DeMille-the-Businessman and the Mini-Me Mirroring of Samson in Young Saul within Samson and Delilah

Legendary producer-director Cecil B. DeMille was a master of the American biblical epic and a devout Hollywood businessman whose films inspired numerous extracinematic products plus screen characters designed to match market demographics whilst promoting public piety. For example, his main biblical...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kozlovic, Anton Karl (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: University of Saskatchewan 2020
In: Journal of religion and popular culture
Year: 2020, Volume: 32, Issue: 3, Pages: 183-203
Further subjects:B Hollywood
B Saul
B biblical epic
B Victor Mature
B religion and film
B Russell Tamblyn
B Cecil B. DeMille
B Samson and Delilah (1949)
B Samson
B Business
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:Legendary producer-director Cecil B. DeMille was a master of the American biblical epic and a devout Hollywood businessman whose films inspired numerous extracinematic products plus screen characters designed to match market demographics whilst promoting public piety. For example, his main biblical protagonists within his family-friendly Samson and Delilah were crafted to appeal to adult audiences, but it is argued that DeMille also meticulously crafted young Saul (Russell Tamblyn) as a mini-me mirror of Samson (Victor Mature) to directly appeal to his youthful audiences, thereby assisting box of fice sales and helping shape US Christian culture. DeMille’ s filmmaker status, businessman background, and ten Samson-Saul parallels are explicated here, guided methodologically by humanist film criticism plus a selective review of the critical literature. This original investigation reveals that DeMille was a far more insightful, creative, and business-savvy filmmaker than previously acknowledged. Further research into DeMille studies, biblical epics, and the emerging interdisciplinary field of religion and film is recommended.
ISSN:1703-289X
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of religion and popular culture