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instep
analysis
Films of epic proportion
Historical films have emerged as a mainstream genre in Hollywood
but have yet to gain traction closer to home
By
Jazib Zahir |
| Previously,
Hollywood's forays into the past focused heavily on titles like Titanic
and Gladiator where the historical context was just a backdrop for
romanticized fiction. But lately, it has been churning out a steady
stream of commercially successful epics and biopics among the staple
comedies, love stories and reincarnations of superheroes. |
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An
endeavour to document history is bound to stir up controversy and
perhaps none caused more uproar than The Passion of the Christ.
Mel Gibson delivered a graphic film tracing the torturous final
hours of the life of Jesus and cast Jews as a race of ruthless persecutors.
The production was roundly condemned as anti-Semitic by the formidable
Jewish lobby in the United States. But the hype and controversy
only succeeded in drawing in the masses eager to see how the Biblical
legend would play out on the silver screen.
300 too drew
its share of criticism. Most of the animosity was generated by Iranians
who expressed indignation at the one-dimensional illustration of
the Spartans as valiant cavaliers and the Persians as grotesque
and mindless slaves. But most cinema-goers were indifferent to such
controversies and thronged to witness a film that was perceived
as fresh and unique and benefited from some of the spiffiest special
effects available.
Troy benefited immensely from performances by A-list actors Brad
Pitt and Orlando Bloom but there was more to the film than elaborate
costumes and flashy fight sequences. Academics praised the scriptwriters
for accurately communicating the little known fact that the battle
of Troy was as much about the desire for economic gain as it was
the recovery of the legendary Helen. It was also observed that enrolment
in courses on Greek history and the classics in American colleges
mushroomed in the aftermath of the movie as a consequence of the
interest generated in the subject. |
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erhaps
no recent Hollywood production was as thoroughly researched as Kingdom
of Heaven which involved consulting a panel of eminent experts on
the Crusades. The film could easily have slipped into a tirade against
Muslim barbarism particularly given the Huntington-esque clash of
the civilizations brewing at the time, but Ridley Scott managed to
handle the subject with sensitivity. Villains were fairly identified
on both sides of the divide and while protagonist Orlando Bloom fought
on the side of the Christian cross, Saladin representing the Muslim
crescent was depicted as a merciful and just commander as well.
Hollywood's success in producing historical films has thus resulted
from picking subjects that piqued the interest of casual film-goers
and then following up with a commitment to historical accuracy and
excruciating detail. Some films have drawn the ire of those who felt
they were at the
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end of propaganda, but all ventures were polished productions in their
own right and thus transcended such criticism. Most importantly, these
films have shown the world the western interpretation of many of the
defining events of human civilization. |
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But
movies of the historical genre have drawn much less enthusiasm outside
of Hollywood. While Anarkali and Mughal-e-Azam were among Bollywood's
earliest hits, both were lauded more for bringing to life an endearing
legend than accurately chronicling history. Closer to the present,
Mangal Pandey: The Rising has been a commercially successful attempt
to bring some history to the big screen but there is little evidence
that such ventures will become a mainstay of Bollywood.
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Pakistan
has been even less successful than India on this front. Films that
focus on social critiques and family relationships are popular but
there has been little attempt to delineate our rich heritage and share
it with the rest of the world. With Gandhi, India developed a government
sponsored biopic that was studied in classrooms and lecture halls
the world over and ensured that the Mahatma would be universally hailed
as the father of the ideology of non-violence. But when Akbar Ahmed
made a largely solo effort to garner similar recognition for Jinnah,
the film remained mired in controversy surrounding the casting of
the eponymous lead. Lack of support from the Pakistani government
meant that the film remained relatively obscure outside of Pakistan
and the main objective of developing it was never realized.
There is much to share about the Pakistani and Islamic heritage. Were
the feats of Muslims in the Battle of Badr any less commendable than
those of the Spartans? Was the Mughal civilization any less glorious
than that of |
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Greece? Yet controversies over how to depict our sacred figures, limited
public interest in such films and an unwillingness to get drawn into
debates over historical accuracy conspire to ensure such suggestions
remain a pipe dream. If we can conquer these demons, we stand a chance
to show the world a side of Islam and Pakistan besides the fundamentalism
they have come to be associated with. |
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