So. Cecil B. DeMille was one of the first directors in Hollywood. Period. Got his start in the Silent era c 1914. He very much wrote the book for how movies are made and directed. He was the first to make a Biblical Epic, and later remade them once sound and color became A Thing. For example, he first made "The Ten Commandments" in 1923, and "King of Kings" in 1927 (this starring H.B. Warner as Jesus- we know him best as Mr. Gower in "It's A Wonderful Life"- he also got a brief cameo in the 1950s "Ten Commandments" he was 82 at the time and died a few weeks later). DeMille made a lot of other "historic" Biblical/Greek/Roman epics because people seemed to like them and the studio trusted him to turn out something cool without breaking the bank. Anyone who tried to make a Biblical epic while DeMille was at his peak was basically trying to make a space opera a week after Star Wars opened. It was an awfully high bar to clear and most people didn't bother to try until much later. I feel like "Ten Commandments" v2.0 was him going "this is how you do it, kids" to all the Biblical epics of the 1950s that weren't made by him.
Seriously, check his filmography. Every third movie is a Biblical epic. (And man if you want a "Christian" movie to watch, check out "Sign of The Cross", one of his earlier sound films. Go on. I Triple dog dare you.)
PS: Re "Spirited Away", it's a spa, not a brothel. Also, may I suggest starting smaller? Try "Ponyo" or "Kiki's Delivery Service." :)
-Dons Film History Hat-
So. Cecil B. DeMille was one of the first directors in Hollywood. Period. Got his start in the Silent era c 1914. He very much wrote the book for how movies are made and directed. He was the first to make a Biblical Epic, and later remade them once sound and color became A Thing. For example, he first made "The Ten Commandments" in 1923, and "King of Kings" in 1927 (this starring H.B. Warner as Jesus- we know him best as Mr. Gower in "It's A Wonderful Life"- he also got a brief cameo in the 1950s "Ten Commandments" he was 82 at the time and died a few weeks later). DeMille made a lot of other "historic" Biblical/Greek/Roman epics because people seemed to like them and the studio trusted him to turn out something cool without breaking the bank. Anyone who tried to make a Biblical epic while DeMille was at his peak was basically trying to make a space opera a week after Star Wars opened. It was an awfully high bar to clear and most people didn't bother to try until much later. I feel like "Ten Commandments" v2.0 was him going "this is how you do it, kids" to all the Biblical epics of the 1950s that weren't made by him.
Seriously, check his filmography. Every third movie is a Biblical epic. (And man if you want a "Christian" movie to watch, check out "Sign of The Cross", one of his earlier sound films. Go on. I Triple dog dare you.)