Hollywood Biblical Epics
Hollywood Biblical Epics is an immersive, engaging, narrative sound documentary with a deep-dive focus on the history of biblical films in Hollywood. Created by movie experts Richard Lindsay and Ryan Parker, it follows developments in the American film industry from the silent era to the 1960s, including the religious, social, and political influences on biblical epic films. It is a narrative accompaniment to the Biblical Poster Collection of Blackfriars Gallery in Berkeley, California, telling the stories of the films behind the posters. To see the collection, and for production credits for the podcast, go to https://dspt.edu/movie-posters-podcast
- Update frequency
- every 16 days
- Average duration
- 37 minutes
- Episodes
- 5
- Years Active
- 2025
Biblical Epics and American Postwar Society, Episode 2
This episode looks at the final act of The Ten Commandments. It also explores the influence of social issues in postwar biblical epics, including the Civil Rights movement, and how one biblical film …
Biblical Epics and American Postwar Society, Episode 1
This episode investigates the effect of the Cold War on biblical epics. We discuss the Red Scare, and the closely-related Lavender Scare, and how Hollywood films were enlisted to use religion against…
Sex, Violence, and Censorship, Episode 2
With the implementation of the Production Code, studios could use biblical films to sneak sex and violence into their pictures. Coliseum violence, pagan orgies, sensual dance scenes, and women and me…
Sex, Violence, and Censorship, Episode 1
Exploring the development of the censorship regime in Hollywood, known as the Production Code. This episode particularly focuses on Father Daniel Lord, Jesuit priest and chief architect of the Code. …
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 …