Lost City Productions literally unearths an important part of movie history with the 2016 documentary "The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille." This film by documentarian Peter Brosnan chronicles his epic-length quest to dig up the remnants of the set of the spectacular 1923 DeMille silent film "The Ten Commandments." Fans of Old Hollywood, archaeology, modern American history, and adventures stories can check out this film digitally and on VOD platforms beginning October 3, 2017.
EVERY element of "City" screams for a comparison to the (Unreal TV reviewed) 2014 film "Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie." That one has the titular vlogger searching the desert for the fabled literal dumping ground of the legendarily lame "E.T." video game.
Our equally entertaining and educational story begins with a 1982 conversation between Brosnan and a friend who also works in the film industry. The friend mentions the story of DeMille building and subsequently partially demolishing the ginormous set for "Commandments" in a desert area near Guadalope, California. Brosnan initially calls B.S. but changes his tune on his friend sharing a supporting quote from a DeMille autobiography.
"City" then fully delves into the early career of DeMille, the events leading to filming "Commandments," and the frustrating more than 20-year on-again-off-again, etc. effort to excavate the site. As shown below, the recount of all this warrants describing "City" as the greatest story never told.
The thoroughness of this documentation includes clips and stills from "Commandments" and the production thereof, interviews with actors and behind-the-scenes folks who worked on that film, an interview with DeMille granddaughter Cecilia DeMille Presley, footage of the excavation of the site, and documentation of the hindering bureaucracy by Santa Barbara County and other obstructionists that include a local tribe.
Brosnan tops all this off with examples of the national media coverage (including a Johnny Carson "Tonight Show" monologue) of the excavation.
The story alone of the massive number of people hired to build the set and the cast of 1,000s brought in for the actual filming is fascinating. The aforementioned stills include photos of an actual tent city and a large 24-hour kitchen.
The best story comes courtesy of Presley; she tells of extras balking at riding their horses down a sand dune only to have DeMille use his young daughter to show that it can be done.
Brosnan additionally discusses DeMille shooting the 1956 Charlton Heston version of "Commandments" in Egypt. This includes a good history lesson on the national politics of that country during that period. Tying in that production with the earlier one is a nice bonus that illustrates the circle of life.
"City" aptly wraps all this up with closure regarding the quest of Brosnan. It shows that being in de Nile regarding the futility of an effort can at least partially pay off.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "City" is encouraged to email me; you also can connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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