McGeough/Representations of Antiquity, 6. From the Arthouse to the Grindhouse

This chapter looks at darker treatments of the ancient world, such as Fellini’s Satyricon and the brief but pivotal moments where the ancient world is depicted in A Clockwork Orange. The central role that the ancient world plays in the short films of Kenneth Anger provides a window into how independent cinema can perpetuate alternative and esoteric interpretations of the past. The chapter then goes on to discuss the depiction of the ancient world in grindhouse and exploitation cinema and concludes with a discussion of how the television series I, Claudius reflects a type of anti-spectacle.