Two superb documentaries filmed at the Cinema Museum by BBC Bristol for BBC Four’s Timeshift, introduced by the programme makers. Board of Film Classification Director David Cooke and BBFC Senior Film Examiner Craig Lapper will be joining in for a Q&A after the screening.
In Epic: A Cast of Thousands! (60 min) Timeshift reveals the ten commandments of big cinema as it goes behind the scenes of the biggest film genre of them all – the epic. See the biggest sets ever known! Hear the sound of Ancient Rome! Count the spiralling costs as budgets soared!
From Ben-Hur to The Ten Commandments, from El Cid to Cleopatra, these were films that set a new standard in BIG. In the days before computers they recreated ancient worlds on a vast scale, and they did it for real. Epic cinema hired armies, defied the seasons and changed cinema. Even the screen wasn’t big enough for the epic, so Hollywood made it bigger – and some cinemagoers experienced vertigo watching these vast productions.
Today, the epic lives on in the Oscar-laden Gladiator and the spectacular sweep of Avatar. As this documentary reveals, the stories behind the films are as spectacular as the films themselves.
Dear Censor: The Secret Archive of the BBFC (60 min) lifts the lid on the world of cinema censorship, with unique access to the files of the British Board of Film Classification. Featuring explicit and detailed exchanges between the censor and film-makers, Dear Censor casts a wry eye over some of the most infamous cases in the history of the board.
From the now seemingly innocuous Rebel Without a Cause, the first ‘naturist’ films and the infamous works of Ken Russell, and up to Rambo III, this frank and surprisingly warm documentary demonstrates how a body created by the industry to safeguard standards and reflect shifts in public opinion has also worked unexpectedly closely with the film-makers themselves to ensure that their work was able reach an audience.
Doors open at 18.30 for a 19.30 start.
Refreshments will be available in our licenced cafe/bar.
Tickets & Pricing
Spring Season 2013 ticketing applies. Advance tickets may be purchased from WeGotTickets, or direct from the Museum.
