History Forum / General / General Topics / July 2006

These are my off-top-of-my-head comments, not intended as
professional-authoritative, please.

I do not know what I'm talking about, though as I re-read it, I note
that I may imply otherwise.

Most of the listed movies I frankly have not seen.

Confession: I am not the renaissance/all-around history buff I seem to
pretend here to try to be.

For instance: I never saw that Elizabeth Taylor CLEOPATRA overly-hyped
thing, and if it were on my Home Box Office tonight, I doubt I would
make the effort.

Everybody here I suppose realizes Hollywood depictions are  generally
scoffed-at, particularly by the scholars who aren't the well-paid
consultants of the film < gratuitous cynicism>.

I nevertheless respect y'all whom have seen so many of 'em.

So long as you can also spot some
lies/distortions/flaws/contradictions that is.

The big non-secret: The goal of a commercial Hollywood movie is neither
scholarship nor accuracy.

It's about presentation for box office & popcorn  renumeration.

Enjoying Johnny Depp's pirate impression  doesn't make ya a bad person,
so long as you're aware that you're probably being had/manipulated.

That''s why reading critical reviews ad nauseam has to be a prime
requisite for those trying to ascertain reality over fantasy.

"Entertaining historically accurate film" is not necessarily an
oxymoron, but is seemingly close damne enough.

Ted Turner's Civil War movie flopped ratings-wise, mainly because Ted
is not a cynical movie maker: They say he's a true Civil War buff, and
thus would not distort/over-simplify/lie.

Am I right or wrong? His film was "boring" though considered  fauirly
accurate stuff, or am I giving him too much credit?

I didn't watch it--sorry, I am not a big Civil War student:

It is such sadness, so why dwell in it?

The/a prophet of the electronic wired world--also known as the "Global
Village"--is Marshal McLuhan, a Canadian professor of ...something or
other.

He sort of predicts the end of "linear reading" or books.

Perhaps, perhaps.

Someday it'll mostly be internet digital 'education" and
"entertainment" reality, I suppose.

I suppose today that Hollywood movies still complement, supplement, and
enrich the conventional studies of histories.

There are some nevertheless fine  & scholarly "educational movies" not
listed on the list:

First comes to my mind is the Alistar Cooke series about the U.S.A.

Oh no.  You mean that people really smacked their heads with religious
books?  ;)
I'm only having fun here -- yes, there were many valid details in Holy
Grail, but at the same time it was so absurd.  Just don't tell me that
The Emperor's New Groove was made by a precolumbian expert.

Seriously -- thank you for your thoughtful responses.

Ted Shoemaker