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{{short description|Film subgenre}}
{{short description|Film subgenre}}
{{Redirect|Historical film|Historical play|History (theatrical genre)}}
[[File:Nadialutfi&Salahzulfikar.jpg|right|thumb|[[Salah Zulfikar]] and [[Nadia Lutfi]] in the 1963 historical drama ''[[Saladin the Victorious]]'']]

A '''historical drama''' (also '''period drama''' and '''period piece''') is a [[drama]]tic work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents [[history|historical]] events and characters with varying degrees of [[fiction]]al elements such as [[artistic license|creative]] [[dialogue]] or fictional scenes which aim to compress separate events or illustrate a broader factual narrative. The [[biographical film]] is a type of historical drama which generally focuses on a single individual or well-defined group. Historical dramas can include [[romance film|romance]]s, [[adventure film]]s, and [[swashbuckler]]s.
A '''historical drama''' (also '''period drama''', '''period piece''' or just '''period''') is a [[drama]]tic work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents [[history|historical]] events and characters with varying degrees of [[fiction]]al elements such as [[artistic license|creative]] [[dialogue]] or fictional scenes which aim to compress separate events or illustrate a broader factual narrative. The [[biographical film]] is a type of historical drama which generally focuses on a single individual or well-defined group. Historical dramas can include [[romance film|romance]]s, [[adventure film]]s, and [[swashbuckler]]s.


Historical drama can be differentiated from [[historical fiction]], which generally present fictional characters and events against a backdrop of historical events. A period piece may be set in a vague or general era such as the [[Middle Ages]], or a specific period such as the [[Roaring Twenties]], or the recent past.
Historical drama can be differentiated from [[historical fiction]], which generally present fictional characters and events against a backdrop of historical events. A period piece may be set in a vague or general era such as the [[Middle Ages]], or a specific period such as the [[Roaring Twenties]], or the recent past.


==Scholarship==
==Scholarship==
In different eras different subgenres have risen to popularity, such as the [[westerns]] and [[sword and sandal]] films that dominated North American cinema in the 1950s. The ''costume drama'' is often separated as a genre of historical dramas. Early critics defined them as films focusing on romance and relationships in sumptuous surroundings, contrasting them with other historical dramas believed to have more serious themes. Other critics have defended costume dramas, and argued that they are disparaged because they are a genre directed towards women.<ref name="KuhnWestwell2012">{{cite book|author1=Annette Kuhn|author2=Guy Westwell|title=A Dictionary of Film Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g5oyAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA98|date=21 June 2012|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-103465-7|pages=98–}}</ref> Historical dramas have also been described as a conservative genre, glorifying an imagined past that never existed.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Robé |first1=Chris |title=Taking Hollywood Back: The Historical Costume Drama, the Biopic, and Popular Front U.S. Film Criticism |journal=Cinema Journal |date=2009 |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=70–87 |doi=10.1353/cj.0.0082 |jstor=20484449 }}</ref>
In different eras different subgenres have risen to popularity, such as the [[westerns]] and [[sword and sandal]] films that dominated North American cinema in the 1950s. The ''costume drama'' is often separated as a genre of historical dramas. Early critics defined them as films focusing on romance and relationships in sumptuous surroundings, contrasting them with other historical dramas believed to have more serious themes. Other critics have defended costume dramas, and argued that they are disparaged because they are a genre directed towards women.<ref name="KuhnWestwell2012">{{cite book|author1=Annette Kuhn|author2=Guy Westwell|title=A Dictionary of Film Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g5oyAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA98|date=21 June 2012|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-103465-7|pages=98–}}</ref> Historical dramas have also been described as a conservative genre, glorifying an imagined past that never existed.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Robé |first1=Chris |title=Taking Hollywood Back: The Historical Costume Drama, the Biopic, and Popular Front U.S. Film Criticism |journal=Cinema Journal |date=2009 |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=70–87 |doi=10.1353/cj.0.0082 |jstor=20484449 |s2cid=153354352 }}</ref>


==Historical accuracy==
==Historical accuracy==
[[File:LondonSmog.jpg|thumb|2004 filming of a 19th-century film scene set in [[London]]]]
[[File:LondonSmog.jpg|thumb|2004 filming of a 19th-century film scene set in [[London]]]]
Historical drama may include mostly fictionalized narratives based on actual people or historical events, such as the [[Shakespearean history|history plays]] of [[Shakespeare]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Teresa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wvxmAAAAMAAJ |title=English Historical Drama, 1500-1660: Forms Outside the Canon |last2=Ravelhofer |first2=Barbara |date=2008-01-15 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-4039-4849-6 |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Apollo 13 (film)|Apollo 13]]'', ''[[Braveheart]]'', ''[[Chernobyl (miniseries)|Chernobyl]]'', ''[[Enemy at the Gates]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (2012 film)|Les Misérables]]'', and ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]].''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Niemi |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZcGNAQAAQBAJ |title=Inspired by True Events: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films, 2nd Edition: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films |date=2013-10-17 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610691987 |language=en}}</ref> Works may include references to real-life people or events from the relevant time period or contain factually accurate representations of the time period.
Historical drama may include mostly fictionalized narratives based on actual people or historical events, such as the [[Shakespearean history|history plays]] of [[Shakespeare]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Teresa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wvxmAAAAMAAJ |title=English Historical Drama, 1500-1660: Forms Outside the Canon |last2=Ravelhofer |first2=Barbara |date=2008-01-15 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-4039-4849-6 |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Apollo 13 (film)|Apollo 13]]'', ''[[The Tudors|The Tudors]]'', ''[[Braveheart]]'', ''[[Chernobyl (miniseries)|Chernobyl]]'', ''[[Enemy at the Gates]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (2012 film)|Les Misérables]]'', and ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]].''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Niemi |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZcGNAQAAQBAJ |title=Inspired by True Events: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films, 2nd Edition: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films |date=2013-10-17 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610691987 |language=en}}</ref> Works may include references to real-life people or events from the relevant time period or contain factually accurate representations of the time period.


Works that focus on accurately portraying specific historical events or persons are instead known as [[docudrama]], such as [[The Report (2019 film)|''The Report'']]. Where a person's life is central to the story, such a work is known as [[Biographical film|biographical drama]], with notable examples being films such as ''[[Alexander (2004 film)|Alexander]]'',<ref>{{cite journal |author-last=Carver |author-first=Terrell |date=Spring 2005 |title=Oliver Stone's ''Alexander'' |journal=[[Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies]] |publisher=Center for the Study of Film & History |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=83–84 |doi=10.1353/flm.2005.0033 |s2cid=191432461 |issn=0360-3695 |eissn=1548-9922 }}</ref> ''[[Frida (film)|Frida]]'', ''[[House of Saddam]]'', ''[[Lincoln (film)|Lincoln]]'', ''[[Lust for Life (1956 film)|Lust for Life]]'', ''[[Raging Bull]]'', and ''[[Stalin (1992 film)|Stalin]]''.
Works that focus on accurately portraying specific historical events or persons are instead known as [[docudrama]], such as [[The Report (2019 film)|''The Report'']]. Where a person's life is central to the story, such a work is known as [[Biographical film|biographical drama]], with notable examples being films such as ''[[Alexander (2004 film)|Alexander]]'',<ref>{{cite journal |author-last=Carver |author-first=Terrell |date=Spring 2005 |title=Oliver Stone's ''Alexander'' |journal=[[Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies]] |publisher=Center for the Study of Film & History |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=83–84 |doi=10.1353/flm.2005.0033 |s2cid=191432461 |issn=0360-3695 |eissn=1548-9922 }}</ref> ''[[Frida (2002 film)|Frida]]'', ''[[House of Saddam]]'', ''[[Lincoln (film)|Lincoln]]'', ''[[Lust for Life (1956 film)|Lust for Life]]'', ''[[Raging Bull]]'', ''[[Stalin (1992 film)|Stalin]]'', and ''[[Oppenheimer (film)|Oppenheimer]]''.


==See also==
==See also==
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* ''[[Jidaigeki]]'', Japanese historical dramas
* ''[[Jidaigeki]]'', Japanese historical dramas
* ''[[Sageuk]]'', Korean historical dramas
* ''[[Sageuk]]'', Korean historical dramas
* [[List of films about the American Revolution]]
* [[List of films and television shows about the American Civil War]]
* [[List of films set in ancient Rome]]
* [[List of historical drama films and series set in Near Eastern and Western civilization]]
* [[Historical drama films set in Asia]]
* [[List of Vietnamese historical drama films]]
* [[Middle Ages in film]]
* [[War film]]


==References==
==References==
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{{Wiktionary|Period piece}}
{{Wiktionary|period piece}}


{{Dramatic television series}}
{{Dramatic television series}}

Revision as of 10:09, 11 August 2024

"Historical film" redirects here. For Historical play, see History (theatrical genre).

A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents historical events and characters with varying degrees of fictional elements such as creative dialogue or fictional scenes which aim to compress separate events or illustrate a broader factual narrative. The biographical film is a type of historical drama which generally focuses on a single individual or well-defined group. Historical dramas can include romances, adventure films, and swashbucklers.

Historical drama can be differentiated from historical fiction, which generally present fictional characters and events against a backdrop of historical events. A period piece may be set in a vague or general era such as the Middle Ages, or a specific period such as the Roaring Twenties, or the recent past.

Scholarship

In different eras different subgenres have risen to popularity, such as the westerns and sword and sandal films that dominated North American cinema in the 1950s. The costume drama is often separated as a genre of historical dramas. Early critics defined them as films focusing on romance and relationships in sumptuous surroundings, contrasting them with other historical dramas believed to have more serious themes. Other critics have defended costume dramas, and argued that they are disparaged because they are a genre directed towards women.[1] Historical dramas have also been described as a conservative genre, glorifying an imagined past that never existed.[2]

Historical accuracy

2004 filming of a 19th-century film scene set in London

Historical drama may include mostly fictionalized narratives based on actual people or historical events, such as the history plays of Shakespeare,[3] Apollo 13, The Tudors, Braveheart, Chernobyl, Enemy at the Gates, Les Misérables, and Titanic.[4] Works may include references to real-life people or events from the relevant time period or contain factually accurate representations of the time period.

Works that focus on accurately portraying specific historical events or persons are instead known as docudrama, such as The Report. Where a person's life is central to the story, such a work is known as biographical drama, with notable examples being films such as Alexander,[5] Frida, House of Saddam, Lincoln, Lust for Life, Raging Bull, Stalin, and Oppenheimer.

See also

References

  1. ^ Annette Kuhn; Guy Westwell (21 June 2012). A Dictionary of Film Studies. OUP Oxford. pp. 98–. ISBN 978-0-19-103465-7.
  2. ^ Robé, Chris (2009). "Taking Hollywood Back: The Historical Costume Drama, the Biopic, and Popular Front U.S. Film Criticism". Cinema Journal. 48 (2): 70–87. doi:10.1353/cj.0.0082. JSTOR 20484449. S2CID 153354352.
  3. ^ Grant, Teresa; Ravelhofer, Barbara (2008-01-15). English Historical Drama, 1500-1660: Forms Outside the Canon. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4039-4849-6.
  4. ^ Niemi, Robert (2013-10-17). Inspired by True Events: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films, 2nd Edition: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781610691987.
  5. ^ Carver, Terrell (Spring 2005). "Oliver Stone's Alexander". Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies. 35 (2). Center for the Study of Film & History: 83–84. doi:10.1353/flm.2005.0033. eISSN 1548-9922. ISSN 0360-3695. S2CID 191432461.


Look up period piece in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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