What if Wednesday

Hollywood Got History Right?

Peter S. Field University of Canterbury

Been to a Film lately? Expectations?

Entertained?

Same Expectations for Historical Films?

Accuracy? Authenticity?

Twelve Years a SlaveZero Dark ThirtyLincolnArgoAmerican Hustle

Does it Matter?

Would you not buy a ticket if I told you …

“Based on a true story”

The bottom line is $$$.

Should it Matter if …

It matters to me.

Millions of Eyeballs

Morality

Ethics

…got what right?Authenticity and Accuracy??

Right? Mimesis & Audience assumptions?

Spielberg&

Day-Lewis’ Lincoln

Twang!

Celluloid History: Forrest Gump

“’Immense:’ Not just a love story”

Right or wrong,History sells.

Oscar for Best Film

2013 - "12 Years a Slave"

2012 - "Argo"

2010 - "The King's Speech"

2009 - "The Hurt Locker"

2002 - "Chicago"

1998 - "Shakespeare in Love"

1997 - "Titanic"

1995 - "Braveheart"

1994 - "Forrest Gump"

1993 - "Schindler’s List"

1990 - "Dances With Wolves"

1986 - "Platoon"

1984 - "Amadeus"

1982 - "Gandhi"

1972 - "The Godfather"

1970 - "Patton"

1966 - "A Man for All Seasons"

1962 - "Lawrence of Arabia"

1959 - "Ben-Hur"

Getting history right?No out-there truth.

History: indirect, incomplete, value-laden & must be structured

Perspective.

A Hollywood perspective?

Hollywood is (a metonym) American Capitalistic empire Filmmaking industry

Era of Jim Crow Segregation

Hattie McDaniel

War Ideology for the ‘40s

Liberal consensus of the ‘50s

1960s

Vietnam War

Increasingly Democratic, Left-liberal tradition…(exposing the American underbelly)

Changing Perspectives: Race

… In the Age of Obama

… got history right?

Overlap of ‘history’ and ‘story’Right? Detail over InterpretationBut upon examination: Argo

… got history right?

No more job for the professor?

... Our shared interest in provocation, the courtship over consummation.

… interest in ourselves.