Past ImperfectPast Imperfect
History According to the Movies
Title rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on 2 ratings(2 ratings)
Book, 1995
Current format, Book, 1995, 1st ed, No Longer Available.Book, 1995
Current format, Book, 1995, 1st ed, No Longer Available. Offered in 0 more formatsThere is no denying the tremendous power movies have in shaping our perceptions of the past. From Julius Caesar to Joan of Arc to Gandhi, many of history's greatest figures have become inextricably bound to their screen images.
It may not be the job of filmmakers to ensure the historical accuracy of these films, especially when deviation serves a compelling dramatic purpose. But wouldn't it be useful - and fascinating - to learn what has been changed, and for what reason? In Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies, sixty of the world's most lauded historical writers look beneath the celluloid surface of popular movies to examine the relationship between film and the historical record.
Beginning with a probing conversation between historian Eric Foner and director John Sayles (Eight Men Out, Matewan), Past Imperfect surveys nearly one hundred classic films, including Spartacus, Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, and Malcolm X. Best-selling authors such as Gore Vidal, James M. McPherson, Antonia Fraser, William Manchester, and Simon Schama skewer, praise, pick apart, and otherwise illuminate these cinematic portrayals of history, telling us as much about what the filmmakers got right as about where they went wrong.
Filmmakers often use dramatic license in playing with facts to enhance a story's drama, illuminate an overlooked perspective, or fuel historical debate. Here, 60 historical writers (including popular authors such as Stephen Jay Gould, Antonia Fraser, and Gore Vidal) look beneath the celluloid surface of classic movies to explore the relationship between film and reality, from prehistory ( Jurassic Park ) to modern times ( Dr. Strangelove, Malcolm X, Apocalypse Now ). Entries look at plot, costume design, technology, and character portrayals, examine the historical aftermath of events in the film, juxtapose film stills with historical paintings and photos, and suggest background reading for the historical period depicted in each film. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Essays that consider how classic movies have reflected history include the writings of such noted historians as Paul Fussell, Antonia Fraser, and Gore Vidal. 50,000 first printing. BOMC & QPB. History Main.
It may not be the job of filmmakers to ensure the historical accuracy of these films, especially when deviation serves a compelling dramatic purpose. But wouldn't it be useful - and fascinating - to learn what has been changed, and for what reason? In Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies, sixty of the world's most lauded historical writers look beneath the celluloid surface of popular movies to examine the relationship between film and the historical record.
Beginning with a probing conversation between historian Eric Foner and director John Sayles (Eight Men Out, Matewan), Past Imperfect surveys nearly one hundred classic films, including Spartacus, Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, and Malcolm X. Best-selling authors such as Gore Vidal, James M. McPherson, Antonia Fraser, William Manchester, and Simon Schama skewer, praise, pick apart, and otherwise illuminate these cinematic portrayals of history, telling us as much about what the filmmakers got right as about where they went wrong.
Filmmakers often use dramatic license in playing with facts to enhance a story's drama, illuminate an overlooked perspective, or fuel historical debate. Here, 60 historical writers (including popular authors such as Stephen Jay Gould, Antonia Fraser, and Gore Vidal) look beneath the celluloid surface of classic movies to explore the relationship between film and reality, from prehistory ( Jurassic Park ) to modern times ( Dr. Strangelove, Malcolm X, Apocalypse Now ). Entries look at plot, costume design, technology, and character portrayals, examine the historical aftermath of events in the film, juxtapose film stills with historical paintings and photos, and suggest background reading for the historical period depicted in each film. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Essays that consider how classic movies have reflected history include the writings of such noted historians as Paul Fussell, Antonia Fraser, and Gore Vidal. 50,000 first printing. BOMC & QPB. History Main.
Title availability
About
Contributors
Opinion
More from the community
Community lists featuring this title
There are no community lists featuring this title
Community contributions
There are no quotations from this title
There are no quotations from this title
From the community