English Heritage, English Cinema: Costume Drama Since 1980

by Andrew Higson

Costume dramas such as Chariots of Fire , A Room with a View , Sense and Sensibility , and Shakespeare in Love were vital to the success of British cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. This is the first book-length study of these important films, and the debate about their politics and their meanings,
and about their relationship to the heritage industry. It maps the extent of the production trend, and looks in detail at the commercial context in which the films were funded, marketed and exhibited, in both the UK and the USA. There are also extensive case studies of two key films, Howard's End
and Elizabeth .

296 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2003

Reviews

[Martin Raybould · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Higson focuses on the marketing and critical reception of British heritage cinema making the distinction between history films and costume dramas. The book is thoroughly researched and he writes clearly and concisely. There are case studies on Elizabeth and Howard's End.
The flaw lies in Higson's tendency to sit on the fence when it comes to making any statements that might be construed as reveaing a political bias. This means he makes bland observations like “there are competing film traditions for different audiences”. This is as useful as saying some people like historic films while others don't. It would be a better book if he took the courage to take a firmer line one way or another rather than continually hedging.

[Iris Windmeijer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very useful overview of how the genre of heritage films came up, why it is important and how they developed with various examples of costume dramas.

[Phil Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful overview.

FYI see my blog on a similar subject:https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...