"Despite being undoubtedly the most hated of all film genres, the biopic has endured since the very beginning of cinema. A review of the biopic of Alan Turing, The Imitation Game (dir. Morten Tyldum 2014), sums up the general contempt for the genre itself: "sometimes it feels like a line is being crossed. I really wasn't sure which side I was on with the Turing movie-certainly knowing how much was wrong with it was damaging to my enjoyment of it, but did that make it bad art? In the end I think it did because it was all just so unnecessary and generic, and so persistent...Good acting, direction, sets etc....though" ("Two NYRB Essays"). Biopics are routinely dismissed as bad art, shallow, formulaic, inauthentic and disrespectful of history. Among the biopic's many decriers are film critics, literary scholars, historians, politicians, journalists and anyone wedded to the notion that portraits of individuals should be "true" to life. But as the reviewer of The Imitation Game begrudgingly admits, these filmsare often very watchable, essentially due to the performance of the lead actor"--
The biopic, often viewed as the most reviled of all film genres, traces its origins to the early silent era over a century ago. Receiving little critical attention, biopics are regularly dismissed as superficial, formulaic, and disrespectful of history. Film critics, literary scholars and historians tend to believe that biopics should be artistic, yet accurate, true-to-life representations of their subjects. Moviegoing audiences, however, do not seem to hold similar views, as biopics continue to be popular, commercially viable films. Even the genre's most ardent detractors will admit that these films are often very watchable, particularly due to the performance of the lead actor. It is increasingly common for stars of biographical films to garner critical praise and awards, driving a growing interest in scholarship in the genre.
A Companion to the Biopic is the first global and authoritative reference on the subject. Offering theoretical, historical, thematic, and performance-based approaches, this unique volume brings together the work of leading scholars to discuss the coverage of the lives of authors, politicians, royalty, criminals, and pop stars through the biopic film. Chapters explore evolving attitudes and divergent perspectives on the genre, with topics such as the connections between biopics and literary melodramas, the influence financial concerns have on aesthetic, social or moral principles, the merger of historical narratives with Hollywood biographies, stereotypes and criticisms of the biopic genre, and more. This volume:
Provides a systematic, in-depth analysis of the biopic, and considers how the choice of historical subject reflects contemporary issues
Places emphasis on films that portray race and gender issues
Explores the uneven boundaries of the genre by addressing what constitutes a biopic, as well as the ways in which films simultaneously embrace and defy historical authenticity
Examines the distinction between reality and 'the real' in biographical films
Offers a chronological survey of biopics from the beginning of the twentieth century
Deborah Cartmell is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Director of the Centre for Adaptations, and Professor of English at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. She is founding editor of two journals, Shakespeare and Adaptation, and founder and first Chair of the Association of Adaptation Studies. She is series editor of the Bloomsbury Adaptation Histories.
Ashley D. Polasek is Instructor of English at Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, South Carolina, USA, and Honorary Research Fellow of the Centre for Adaptations at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. She is a member of the Association of Adaptation Studies, The Literature/Film Association, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
The most comprehensive reference text of theoretical and historical discourse on the biopic film
The biopic, often viewed as the most reviled of all film genres, traces its origins to the early silent era over a century ago. Receiving little critical attention, biopics are regularly dismissed as superficial, formulaic, and disrespectful of history. Film critics, literary scholars and historians tend to believe that biopics should be artistic, yet accurate, true-to-life representations of their subjects. Moviegoing audiences, however, do not seem to hold similar views; biopics continue to be popular, commercially viable films. Even the genre’s most ardent detractors will admit that these films are often very watchable, particularly due to the performance of the lead actor. It is increasingly common for stars of biographical films to garner critical praise and awards, driving a growing interest in scholarship in the genre.
A Companion to the Biopic is the first global and authoritative reference on the subject. Offering theoretical, historical, thematic, and performance-based approaches, this unique volume brings together the work of top scholars to discuss the coverage of the lives of authors, politicians, royalty, criminals, and pop stars through the biopic film. Chapters explore evolving attitudes and divergent perspectives on the genre with topics such as the connections between biopics and literary melodramas, the influence financial concerns have on aesthetic, social, or moral principles, the merger of historical narratives with Hollywood biographies, stereotypes and criticisms of the biopic genre, and more. This volume:
- Provides a systematic, in-depth analysis of the biopic and considers how the choice of historical subject reflects contemporary issues
- Places emphasis on films that portray race and gender issues
- Explores the uneven boundaries of the genre by addressing what is and is not a biopic as well as the ways in which films simultaneously embrace and defy historical authenticity
- Examines the distinction between reality and ‘the real’ in biographical films
- Offers a chronological survey of biopics from the beginning of the 20th century
A Companion to the Biopic is a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and students of history, film studies, and English literature, as well as those in disciplines that examine interpretations of historical figures
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