Anatomy of the Epic Film

Unfinished Cinema - Why are Films Abandoned?

In today's episode we are going to look at why films become abandoned and therefore unfinished. There are a number of high profile examples to analyse from major directors and film companies. This shows how the process of getting a film from someone's imagination to the silver screen is complex and can get derailed by many different factors.

Hollywood's Feuds, Egos and Art

In this episode, let's explore some famous feuds, arguments and conflicts in Hollywood and how they impacted the films and careers of famous actors, directors, producers and technicians. It's not all plain sailing when making a film as this episode will prove!

Ken Loach - Social Realism and Political Activism

Arguably, one of Britain's most successful film directors, Ken Loach always travelled a very different path to many directors. His long film career started in TV in the sixties and developed into a unique body of films. He has a very different perspective and political stance that informs his films that is a bit like Marmite (you either love him or hate him) but you cannot deny his skill in portraying social problems as drama. This episode we take a look at his career.

Anatomy of the Epic Film

We've all seen the films with the byline "with a cast of thousands". In this episode we are talking about epic films and discovering what makes a film "epic". From Lawrence of Arabia to War and Peace. From Gone With The Wind to Cleopatra. We are going to break down these films to find the crucial elements of an epic film.

Aliens - Horror Sequel as Military Science Fiction

The follow-up to Ridley Scott's famous horror in space "Alien" was an acclaimed film in its own right but the tone and genre changed and with it expanded its world to create a long running franchise. In this episode we delve into the making of this sequel and how it achieved this. "Game over, man"