US. History In Film

[bi11y-mays.livejournal.com]

I am preparing a syllabus for US. History 2111, which is a survey course covering all US history from colonization to current, for a university I am applying to teach at (a large liberal Arts college in the Southeast US), and I plan for the students to watch a film that is historically based (or at least reflects the time they are filmed in) and write a review and response to the film. Here are some movies I have personally seen, and plan to include:
Thirteen Days (2000)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Reds (1981)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
All the President's Men (1976)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
The Graduate (1967)
Malcom X (1992)
1776 (1972)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Gangs of New York (2002)
Modern Times (1936)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)

I am interested in 1) hearing what everyone here thinks of my list, and 2) give me suggestions in case I missed a few and ones I might need to watch and see if they are applicable. Thanks!

For my foreign friends, what are some films of American history that appeal to you?

Comments

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Dog Day Afternoon.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

At least with Thirteen Days, it's becoming increasingly clear that, as I suspected, the concept behind the traditional narrative is incorrect (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-real-cuban-missile-crisis/309190/?single_page=true).

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

To be blunt anyone who read a more modern take on that narrative would have known this kind of thing, including the blatant lies about the missile gap. In fact I've used this as one of my major clubs to beat Kennedy over the head with in terms of his legacy and made unfavorable comparisons of this and Bush's fearmongering about non-existent weapons and making a non-threat into greatest threat ever. The real JFK was a more interesting man than his caricature, but he was also rather as much an epic fail as Fransisco Solano Lopez (the guy who single-handedly was the worst dictator in human history).

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

It's a good list, except maybe for Bonnie and Clyde - which was neither historically accurate or reflective of the times - not to say it wasn't a good movie.

[bi11y-mays.livejournal.com]

Hmm... maybe the original Scarface would work.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I would replace SNF with Harold and Maude.

[bi11y-mays.livejournal.com]

SNF is to look at late seventies pop culture, does H&M reflect the seventies? I've never seen it. I was thinking about China Syndrome, I might add that one.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

I have a question here. Is this intended to be a reflection of popular culture here or historical accuracy? If the latter, I'd skip films altogether as Hollywood and historical accuracy have never meshed.

[bi11y-mays.livejournal.com]

A little of both. My goal is for the students to watch a film, and using the material they have learned in class and out, interpret the film in the context it is filmed, and explain whether or not they feel it is effective in reflecting the period it is set in.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

American Graffiti was square on target with small town America in 1962.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Absolutely needs Citizen Kane.

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

No list is complete without it, and no movie viewer either. It is, without exception, the most influential movie of the century.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

SLC Punk.

[strivingtoohard.livejournal.com]

How the West Was Won
The Right Stuff
To Kill A Mockingbird

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

lol you can show Apocalypto for something loosely based on early, early American history.

I also remember seeing a film on The Crucible in high school, has that typical Daniel Day Lewis... volume?

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

Last of the Mohicans maybe? Dances With Wolves? I'm trying to think of a movie out there that explores the indigenous population, though it's tough because most them don't handle the subject very well. (Thanks Hollywood and your stupid racist rules.)

There was a weird little movie I caught on Sundance called Dead Man, it has Johnny Depp and I remember a bit of it showing the Pacific tribes's culture. It's weird though, like student film weird.

[american-geist.livejournal.com]

The Passion of The Christ. The only history you need!

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

I swear to god I heard more children in that theater then Toy Story and sat across from guys dressed like the hispanic version of The Goodfellas it was the most surreal experience I ever had in cinema.

[musicpsych.livejournal.com]

There may be some war movies featuring Americans but that take place in other countries that you could consider.

Otherwise, I thought of the following. Some have a historical basis (whether or not they are accurate) or reflect the times they were made, but some more just reflect the zeitgeist (not exactly sure what you are looking for): Gone with the Wind, On the Waterfront, Driving Miss Daisy, Dances with Wolves, Forrest Gump, American Beauty, The Social Network, Reality Bites, American Psycho, The Breakfast Club (or other John Hughes movies), Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fight Club, Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Blues Brothers.

[vlad-pulov.livejournal.com]

Platoon, Full metal jacket, Dancing with wolves.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Dances with Wolves????

Hell NO.

That's Avatar with horses instead of banshees.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

So, is this teaching or just killing time with popular movies?

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Rambo, obviously. And American Ninja. It says all we need to know about Amurkka.

Of the more recent ones: Cowboys & Aliens.

(frozen comment)

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Hi, 404. Now that you've created this second LJ account of yours, I invite you to take a pick between bi11y_mays and 404, and inform us by which alias you'd like to appear on T_P from now on. While creating sockpuppets is not exactly a violation of T_P rules, we at least need to know who's who, in order to avoid cheating. The fact you've done this without notifying the audience about this, can be interpreted as an attempt of hiding malicious intentions, namely to bypass prior moderation.

Therefore, I'm now asking you to inform us which of the two aliases you're choosing for your further interactions on the community, and the other one will be duly removed from the community.

I think 8 hours is a sensible deadline. If by 6 pm GMT I have no results, BOTH 404 and bi11y_mays, with all subsequent potential sockpuppets you may create, will be permanently removed from the community, with no further review of the decision. In case we do get a response within that deadline, once you've given it to us, you'll be informed about our further decision.

The bottom-line is this: we really don't like cheaters.

It's up to you.

...You may respond either by pm to any of the mods, or at the Mod thread (second option is preferable, as it grants you instant review).

(frozen comment)

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Thanks for coming forward in due time. 404 it shall be, then.

As explained elsewhere in more detail, effective from now, bi11y_mays has been permanently removed; meanwhile, your original alias will only serve a considerably shorter suspension than was initially intended.



See you in exactly 1 week, then. And I hope we all learned something from this episode.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

So, is the whole story about you being a teacher at a Liberal Arts college a fiction, or shall we entertain it for the sake of discussion? And did you intend to start on clear sheet with this new username?

[bi11y-mays.livejournal.com]

So, is the whole story about you being a teacher at a Liberal Arts college a fiction, or shall we entertain it for the sake of discussion?
It is factual.

And did you intend to start on clear sheet with this new username?
That wasn't my intention.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

"Hester Street" is the best film on the Ashkenazi immigrant experience in the late 1800s.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073107/

[aviv-b.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I don't think most students need more edutainment. There are numerous well written and interesting non-fiction works (including biographies) where your students might actually learn something about American History.

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Wow. Gee. You do sound familiar, kindasorta...

[notmrgarrison.livejournal.com]

Seven Days in May and Failsafe, but they're black and white with no action, so maybe not. But Failsafe definitely comes after Dr Strangelove, so they know which movie ripped off which.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Birth of a Nation (1915)

Uhhh... What context would you offer for that film, which portrays white southerners as the innocent victims of vicious, maiden-raping black men in the wake of the civil war?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Teaching people about the uses of film to proffer propaganda, as well as an example of how the Lost Cause was exploiting New Media in its favor long before Holocaust Deniers, 9/11 Truthers, and Sandy Hook Truthers even conceptually existed. There are a great many historical contexts you could use that film for. It's actually a much better choice than Saturday Night Fever and the Graduate.

[vlad-pulov.livejournal.com]

American history - it's all about running thiefs and gangsters, which killing other peoples together.

[brother-dour.livejournal.com]

Flag of Our Fathers is a must. Also Glory and Apollo 13

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Tell them about these posts and your multiple accounts. That would be a cool contemporary culture class. Teach what you know.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

.