Chapter 1
When the silver screen met the small screen
Chapter 2
Icons of the golden acting era
Chapter 3
The battle of the widescreen epics
Chapter 4
International triumphs and secret scripts
YOUR GOAL
Master of Oscars of the 1950s
Ch 3 · The battle of the widescreen epics
schopenhauer The Widescreen Epic Battle
TV tried to steal the show, widescreen made the pictures grow, and swept the Oscar gold!
schopenhauer An unconventional adventure movie won Best Picture in 1957 despite having no traditional plot.
schopenhauer The 1959 epic 'Ben-Hur' set a historic Oscar record that took decades to equal.
BETA
schopenhauer Spin the reels to discover which 1950s sword-and-sandal epics won Oscar gold.
Fun Fact
Ben-Hur's massive record: The 1959 film 'Ben-Hur' won 11 Oscars, a record that remained completely unmatched until 'Titanic' won 11 in 1998.
Glossary
widescreen (noun)
A motion picture format or screen with an aspect ratio wider than the traditional standard. Hollywood popularized the format in the 1950s, culminating in the historic eleven-Oscar sweep of Ben-Hur.
A motion picture format or screen with an aspect ratio wider than the traditional standard. Hollywood popularized the format in the 1950s, culminating in the historic eleven-Oscar sweep of Ben-Hur.
Quiz
Which film won the Best Special Effects Oscar for parting the Red Sea in 1956?
Quiz
Which 1952 circus epic directed by Cecil B. DeMille won a highly controversial Best Picture Oscar?
Quiz
What classic musical won Best Picture in 1959, breaking the previous record with 9 wins?
Quiz
How many cameos by famous stars were featured in the 1956 film 'Around the World in 80 Days'?
Quiz
Which widescreen format was heavily promoted in the 1950s to compete with home television sets?