Screening European Heritage: Creating and Consuming History on Film (Palgrave European Film and Media Studies)

This book provides a unique examination of the way Europe’s past is represented on contemporary screens and what this says about contemporary cultural attitudes to history. How do historical dramas come to TV and cinema screens across Europe? How is this shaped by the policies and practices of cultural institutions, from media funding boards to tourist agencies and heritage sites? Who watches these productions and how are they consumed in cinemas, on TV and online?, are just some of the questions this volume seeks to answer. From __The Lives of Others__ to __Game of Thrones__, historical dramas are a particularly visible part of mainstream European film production, often generating major national debates on the role of the past in contemporary national identity construction. Contents 6 Notes on Contributors 9 List of Figures 12 Introduction 15 Screening European Heritage 24 Works Cited 32 Part I: Contexts of Production 33 Chapter 1: The Politics and Sociology of Screening the Past: A National and Transnational Perspective 34 Heritage and EU Cultural Policy 35 National Historical Narratives and the Transnational Context 39 Audiences and the National and Transnational Dimension of Heritage 41 Contested Heritage: The Past and Contemporary Politics 46 The Politics of Heritage and Memory 51 Notes 53 Works Cited 53 Chapter 2: British Flanders: Co-produced Television Drama and the Limits of a European Heritage 56 The Deregulation of British Film and Television 57 Co-producing Britain in Flanders 64 The Limits of a European Heritage 70 Works Cited 73 Chapter 3: Whose Heritage?: Noi credevamo (We Believed) and the National, Regional and Transnational Dynamics of the Risorgimento Film 76 Historical Epics, the Risorgimento and Heritage Cinema 77 We Believed 79 Problematising the Revolutionary Narrative 81 Problematising National Unity 83 Production: Problematising National Cinema 84 Conclusion 87 Notes 89 Works Cited 90 Part II: Limits of Representation 92 Chapter 4: Towards World Heritage Cinema (Starting from the Negative) 93 Owning History 93 Made in Italy 96 Last and Later Emperors 100 World Heritage Cinema 105 Conclusion: Unnecessary Pasts 110 Notes 111 Works Cited 112 Chapter 5: Rewriting History from the Margins: Diasporic Memory, Shabby Chic and Archival Footage 115 Outside the Law: Revisiting the Contested Memory of the Algerian War of Independence 119 Archival Footage and Shabby Chic in Almanya: Welcome to Germany 124 Belle: Adding ‘Colour’ to English Heritage 128 Conclusion 132 Works Cited 134 Chapter 6: Facing Dark Heritage: The Legacy of Nazi Perpetrators in German-Language Film 137 How They Became What They Were: Tracing Ideological Formation Through Heritage Discourse 142 Death Is My Trade: Criticising German Memory Through Film Heritage 147 Untimely Enquiries into Dark Heritage 153 Works Cited 155 Chapter 7: Spectral Spanish Heritage: The Hauntology of La noche de los girasoles (The Night of the Sunflowers) 157 Heritage as Hauntology 159 Heritage, Landscape and Tourism 162 Castile as Cinematic Location 165 Conclusion 169 Notes 170 Works Cited 171 Chapter 8: Adapting Balzac in Jacques Rivette’s Ne Touchez pas la hache (Don’t Touch the Axe): Violence and the Post-Heritage Aesthetic 174 La Duchesse de Langeais on Screen 176 Violence and the Post-Heritage Aesthetic 179 Rivette and the Redefining of Heritage 187 Notes 190 Works Cited 190 Chapter 9: The Ironic Gaze: Roots Tourism and Irish Heritage Cinema 192 Rethinking the Tourist Gaze 194 New Tourists and the Ironic Gaze 199 Works Cited 207 Part III: Modes of Consumption 209 Chapter 10: Historical Films in Europe: The Transnational Production, Circulation and Reception of ‘National’ Heritage Drama 210 The Relative Visibility of European Historical Drama 212 European Historical Dramas that Travel Well 213 Acclaimed European Historical Dramas 216 Audience Preferences 219 The Performance of Historical Dramas in Their Domestic Markets 220 Small National Cinemas and the Export Market 222 National Heritage and Historical Films: The King’s Speech 224 Perfume: A European Historical Drama with an American Accent 228 Conclusion 230 Note 232 Works Cited 232 Chapter 11: From ‘English’ Heritage to Transnational Audiences: Fan Perspectives and Practices and Why They Matter 235 Forms and Sites of Online Fan Activity 239 ‘Heritage’ Fanworks: Some Notes on Genre and the Slash Sensibility 242 Fan Perspectives and the Problem of ‘The National’ 245 Merchant Ivory: Transcultural Filmmakers and ‘English’ Heritage 247 Maurice, Transcultural Fan Reception and Fan Tourism 249 Works Cited 258 Chapter 12: From ‘Auschwitz-land’ to Banglatown: Heritage Conflicts, Film and the Politics of Place 261 Tourism, Film and Questions of Embodiment 264 Brick Lane and Banglatown 265 Challenging Stasiland Through Embodiment: Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others, 2006) 270 Am Ende Kommen Touristen (And Along Come Tourists, 2007) 276 Notes 280 Works Cited 280 Chapter 13: Cinematic Pilgrimages: Postmodern Heritage Cinema 282 First Stage 289 Second Stage 292 Third Stage 294 Fourth Stage 299 Conclusion 301 Works Cited 303 Index 304 Paying Close Attention To The Complexity Of Contemporary Public Engagement With The Past Across Europe, The Authors Question The Role And Value Of The Past In Cultural And Societal Changes By Investigating Hos History Is Re-imagined By The Contemporary Film And Heritage Industries. As Concerned With Government Policies And Industrial Imperatives As It Is With The Spectators' Emotional Engagement With The Past; The Way That Film And Television Can Shed Light On The Relationship Between The Past, The Present, The Audience And The Screen Is Explored. Who Makes And Who Watches These Productions And How They Are Consumed In Cinemas, On Television And Online? These Are Just Some Of The Questions This Volume Seeks To Answer.-- Introduction -- Part I. Contexts Of Production -- The Politics And Sociology Of Screening The Past: A National And Transnational Perspective / Ib Bondebjerg -- British Flanders: Co-produced Television Drama And The Limits Of A European Heritage / Jaap Verheul -- Whose Heritage?: Noi Credevamo (we Believed) And The National, Regional And Transnational Dynamics Of The Risorgimento Film / Alex Marlow-mann -- Part Ii. Limits Of Representation -- Towards World Heritage Cinema (starting From The Negative) / Alan O'leary -- Rewriting History From The Margins: Diasporic Memory, Shabby Chic And Archival Footage / Daniela Berghahn -- Facing Dark Heritage: The Legacy Of Nazi Perpetrators In German-language Film / Axel Bangert -- Spectral Spanish Heritage: The Hauntology Of La Noche De Los Girasoles (the Night Of The Sunflowers) / Paul Mitchell -- Adapting Balzac In Jacques Rivette's Ne Touchez Pas La Hache (don't Touch The Axe): Violence And The Post-heritage Aesthetic / Andrew Watts -- The Ironic Gaze: Roots Tourism And Irish Heritage Cinema / Ruth Barton -- Part Iii. Modes Of Consumption -- Historical Films In Europe: The Transnational Production, Circulation And Reception Of 'national' Heritage Drama / Andrew Higson -- From 'english' Heritage To Transnational Audiences: Fan Perspectives And Practices And Why They Matter / Claire Monk -- From 'auschwitz-land' To Banglatown: Heritage Conflicts, Film And The Politics Of Place / Paul Cooge -- Cinematic Pilgrimages: Postmodern Heritage Cinema / Rob Stone. Paul Cooke, Rob Stone, Editors. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxiv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 The Politics and Sociology of Screening the Past: A National and Transnational Perspective....Pages 3-24 British Flanders: Co-produced Television Drama and the Limits of a European Heritage....Pages 25-44 Whose Heritage?: Noi credevamo (We Believed) and the National, Regional and Transnational Dynamics of the Risorgimento Film....Pages 45-60 Front Matter....Pages 61-61 Towards World Heritage Cinema (Starting from the Negative)....Pages 63-84 Rewriting History from the Margins: Diasporic Memory, Shabby Chic and Archival Footage....Pages 85-106 Facing Dark Heritage: The Legacy of Nazi Perpetrators in German-Language Film....Pages 107-126 Spectral Spanish Heritage: The Hauntology of La noche de los girasoles (The Night of the Sunflowers)....Pages 127-143 Adapting Balzac in Jacques Rivette’s Ne Touchez pas la hache (Don’t Touch the Axe): Violence and the Post-Heritage Aesthetic....Pages 145-162 The Ironic Gaze: Roots Tourism and Irish Heritage Cinema....Pages 163-179 Front Matter....Pages 181-181 Historical Films in Europe: The Transnational Production, Circulation and Reception of ‘National’ Heritage Drama....Pages 183-207 From ‘English’ Heritage to Transnational Audiences: Fan Perspectives and Practices and Why They Matter....Pages 209-234 From ‘Auschwitz-land’ to Banglatown: Heritage Conflicts, Film and the Politics of Place....Pages 235-255 Cinematic Pilgrimages: Postmodern Heritage Cinema....Pages 257-278 Back Matter....Pages 279-290 This volume provides a unique examination of the way Europe's past is represented on contemporary screens and what this says about contemporary cultural attitudes to history