The Film “The Agony and the Ecstasy” by Carol Reed Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

The film The Agony and the Ecstasy by Carol Reed is devoted to the life and work of Michelangelo Buonarotti, the outstanding Italian artist of the epoch of the Renaissance. The film portrays the conflict of the artist and Pontiff Julius II. The film depicts the atmosphere and spirit of the epoch of the Renaissance.

The Review of the Film

The Agony and the Ecstasy represent the historic film depicting the important events in the European history of the XV-XVI centuries. At the beginning of the film, we get to know about Michelangelo Buonarotti and his major works. The historic period depicted in the film is characterized by the flourishing of art and culture in Italy.

Cole (1987) states that “art into art, the development of one artist’s work from that of another was the major characteristic of Renaissance style” (p.21). The masterpieces of Michelangelo Buonarotti are considered to be the brightest examples of that period.

The movie reveals certain facts about the art of the Renaissance. In particular, the creation of the extensional compositions and the usage of the deep colors were among the prominent features of that time. It was the period when artists eulogized the beauty of the human body. They emphasized the freedom and strength of the man.

I have heard about the artist before watching the film. However, I have not known much about his life. In The Agony and the Ecstasy, certain episodes from artist’s life are shown. However, while watching the film, you are not following his life path from birth to death. The author concentrated her attention on the conflict of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II. Pontiff was considered to be an authoritative and militant ruler. “Julius II has also gained an enviable reputation as a patron of arts.

Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo gave to the world some of their greatest masterpieces while in his service” (Pope Julius II). Bramante was an enemy of Michelangelo. It was due to his craftiness, Julius II discharged Michelangelo from the work on the creation of Papa’s sepulcher. And it was the occasion for their conflict which was solved only in 1506.

The film depicts Michelangelo as an outstanding personality. He was known by his bold and freedom-loving character. Undoubtedly, the author of the film emphasizes his numerous talents. He was not only an artist, but also a sculptor, architect, and poet. In this context, it is relevant to cite Irving Stone, the author of the book The Agony and the Ecstasy, on which the film was based. “No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him” (Stone 1961, p.19).

In my opinion, The Agony and the Ecstasy is a very interesting film. The name of Michelangelo Buonarotti is known to many people but not everyone knows something about his destiny. Although the film presents only certain episodes from his life, it helps us to understand what kind of personality Michelangelo was.

Conclusion

In order to sum up all the above mentioned, it should be said that the film The Agony and the Ecstasy depicts the historic period of the epoch of the Renaissance in Italy. The central theme of the film is the conflict between Michelangelo Buonarotti and Pope Julius II. The film is based on the book with the same name by Irving Stone.

References

Cole, B. (1987). . New York, USA: Harper & Row. Pope Julius II (n.d.)

Stone, I. (1961). The Agony and the Ecstasy. New York, USA: New American Library.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, March 21). The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-by-carol-reed/

Work Cited

"The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed." IvyPanda, 21 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-by-carol-reed/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed'. 21 March.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed." March 21, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-by-carol-reed/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed." March 21, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-by-carol-reed/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Carol Reed." March 21, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-film-the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-by-carol-reed/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1