28 37 Clemens, Brian 138-9 147 Clueless 13 4 13 74 83 75 84 78 87 79 88 80 89 Commune, La 97-8 106 Connery, Sean 150 141 150 143 152 Connolly, Billy 103 112 Connor, Edric 138 147 Cooper, Gladys 88 97 Cornell, Paul 138 147 costume drama 50 41-2 50 43 52 44-6 53 88-9 97 96 105 143-4 152 Crisp, Quentin 20 11 20 12 21 13 22 Cronkite, Walter 92 101 Crosman, Inge 152 161 cross-dressing 43 34 43 35-6 44 37 46 47 56 Crowther, Bosley 149 158 Cruel Intentions 11 2 11 4 13 74 83 75 84 78-80 87 81 90 83 92 Culloden [Watkins] 11 2 11 5 14 87 96 90-4 99 96-7 105 98 107 and amateur actors 91 100 and amateur actors 94 103 and amateur actors 98 107 anti-war message 87 96 anti-war message 94 103 anti-war message 96 105 reactions to 93-4 102 Culloden, Battle of [1746] 14 5 14 87-8 96 89 98 90 99 Curran, Charles 95 104 Custer, General George 95-6 104 Daly, Brenda 81 90 Davenant, William 34 43 Davis, Bette 10 19 Day, Robin 95 104 Deluge, The [Marwick] 121 130 Dench, Judy 29 20 29 21 30 103 112 Denning, Michael 140 149 Dexter, John 71 62 71 63 72 67 76 Diana, Princess of Wales 28 19 28 103 112 108 117 Diary of an Unknown Soldier 89 98 Doherty, Thomas 83 74 83 75 84 77 86 80 89 Doran, Susan 9 18 Droeshout, Martin 33 42 Dufour, Fernand 96 105 Dunmore, Helen 135 126 135 131 140 Dust Fever 89 98 Dworkin, Ronald 154 163 Eames, John Douglas 151 160 Edric, Robert 129 120 129 127 136 131 140 Elizabeth and Essex [Strachey] 9-10 18 Elizabeth I 12 3 12 8-22 17 and marriage 9 18 and marriage 17 26 and marriage 21-2 30 as Virgin Queen 3 12 as Virgin Queen 4 13 as Virgin Queen 9 18 as Virgin Queen 14-15 23 as Virgin Queen 18 27 depicted as young woman 3 12 depicted as young woman 13-14 22 popular image of 8-11 17 popular image of 18 27 popular image of 20 29 popular image of 21 30 relationship with Dudley 15-16 24 relationship with Dudley 17 26 Elizabeth R 10 19 Elizabeth the Queen [Andersen] 10 19 Elizabeth [Kapur] 12 3 12 4 13 13-20 22 21-2 30 46 55 107 116 and gender 15 24 and gender 21 30 historical accuracy 8 17 historical accuracy 13 22 historical accuracy 20 29 influence of The Godfather 2 11 influence of The Godfather 15 24 influence of The Godfather 19 28 Emma [Austen] 88 79 88 84 93 English Patient, The [Minghella] 45-6 54 Equity 94 103 Espitalier-Noel, Olivier 91 100 Evans, Richard J. 3 12 Explosion of British Society, The [Marwick] 121 130 Eye in the Door, The [Barker] 133 124 133 125-6 134 Faerie Queene, The [Spenser] 19 10 19 12 21 Falklands War 122 131 Farrell, Nicolas 51 60 Faulks, Sebastian 129 120 129 122 131 129 138 Fellini, Frederico 154 163 Female Malady, The [Showalter] 126 135 Ferris Bueller's Day Off 76 85 Field of Red 89 98 Fiennes, Joseph 22 13-14 22 28 37 33 42 Fiennes, Ralph 55 46 55 143 152 144 153 Fire Over England 20 11 20 105 114 Fishburne, Laurence 76 67 76 68 77 69 78 Fleming, Ian 140 149 Forbidden Planet 15 6 15 148-53 157 154-5 163 158-60 167 Forgotten Faces, The 89 98 Forster, E.M. 42 51 Foucault, Michel 49 58 Free Thinker, The 96 105 French, Philip 135 144 Fussell, Paul 129 120 129 125 134 129 138 Gance, Abel 83 92 Gander, L. Marsland 94 103 Garber, Jenny 76 85 Geller, Sarah Michelle 75 84 George III 113 104-5 113 107 116 115 124 George IV 107 116 Giroux, Henri 77 86 Gladiator 113 122 Gladiators 95 104 Grant, Richard E. 52 61 Greenblatt, Stephen 13 4 13 6 15 7 16 Gulf War 120 129 Hamlet [Almereyda] 83 92 Hamlet [Branagh] 46 55 Happy Days 46 55 Harper, Sue 105 114 Hartnett, David 129 120-1 129 124 133 127-8 136 Hathaway, Anne 33 42 Hawthorne, Nigel 52 61 Henderson, Andrew 92 101 Hendry, Ian 138 147 Henry V 19 28 Henry VI [Shakespeare] 30 39 Henslowe, Philip 43 34 43 35 44 heritage film 111 102-3 111 104 113 107 116 110-13 119 115 124 and Englishness 6 15 and Englishness 146 155 and escapism 110 119 and escapism 113-14 122 Hibbert, Christopher 21 30 Highlander 143 152 Hilliard, Nicholas 10 19 Hirst, Michael 19 28 history 120 accessibility of 111 120 and individualism 2 11 and individualism 3 12 and interpretation 2 11 and interpretation 74 83 and objectivity 1-2 10 and popular memory 45 54 and popular memory 46 55 commodification of 43 52 postmodern approach to 1 10 postmodern approach to 2-3 11 postmodern approach to 109-10 118 postmodern approach to 113 122 postmodern approach to 114 123 postmodern approach to 115 124 Hodgdon, Barbara 9 18 Hoffman, Michael 46 55 Holocaust 97 106 Hopkins, Anthony 72 63 72 67 76 Horspool, David 123 132 Howards End 45 54 Hume, Cyril 161 152 161 153 162 Hungarian Uprising [1956] 89 98 Hynes, Samuel 129 120 129 122 131 Hytner, Nicholas 103 112 imitation, and intentionality 162 153-5 162 158-61 167 Imperial War Museum 129 120 129 130 139 In Desolate Heaven 129 120 129 127 136 131 140 Irish Easter Rising [1916] 96 105 Island of Dr Moreau, The [Wells] 155-6 164 Island of Lost Souls 157 148 157 155 164 156-7 165 158 167 160 169 Izzard, Eddie 146 155 Jackson, Glenda 10 19 Jacob, Irene 77 68 77 69 78 Jameson, Frederic 52 43 52 44 53 Jenkins, Henry 82 91 Jones, Grace 141 150 Journey, The 96 105 Jung, C.G. 153 162 Kani, John 72 63 72 67 76 Kaplan, E.Ann 80 89 Kapur, Shekhar 22 13 22 14-15 23 19 28 21 30 Kavanagh, Patrick 145-6 154 Kemp, Robert 94 103 Kidnapped [Stevenson] 88 97 Kingsley, Ben 52 61 Knollys, Isabel 17 26 Korda, Alexander 97 88 97 93 102 105 114 109 118 110 119 114 123 Laclos, Pierre Choderlos de 83 74 83 83 92 Last Action Hero, The 6 15 Lean, David 42 51 Lear, Edward 142 151 Leave it to Beaver 46 55 Leavis, F.R. 62 71 Leicester, Robert Dudley, Earl of 23 14 23 15-16 24 17 26 Leighton, Margaret 88 97 Lerner, Lawrence 1 10 Les Liaisons Dangereuses [Laclos] 13 4 13 74 83 79 88 81 90 83 92 Levin, Carole 9 18 Lewis, C.S. 142 151 Lewis, Jon 78 87 Littlewood, Joan 121 130 Lombroso, Caesar 60 69 Long March, The 96 105 Looney, Thomas 29 38 Lost in Space 135 144 Lowenthal, David 121 130 Luckett, Moya 110 119 Luhrmann, Baz 83 74 83 83 92 Lumley, Joanna 139 148 Lyme Hall, Cheshire 43 52 Macintosh, Steven 49 58 Macnee, Patrick 146 137-8 146 144 153 145 154 Macpherson, Don 145 136 145 141 150 145 154 Madden, John 12 3-4 12 26 35 28 37 103 112 107 116 Madness of George III, The [Bennett] 102-3 111 Madness of King George, The [Hytner] 14 5 14 102-3 111 104 113 107-10 116 111-12 120 113-14 122 115 124 Madonna 80 89 makeovers 15 6 15 7 16 cultural transplantation 83 92 teenpics 76 85 male gaze 62 53 62 61 70 62 71 Man for All Seasons, A [Zinnemann] 107 116 Marlowe, Christopher 29-30 38 Marwick, Arthur 121 130 Mary I 18 27 Mary of Guise 26 17 26 18 27 Mary Queen of Scots [Jarrott] 107 116 Maslin, Janet 31 40 Matlock, Jann 81-2 90 May, Derwent 93 102 McKellen, Ian 75 66 75 68 77 McRobbie, Angela 76 85 Melville, Herman 83 92 Merchant-Ivory films 15 6 15 15 24 42 51 45 54 145 154 Midsummer Night's Dream, A [Hoffman] 46 55 Miller, Jonathan 73 64 73 67 76 Miller, Toby 146 137 146 140 149 Minghella, Anthony 45 54 Mission Impossible 15 6 15 135 144 Mitchell, Adrian 94 103 Modleski, Tania 80 89 monarchy 28 and burden of rule 19-20 28 and burden of rule 108 117 and burden of rule 109 118 and stability 106 115 and stability 115 124 demythologising 5 14 demythologising 107 116 demythologising 109 118 mythologising 105-6 114 mythologising 109 118 mythologising 115 124 monarchy films 111 102-16 111 and conservatism 115-16 124 and restraint of monarch 109 118 as indicators of stability 107 116 as propaganda 105-7 114 historical accuracy 102 111 historical accuracy 105 114 historical accuracy 106 115 Morley, Robert 107 116 Mrs Brown 112 103-4 112 107 116 108 117 109 118 111 120 and historical accuracy 102 111 and historical accuracy 114-15 123 visual subtext 112 121 Mulvey, Laura 61 70 Munch 96 105 Nayfack, Nicholas 153 162 Niven, David 88 97 Norman, Marc 30 21 30 27-8 36 nostalgia 11 2 11 43-7 52 145 154 Novello, Ivor 88 97 Nunn, Trevor 50 41-2 50 47-56 56 66-7 75 69 78 O [Blake Nelson] 13 4 13 83 92 O'Mealy, Joseph 103 112 Oh! What a Lovely War [Littlewood] 130 121 130 130 139 Olivier, Laurence 71 62-3 71 64 73 67 76 Ondaatje, Michael 45 54 Orlando [Potter] 17 8 17 11-13 20 20 29 Orlando [Woolf] 11 20 Othello [Shakespeare] 76 and gender relations 67 76 and gender relations 69 78 and male gaze 61 70 and male gaze 62 71 and peer-pressures 66 75 and racism 60-1 69 and racism 62-4 71 and racism 67-8 76 and racism 69 78 and skin-colour 60 69 and skin-colour 61 70 and skin-colour 62-3 71 and skin-colour 64 73 anti-racist reading 64-6 73 black actors 64 73 black actors 66 75 black actors 67 76 murder scenes 59-61 68 murder scenes 62 71 murder scenes 65 74 murder scenes 66-7 75 murder scenes 68-9 77 Othello, productions 71 Dexter 62-4 71 Dexter 67 76 Miller 64 73 Miller 67 76 Nunn 66-7 75 Nunn 69 78 O 4 13 O 83 92 Parker 67-9 76 Suzman 64-6 73 Suzman 67 76 Suzman 68 77 Welles 61-2 70 Welles 67 76 Welles 69 78 Ouditt, Sharon 12 21 Owen, Wilfred 130 121 130 122-3 131 Palmer, Geoffrey 103 112 Parish, James 151 160 Parker, Oliver 76 67-8 76 69 78 Passage to India, A [Lean] 42 51 Peachment, Chris 34 43 Penn, Arthur 95 104 Peter Pan Syndrome 84 75 84 78 87 84 93 Pidgeon, Walter 158 149 158 150 159 151 160 Pinter, Harold 26 35 Pitts, Michael 151 160 Plunkett and Macleane 113 122 Potter, Sally 11-13 20 Prebble, John 99 90-1 99 93 102 98 107 Pretty in Pink 76 85 Princes of Wales, portrayal of 107-8 116 Private Life of Henry VIII, The 114 105 114 110 119 114 123 Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The 10 19 Privilege 95 104 Proper in the Circumstances 95-6 104 Punishment Park 95 104 Pygmalion [Shaw] 88 79 88 84 93 Ralegh, Sir Walter 10-11 19 Regeneration [Barker] 129 120 129 121 130 122-3 131 125 134 Remains of the Day, The 42 51 remakes 135-6 144 Renaissance 12 3 12 6-7 15 46-7 55 retrovision, definition of 11 2 11 74 83 Return of the Soldier [West] 120 129 Return to the Forbidden Planet [stage musical] 148-9 157 Riel, Louis 96 105 Rigg, Diana 145 136 145 139 148 Rivers, William 129 120 129 123 132 126 135 Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue 88 97 Robson, Flora 11 20 Romeo and Juliet [Shakespeare] 30 21 30 25 34 31 40 36-7 45 Romney, Jonathan 37 28 37 34 43 Room with a View 51 42 51 45 54 Roots 97 106 Rosenstone, Robert 8 17 Rosenthal, Daniel 29 38 Royal Cavalcade 105 114 Royal Family, image of 108 117 Ryder, Shaun 146 155 Rymer, Thomas 60 69 Saint, The 135 144 Salvini, Tommaso 69 60 69 62 71 Sassoon, Siegfried 130 121 130 122-3 131 Say Anything 76 85 Schama, Simon 2 11 Scotland, national identity 88 97 Seale, John 45 54 sexuality 64 homosexuality 55-6 64 and identity 48-9 57 Shakespeare and 42 33-4 42 43 52 47-8 56 56 65 Shakespeare in Love 12 3-4 12 25-37 34 42 51 46 55 103 112 anachronism 25-6 34 and Will's sexuality 33-6 42 cross-dressing 34 43 cross-dressing 35-6 44 cross-dressing 37 46 historical accuracy 25 34 historical accuracy 113 122 phallic imagery 34 43 phallic imagery 54 63 portrayal of Elizabeth I 8 17 portrayal of Elizabeth I 20-2 29 portrayal of Shakespeare 32-3 41 portrayal of Shakespeare 35 44 target audience 26-7 35 target audience 34 43 Shakespeare, William 12 3 12 10 19 46-7 55 55 64 and Marlowe 29-30 38 and sexuality 33-4 42 and sexuality 43 52 and sexuality 47-8 56 and sexuality 56 65 author-function 45 54 author-function 46 55 author-function 47 56 author-function 54 63 authorship controversy 26 35 authorship controversy 28-9 37 authorship controversy 32 41 Chandos portrait 33 42 cultural transplantation of 83 92 dearth of biographical data 25-6 34 dearth of biographical data 28 37 dearth of biographical data 29 38 popularisation of 27 36 popularisation of 28 37 popularisation of 37 46 Shaw, George Bernard 79 88 She's All That 87 78 87 79 88 Shepherd, Simon 55 64 Sher, Anthony 103 112 Showalter, Elaine 126 135 Sixteen Candles 76 85 Sixty Glorious Years 113 104 113 105 114 106 115 Smith, Maggie 63 72 Sobran, Joseph 38 29 38 33 42 Somme, Battle of 132 123 132 124 133 128 137 Sonnet, Esther 80-1 89 Spenser, Edmund 19 10 19 12 21 Spigel, Lynn 53 44 53 45 54 46 55 Star Trek 15 6 15 135 144 Star Wars 43-4 52 State of the Union, The 96 105 Stephens, Toby 51 60 Stevenson, Robert Louis 88 97 Stoppard, Tom 30 21 30 28 37 Strachey, Lytton 18 9-10 18 16 25 Strada, La 154 163 Strick, Philip 151 160 Strindberg, August 96 105 Strong, Roy 10 19 Stubbs, Imogen 58 49 58 66 75 Suleiman, Susan 152 161 Suzman, Janet 73 64-6 73 67 76 68 77 Talma, François Joseph 60 69 Taming of the Shrew, The [Shakespeare] 88 79 88 84 93 teen icons 87 78-9 87 80 89 teenpic adaptations 84 and female identity 75 84 and female identity 76-7 85 and female identity 78 87 and female identity 79 88 and female identity 81 90 and female sexuality 80 89 and identity 76-8 85 and identity 83-4 92 as markers of taste 84-5 93 definition of 74 83 literary references 84 93 makeovers 76 85 makeovers 79-85 88 soundtracks 75-6 84 soundtracks 79 88 soundtracks 84 93 Tempest, The [Shakespeare] 15 6 15 148-53 157 154-7 163 158-60 167 Tempest, The, or The Enchanted Island [Dryden-Davenant] 158 167 Ten Things I Hate About You 13 4 13 75 84 76-7 85 78 87 79 88 83 92 Terminator, The 2 11 Thatcher, Margaret 122 131 The Great War [1914-18] and the Shaping of the Twentieth Century [BBC] 120 129 Thiepval memorial 138 129 138 130 139 Thurman, Uma 145 136 145 143 152 Titus Andronicus [Shakespeare] 30 39 Tobin, Elayne 55-6 64 Trench, The 30 21 30 123 132 Tudor Rose [Stevenson] 105 114 Twelfth Night [Shakespeare] 34 25 34 30 39 41 50 42 51 47 56 and gender confusion 47-56 56 and heterosexuality 52-3 61 and heterosexuality 54-5 63 pairing-off sequence 51-2 60 Twelfth Night, productions; Hoffman 55 Hoffman 46 55 Nunn 4 13 Nunn 4 13 Nunn 41 50 Nunn 41 50 Nunn 42-3 51 Nunn 42-3 51 Nunn 44 53 Nunn 44 53 Nunn 46-56 55 Nunn 46-56 55 Ustinov, Peter 107 116 Vansittart, Robert 114 105 114 106 115 Victoria the Great 113 104 113 105-6 114 107 116 Victoria, Queen 97 88 97 104-6 113 115 124 Vietnam War 10 1 10 91 100 96 105 121 130 Vorderman, Carol 41 50 Walsh, David 20 29 Walsingham, Sir Francis 25 16 25 17 26 18 27 Wanamaker, Zoë 66 75 war films 129 120-31 129 biblical allusions 124 133 flashbacks 123 132 War Game, The 94-5 103 war neurosis 129 120 129 126 135 War Requiem 130 121 130 130 139 Watkins, Peter 14 5 14 87 96 89-98 98 and American history 95-6 104 challenging myths 87 96 challenging myths 89 98 challenging myths 90-1 99 challenging myths 92-3 101 challenging myths 97 106 disappointment 95-8 104 documentary techniques 87 96 documentary techniques 89 98 documentary techniques 92-3 101 documentary techniques 94-5 103 documentary techniques 96 105 in Scandinavia 96 105 Web, The 89 98 Webster, John 35 26 35 36 45 Weintraub, Jerry 145 154 Welles, Orson 70 61 70 62 71 67 76 69 78 Wells, H.G. 155-6 164 West, Rebecca 120 129 Western Front, The 120 129 Wheldon, Huw 89-90 98 Whelehan, Imelda 52 43 52 46 55 White, Rob 85 76 85 77 86 81 90 White, Willard 66 75 Wilcox, Fred McLeod 15 6 15 153 162 Wilcox, Herbert 114 105 114 106 115 William Shakepeare's Romeo + Juliet 83 74 83 83 92 84 93 Windsor Castle 111 120 Wolfe, Major James 90 99 women 90 and reading 81 90 and World War I 121 130 and World War I 125-7 134 writing between the lines 82 91 Woolf, Virginia 20 11 20 13 22 World War I 14 5 14 120-31 129 and condition of England 128 137 and memory 127 136 and memory 129-31 138 and women 121 130 and women 125-7 134 class issue 125 134 collective memory 120 129 collective memory 122 131 collective memory 124 133 homoeroticism 125 134 mythologised 120-1 129 mythologised 122 131 mythologised 127 136 mythologised 128-9 137 re-visions of 121-2 130 re-visions of 124 133 Wyn, Johanna 85 76 85 77 86 81 90 youth culture 83 74-6 83 and familial authority 78 87 and identity 77-8 86 female 75 84 female 76-7 85 female 78 87 female 79 88 Zennor in Darkness [Dunmore] 135 126 135 131 140 Contents......Page 6 Notes on Contributors......Page 8 1......Page 10 7......Page 16 portrayal of Elizabeth I 8......Page 17 Notes......Page 31 25......Page 34 popularisation of 37......Page 46 Vorderman, Carol 41......Page 50 43......Page 52 and gender confusion 47-56......Page 56 and sexuality 56......Page 65 murder scenes 59-61......Page 68 69......Page 78 74-6......Page 83 Notes......Page 94 documentary techniques 87......Page 96 98......Page 107 and historical accuracy 102......Page 111 104-6......Page 113 110......Page 119 historical accuracy 113......Page 122 116......Page 125 mythologised 120-1......Page 129 131......Page 140 135......Page 144 Ryder, Shaun 146......Page 155 148-53......Page 157 Notes......Page 170 Index......Page 172 105......Page 114 106......Page 115 visual subtext 112......Page 121 Suleiman, Susan 152......Page 161 153......Page 162 popularisation of 27......Page 36 and burden of rule 19-20......Page 28 31......Page 40 83......Page 92 150......Page 159 5......Page 14 114......Page 123 homoeroticism 125......Page 134 Strong, Roy 10......Page 19 126......Page 135 and memory 129-31......Page 138 16......Page 25 45......Page 54 female 79......Page 88 Weintraub, Jerry 145......Page 154 Lewis, C.S. 142......Page 151 137......Page 146 141......Page 150 Terminator, The 2......Page 11 6......Page 15 136......Page 145 143......Page 152 Hendry, Ian 138......Page 147 139......Page 148 140......Page 149 documentary techniques 94-5......Page 103 writing between the lines 82......Page 91 33......Page 42 107......Page 116 Tobin, Elayne 55-6......Page 64 Sher, Anthony 103......Page 112 Royal Family, image of 108......Page 117 Strick, Philip 151......Page 160 15......Page 24 18......Page 27 mythologised 122......Page 131 re-visions of 124......Page 133 mythologised 127......Page 136 13......Page 22 Nunn 4......Page 13 pairing-off sequence 51-2......Page 60 Wolfe, Major James 90......Page 99 91......Page 100 93......Page 102 88......Page 97 Smith, Maggie 63......Page 72 and female sexuality 80......Page 89 female 76-7......Page 85 46......Page 55 68......Page 77 26......Page 35 re-visions of 121-2......Page 130 130......Page 139 target audience 34......Page 43 portrayal of Shakespeare 35......Page 44 Butler, Judith 50......Page 59 and heterosexuality 52-3......Page 61 and heterosexuality 54-5......Page 63 documentary techniques 92-3......Page 101 81......Page 90 in Scandinavia 96......Page 105 154-7......Page 163 28......Page 37 female 75......Page 84 female 78......Page 87 challenging myths 97......Page 106 Nunn 44......Page 53 11......Page 20 12......Page 21 149......Page 158 Wheldon, Huw 89-90......Page 98 disappointment 95-8......Page 104 Walsh, David 20......Page 29 21......Page 30 62......Page 71 67......Page 76 and identity 77-8......Page 86 9-10......Page 18 3......Page 12 17......Page 26 14......Page 23 84......Page 93 144......Page 153 Tempest, The, or The Enchanted Island [Dryden-Davenant] 158......Page 167 Nunn 42-3......Page 51 49......Page 58 115......Page 124 30......Page 39 Windsor Castle 111......Page 120 109......Page 118 flashbacks 123......Page 132 Wells, H.G. 155-6......Page 164 156-7......Page 165 160......Page 169 Talma, François Joseph 60......Page 69 29......Page 38 53......Page 62 61......Page 70 White, Willard 66......Page 75 64-6......Page 73 murder scenes 65......Page 74 36......Page 45 and identity 48-9......Page 57 authorship controversy 32......Page 41 mythologised 128-9......Page 137 The contributors to Retrovisions consider what happens to history in the movies. Focusing on films and texts from the 1950s to the 1990s, the contributors argue that the past has always come to us by way of previous texts and culturally bounded aesthetic categories, and that history films - to the despair of historians - have always taken a'postmodern'approach to their subject, seeing the past as a dynamic resource for exciting stories and poetic, morally uplifting untruths. Why do certain decades appeal at certain times? And what does the renewal of interest in narrative history reveal about our culture at the start of the new millennium? The authors address the variety of ways in which history can be used, refashioned and made over to reflect current concerns - and how history films from the past can be reinterrogated to learn what they tell us about their own times. The films discussed include Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love, Culloden, The Avengers, Titus, and several adaptations of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, including Cruel Intentions. Historical make-overs in film and literature / Deborah Cartmell and I.Q Hunter "No man's Elizabeth" : the Virgin Queen in recent films / Renée Pigeon Shakespeare in love and the end(s) of history / Elizabeth Klett Reflections on sex, Shakespeare, and nostalgia in Trevor Nunn's Twelfth night / Maria F. Magro and Mark Douglas Black rams tupping white ewes : race vs. gender in the final scene of Six Othellos / Pascale Aebischer Cool intentions : the literary classic, the teenpic and the "chick flick" / Sarah Neely Peter Watkin's Culloden and the alternative form in historical filmmaking / Nicholas J. Cull Mrs Brown's mourning and Mr King's madness : royal crisis on screen / Kara McKechnie The grandfathers' war : re-imagining World War I in British novels and films of the 1990s / Barbara Korte Charm, bowler, umbrella, leather boots : remaking The avengers / Stephen Longstaffe Forbidden planet and the retrospective attribution of intentions / Judith Buchanan. "This book looks at the ways in which films and texts re-imagine the past, to investigate what this may reveal about our contemporary culture and society. Looking at a broad range of films and books that attempt to represent the past and placing them in their own historical context, the authors examine how different eras are represented, what they have come to signify, and what this reveals about the society that reimagines them. Using a wide range of examples, contributors consider nostalgia, intertextuality, pastiche, and contemporary culture."--Jacket