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LOST CITY OF CECIL B. DEMILLE

The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille is an absolutely incredible documentary. It is interesting, captivating and educational. At certain moments, it is also quite humorous. The filmmakers created a story that combines elements of archeology, religion and the history of film and came out with an excellent documentary film.

This film stars, is directed, written and produced by Peter Brosnan. It is also produced by Dan Coblan. It follows Brosnan and his friend Cordoza as they unearth the lost set of the film The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille. The Ten Commandments is a silent film directed by Cecil B. DeMille in the year 1923, which was later revamped into a non-silent version by DeMille in 1956. The set of the earlier film was shot on Guadalupe Bay, a beachside town just a few hours away from Hollywood. When production ceased, the entire set disappeared into the ground.

Going into this documentary, I must admit I had not seen a whole lot of old Hollywood films and had only vaguely heard about Cecil B. DeMille. Thanks to this documentary, I now know about his life, his work and the length he would go to achieve his goals. I learned so much about the history of movies, filmmaking and old Hollywood while watching this film.

The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille captivated me from beginning to end. With intriguing interviews and dazzling footage, I was absolutely riveted throughout the course of the film. I was totally enraptured. It was so interesting for me to learn about the history of the Hollywood film industry through this documentary. My eyes were glued to the screen the entire time. Documentaries have a tendency be filled with boring, factual information, but that is not the case with this film. The information that it provides is educational and genuinely interesting. The ancient Egyptian imagery used in the film contributes to making it so intriguing to me, since I love all things ancient Egypt.

I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 18. This is a film that I will remember for years to come.

Reviewed by Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

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In 1923 Cecile B. DeMille made his first version of The Ten Commandments. He built a huge City of the Pharos. When he was done, it vanished. 30 years ago Peter Brosnan heard this story in a bar and decided to hunt for it. After wandering in the California dunes, he found it and now he wants to dig it up.