Spectacle

This episode looks at the beginnings of biblical films, going back to some of the earliest experimental features based on Passion plays. It traces the formation of the American film industry and the founding of Hollywood, including how biblical films demonstrated the American public was ready for longer, more complex feature films. It covers the great spectacles of silent biblical epics of the early Hollywood studio era—many of which would be remade in the 1940s and 50s as big-budget Technicolor features. Narrators are Richard Lindsay and Ryan Parker. Biblical film experts are David Blanke, Matthew Page, and Adele Reinhartz. For more information on the movie posters referenced in this episode, go to dspt.edu/movie-posters-podcast