NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Adventure film

Adventure films is a genre of films that contain elements of adventure. Unlike modern action films, which often take place in a modern city, often with the hero battling drug cartels or terrorists, an adventure film typically takes place in the past (or the future), often with much swordfighting or swashbuckling. The genre probably reached the peak of its popularity in Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, when films like Captain Blood, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Mark of Zorro were regularly being made and a number of the biggest stars, notably Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power, become closely associated with it. At the same time, lower down the scale, Saturday morning serials were often using many of the same thematic elements as adventure films. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (498x755, 112 KB) Summary A promotional film poster of Raiders of the Lost Ark. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (498x755, 112 KB) Summary A promotional film poster of Raiders of the Lost Ark. ... Even in the early days of film history, the audience appetite for new content was voracious. ... Look up adventure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Action movies usually involve a fairly straightforward story of good guys versus bad guys, where most disputes are resolved by using physical force. ... Swordsmanship refers to the skills of a swordsman, a person versed in fencing with a sword. ... A Swashbuckler is a term that came about in the 16th century and was applied to rough, noisy, boastful swordsman. To swash is to swagger and swing about, making a lot of noise and a buckler is a shield. The stock character Miles Glorioso is a swashbuckler. ... A genre is a division of a particular form of art or utterance according to criteria particular to that form. ... ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... Captain Blood is a 1935 swashbuckling film. ... The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 film based upon the Robin Hood legend. ... The Mark of Zorro is the title of three films based on the novel The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley, which introduced the character of Zorro: The Mark of Zorro, a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks released in 1920 The Mark of Zorro, a film starring Tyrone Power released... Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, one of his most famous roles Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 â€“ October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles. ... Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. ... This article is about serials in fiction. ...

The genre has undergone periodic revivals since the 1950s, with figures like Robin Hood and Zorro often being re-cast for a new generation. Some of these revivals have been successful, as with Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and some less so, as with Swashbuckler. In the 1980s the success of Steven Spielberg's Saturday Morning serial-style adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark spawned a host of imitators, mostly unsuccessful. The 1950s were the decade that traditionally speaking, spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... Robin Hood memorial statue in Nottingham. ... El Zorro (Guy Williams) Zorro, Spanish for fox, is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega (originally Don Diego Vega), a fictional nobleman and master swordsman living in Spanish-era California. ... Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a 1991 film directed by Kevin Reynolds. ... Swashbuckler is a term that came about in the 16th century and was applied to rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen. ... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive, informally sometimes including the years 1979, 1990 and 1991. ... Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (born December 18, 1946) is an American film director. ... Raiders of the Lost Ark, also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, is a film released by Paramount Pictures in 1981. ...

There is often a degree of overlap between the adventure film and other genres. For example, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) contains many adventure film as well as science fiction elements, while The Mummy (1999) combines the adventure and horror genres. This movie poster for Star Wars depicts many of the films important elements, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters Star Wars, retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981 (see note at Title,) is the original (and in chronological... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... The Mummy is the title of: a 1932 movie starring Boris Karloff: see The Mummy (1932 movie) a 1959 movie starring Christopher Lee: see The Mummy (1959 movie) a 1999 movie starring Brendan Fraser: see The Mummy (1999 movie) a novel by Anne Rice: see The Mummy (novel) This is... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ...

Popular adventure films

The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 film based upon the Robin Hood legend. ... Back to the Future is an American adventure-comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and released in 1985. ... Captain Blood is a 1935 swashbuckling film. ... The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. ... Gladiator is a 2000 movie directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. ... The Great Escape, written by James Clavell and W.R. Burnett and directed by John Sturges is an acclaimed 1963 World War II film, based on a true story about Allied POWs with a record for escaping from POW camps. ... Hero (Chinese: è‹±é›„; Pinyin: YÄ«ng XiÃ³ng) is a Chinese martial arts and drama film, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Jet Li. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones Dr. Henry Indiana Jones, Jr. ... Look up jaw in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... King Solomons Mines, first published in 1885, was a best-selling novel by the Victorian adventure writer and fabulist, H. Rider Haggard. ... Thomas Edward Lawrence (August 16, 1888 – May 19, 1935), also known as Lawrence of Arabia, and (apparently, among his Arab allies) Aurens or El Aurens, became famous for his role as a British liaison officer during the Arab Revolt of 1916–1918. ... The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie poster (2001) The Lord of the Rings film trilogy comprises three live action films, directed by Peter Jackson and released by New Line Cinema. ... The Mark of Zorro is the title of three films based on the novel The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley, which introduced the character of Zorro: The Mark of Zorro, a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks released in 1920 The Mark of Zorro, a film starring Tyrone Power released... An advertising poster for the attraction at Disneyland. ... The Princess Bride is a 1987 film, based on the 1973 novel by William Goldman, combining elements of comedy, adventure, romance and fairy tale tropes. ... The Prisoner of Zenda is an adventure novel by Anthony Hope, first published in 1894. ... The Rocketeer (1991) The Rocketeer is a 1991 film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and directed by Joe Johnston. ... Movie poster for The Sea Hawk The Sea Hawk is a 1940 adventure film about an English privateer set in the Elizabethan era, loosely based on the historical figure Sir Francis Drake. ... The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the modified original Star Wars Trilogy. ...

Popular adventure film filmmakers

Categories: Film genre stubs | Adventure films | Film genres The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Michael Curtiz (December 24, 1886 - April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, whose best known films include The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, and White Christmas. ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (born December 18, 1946) is an American film director. ... Raoul Walsh (March 11, 1887 â€“ December 31, 1980) was an American film director. ...