McGeough/Representations of Antiquity, 2. Epic Egyptian Kitsch

The second chapter of the book discusses the formal features of the “epic” genre, the main genre through which the ancient world is explored in film. It provides historical background on how the ancient world was first a subject of silent films. Then it discusses the various technical aspects of filmmaking that emerged as means of making historical arguments: widescreen framing, the presentation of spectacle, archaeological authenticity in design, and the kinds of historical arguments that are embedded in such techniques.