The English Canadian historical film, 1970-2010: An enquiry into marginality
Date
2014-05-05
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Abstract
This study examines the relationship of English Canadian historical feature films to Canadian cinema, historical subjects, and the formation of Canadian national identity. The thesis analyses key Canadian historical films from 1970 to 2010 that stand out from Canadian cinema’s typically art-house fare, and includes original interviews with Canadian film professionals and a comparison of contrasting models in Quebec and the United States. This study concludes with an argument for this subgenre’s marginality in Canada, which is rooted in the relationship of Canadians to their own history, a lack of “mythic nationalism” in Canadians’ understanding of their identity, budget limitations, a reliance on state subsidies, and a general lack of interest in Canadian cinema. English Canadian historical cinema is anti-heroic, does not accept a single meta-narrative of identity, and is distinctly multicultural in its content, which contributes to the creation of a unique identity that reflects contemporary Canadian values.
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Cinema, Literature--Canadian (English), History--Canadian
Citation
Thiessen, E. (2014). The English Canadian historical film, 1970-2010: An enquiry into marginality (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28129