New Exhibition to Open at the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum in Exeter
A new exhibition has opened at the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum in Exeter. The exhibition showcases numerous examples of film memorabilia, with the exhibit set to run until the end of May.
Lithographs by David Roberts
At the heart of the exhibit are 19th-century lithographs by David Roberts. They depict Cairo, the Sphinx, and the landscapes at the time. Long before photographs became the norm, rendered images were all done by hand, but at the same time, they helped to bring the marvels of Egypt to the Western world.
These same visuals can be seen in numerous movies, like Cleopatra and The Ten Commandments. They went on to be used in Stargate as well, and formed the backbone of Egyptian scenes in blockbuster movies. What makes this exhibit so relevant right now is that the impact of Egypt is still being felt. Streaming and archaeology documentaries like the ones listed on Dig Ventures, all showcase Egypt and the wonders that have been uncovered over the years.
Music has also tapped into the fascination with Egypt. Death metal bands like Nile have built their identity on Egyptian history, drawing from deities as well as pharaohs and texts. In other verticals, online casino Egyptian-themed slots are numerous. Titles include Cleopatra and Queen of the Pyramids Cash Collect. Eye of Horus, The Golden Tablet Gold Spins also references the god Horus, who is often depicted in hieroglyphics.
Continuity is a Key Theme for the Exhibition
The exhibition's curator, Barry Chandler, has noted that Egypt has been a canvas for storytelling for quite some time. By putting Egypt in the spotlight, the museum hopes to draw attention to one of the biggest film industries in the world.
Previously, the museum has held public lectures on Egypt, with Richard Gray hosting. The lecture, Egyptomania: Egyptian-Style Cinemas in Britain, USA and France, was shown as part of their Land of the Pharaohs: Egypt on Screen event, and was coupled with a screening of The Mummy, a classic black-and-white horror starring Boris Karloff.
Memorabilia from the cinemas referenced could also be seen first-hand during the lecture, showing how the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum is not only bridging the gap between past and present, but also providing new ways for film buffs to engage with cinematic history.
Bill Douglas himself has a very strong personal connection to Egypt. When he was on National Service in the Egyptian desert, he met Peter Jewell. The two went on to share a flat in Soho, which was filled with cinematic memorabilia. Their love of movies led them to experiment with an 8mm camera, the foundation that would go on to become the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum.
Over the past few months, the museum has also hosted a number of activity days. Even though they have passed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more announced over the coming weeks. Visitors should visit the official website for announcements. The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum website also has archival footage where visitors can learn about filmmakers and their impact on cinema, which preserves their information so that it can be accessed for generations to come.
Main image attribution: Bill Douglas Cinema Museum (CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication) by Ridiculopathy.
