Epic Pictures

I want to apologize for my delay in posting. It has been a hectic fall break. To make up for this, I'm posting a longer entry on a subject I care deeply about- that is, cinema.

There is a kind of film found very rarely nowadays. Scared by away by the inquisition of overly skeptical film critics and shut down by the legions of unimaginative film producers, these films are considered by many to be an archaic concept. With the mainstream dawn of CGI and the advent of big budget action flicks made on a computer, the need for the human drama has been reduced dramatically. But the epic film is, in my opinion, the central pillar of cinema. A genre that emphasizes, above all, a grand scale of ambition and greatness that so perfectly captures the imagination of man.
There are several different reasons someone might want to see a movie. One might go to the theater for cheap thrills and a bag of popcorn.One might go to laugh at wacky on-onscreen antics. One might even go to simply kill a few hours with some friends. I myself see movies in a different light. I consider the best feelings in the world to be only obtainable in the highest caliber of film.- those films that light a spark under the butterflies at the bottom of your stomach and catch fire to that childlike imagination you so often forget about in your adult life. Films that capture the timeless ambition, daring, and eternal pursuit of contentment that every human being has inside them.

The epic film used to be thought of as a staple of Hollywood. Next to the western and the romance was this grandiose affair of huge casts and enormous sets that cost extortionate amounts. There was a flare for drama popular during the golden age of Hollywood that is nearly mocked nowadays. In our time, the epic is hated by critics. They consider it too lavish and too overly dramatic for our current day and age. It's silly, they say, to attempt to do so much with a film. Ambition and a mind for the big picture are not as appreciated in a generation obsessed with the self, obsessed with dark and violent stories documenting a handful of people going through their miserable lives.
There are many kinds of epic film. There are the gigantic historical epics about  huge events and people who changed history, showcasing the landmark moments of their time. This is the oldest kind of epic. There are war epics, containing hours worth of battle and violence. Often, these are also historical. There are the religious epics like The Ten Commandments (1956, depicted above), taking a great moment in biblical history and throwing it up on the big screen. Another essential subgenre, typically found mixed with the other subgenres mentioned so far, is the epic romance. These romances are often involved in historical battles and chaotic events- lovers torn apart by conflict, but motivated eternally to reunite.

Arguably distinct from the other subgenres are the science fiction and fantasy epics. Like Blade Runner (1982) above, they often depict dystopian futures on a massive scale, entire cityscapes or new planets. In the case of fantasy epics, completely new worlds rife with magical creatures and sorcery are created. These are not always like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003). Hayao Miyazaki's animated classic Princess Mononoke (1997) exemplifies the eternal conflict of man and nature.
Star Wars (1976) is one of the most famous science fiction films of all time. The movie resounds among millions of people across the world, with themes of heroism, courage, and redemption in an exciting and fantastical setting. Star Wars is a perfect example of true imagination caught on film.

The common ground among all these movies is the boundlessness of the human spirit. Though some may be dark, violent, and depressing films, they document certain truths we all find within ourselves. I find this universal passion, whether ambitious or downtrodden, captures a fire of emotion that is nearly beyond words. In the end, it only can be explained as a feeling of true humanity, for good and bad.

I do not wish to dismay you from seeing the smaller films of our time. I could fill endless blog posts on the triumph of the family crisis film, or the struggle between a group of people in a harrowing situation. I ask only that you keep your mind open when seeing an epic film in our current day and age. Pictures like Prometheus (2012, above), Avatar (2009), and the yet to be released Cloud Atlas (2012) are panned by critics for the overly large scale and reach of the productions. Listen to the critical reviews and naysayer friends, and then take a second look at these films. Let yourself become captivated and feel yourself taken away. When that indescribable feeling of the human condition hits you, you will understand why I love the epic film so much.