Tuesday, November 25, 2008

History and Film

All of our authors discuss history and how it has been told through film. Natalie Davis, Vivein Rose, Julies Corley, and Robert Brent Toplin all agree that historians need to take a more prominent role in the production of historical film. Film is incredibly popular and is often the only medium that some people experience some history. Unfortunately, historical films have been produced some with little to no history training, leading to a simplistic narrative not revealing the true depth of the story in order to prevent this.

While similar all of these articles deal with different aspects of film and history. Davis examines whether film or written literature is the most effective way to communicate the past. Due to the inability to communicate the many sides of the story film is complemented by a book that can be written after reflection and done in order to flesh out stories that may have been overlooked during film production.

Rose and Corley take a look at Ken Burns and his seeming monopoly of the historical film industry. They feel he is doing the history profession a disservice by displaying a bland film disconnected from accurate scholarship. However, we as historians have allowed this to happen. They offer a number for ways for this to happen. By practicing on-camera skills, have professional historians engage in criticism of film (rather than general film critics), and train ourselves to critique films for historical accuracy and soundness. We as historians have to actively reach out to the public in order to deliver history that will expand the national narrative not limit it to “great men.”

Finally, Toplin discusses five ideas or questions that can lead to the future of historical films. Toplin admits that advancements in the study of film and history in recnt years has been great but in order to legtiamize and strucutre the study has five questions to explore. I especially liked the urge to study films to third level, not just critiques of the films or even a look at the people behind the film. Research needs to be taken to the third level, stidy of everything from story narratives, interoffice meos, to draft scripts. Toplin offers this and other interesting routes to advance the study of history in film.

All of these articles agree, without input from historians historical films will not be raised to the level of complexity and accuracy that they are possible of.

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