Extra Credit Opportunity
For 10 points, view and analyze one of the following movies. You must write a 2-3 page summary and analysis but be sure to link it to class and to larger themes and issues. You are not guaranteed 10 points, the analysis will be graded on a scale of 10 so quality counts. Due by Friday.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
To portray the thinking of the South during the Civil War period, this Clark Gable/Vivian Leigh classic has to be on anyone�s historical film list. Give the film credit for holding up over the years�it still packs people into theaters whenever it gets re-released to the big screen (especially in the South). Sure it�s smaltzy in parts by today�s standards, but Gone with the Wind remains a lot of fun. For historical purposes, the first half of the film stands up much better than the second half, which mostly emphasizes the love story.
Glory (1988)
This movie gives insight into the racism in the North as well as the efforts of African American troops in the war. Larger issues include class, religion, race, morality, and strength of character. The General in charge, along with several of the members of the regiment undergo life changing experiences turning them into true heroes.
Gangs of New York (2002)
As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in Manhattan's Five Points section. After years of incarceration, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland. Larger themes include race, gender, class, ethnicity, urbanization, and the Civil War. This movie has it all.
Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
A John Wayne classic in which he was Oscar nominated for his portrayal of Sgt. Stryker. The movie shows the marines at their finest, island hopping through the Pacific to assault Iwo Jima.
Hamburger Hill (1987)
A true story of the 101st Airborne's fight to gain a hill in Vietnam. This movie is considered to be one of the best movies about the war in Vietnam.
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
A classic World War II movie focusing on the war in the Pacific. It is unique in that it shows both perspectives (Japanese and American) of the war.
Little Big Man (1970)
Arthur Penn creates a humorous account of the Indian Wars on the Great Plains of 19th century America, but with a serious undertone. Dustin Hofmann�s character serves as a narrator who knows the ways of both the Indians and settlers, but the brutal re-creation of the Sand Creek massacre and a later bloody slaughter of women and children confirms who the true human beings are.
Who can forget Old Lodge Skin�s observation? �. . . But the white man, they believe EVERYTHING is dead. Stone, earth, animals. And people! Even their own people! If things keep trying to live, white man will rub them out. That is the difference.�
A surprising choice perhaps, but I really do enjoy Arthur Penn's humorous treatment of the old West here. It's one of the first sensitive treatments of Native Americans that I can recall, at least in a major release. Chief Dan George is priceless as a wise and very human elder. Despite the liberties that the film takes with history, this film did open my eyes more to the injustices suffered by the native people, and inspired me to read more background about that historical period, which led me to live on the Navajo reservation for over 20 years.
Grapes of Wrath (1940)
John Ford�s classic rendition of Steinbeck�s novel captures the spirit of the Great Depression and the plight of poor folks of that time better than any film I can think of. The film portrays the courageous Joad family in pursuit of the American dream in the face of adversity�two especially memorable moments occur with Tom�s farewell and Ma Joad�s �we are the people� speech.
Some of the camera shots even look like the published photos coming out of the Dust Bowl from the 1930�s.
Patton (1970)
George C. Scott becomes George S. Patton in this epic war film. You can learn a lot of WWII history through the film (at least the U.S. involvement on the European front), but even better � you can gain insights into the complex and controversial poet warrior himself. For people who wonder whether the film is for hawks or doves, the answer is �yes.� Above all, Patton remains a character study.
The Right Stuff (1983)
There are a number of films that you can use to show the Cold War and demonstrate the paranoia of the 1950�s, but why not focus on one of the seminal events of the period�the launch of sputnik, which triggered the Space Race. This film is great for watching whenever you need a lift about what is right and good about the American spirit. It�s an incredibly well written and edited film about a turning point in our history when we began to earnestly reach for the stars.
Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
A new Disc Jockey is shipped from Crete to Vietnam to bring humor to Armed Forces Radio. He turns the studio on it's ear and becomes wildly popular with the troops but runs afoul of the middle management who think he isn't G.I. enough. While he is off the air, he tries to meet Vietnamese especially girls, and begins to have brushes with the real war that never appears on the radio.
Platoon (1986)
Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) is a young, naive American who gives up college and volunteers for combat in Vietnam. Upon arrival, he quickly discovers that his presence is quite nonessential, and is considered insignificant to the other soldiers, as he has not fought for as long as the rest of them and felt the effects of combat. Chris has two commanding officers, the ill-tempered and indestructible Staff Sergeant Robert Barnes (Tom Berenger) and the more pleasant and cooperative Sergeant Elias Grodin (Willem Dafoe). A line is drawn between the two officers and a number of men in the platoon when an illegal killing occurs during a village raid. As the war continues, Chris himself draws towards psychological meltdown. And as he struggles for survival, he soon realizes he is fighting two battles, the conflict with the enemy and the conflict between the men within his platoon.
Woodstock (1970)
The 1960�s are a turbulent turning point in American history that must be represented by film. Even though works like Easy Rider and The Graduate capture the spirit of the period, Woodstock has to rank as a singular film to represent the era. This documentary is a well-done film that captures the overall flavor of the 1969 festival, complete with local townspeople reactions and skinny-dipping. There are a number remarkable concert performances preserved forever in our memories-Richie Havens, Joan Baez in the night rain, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone. Just the footage of Hendrix would be worth the price of the video!
Woodstock truly IS a piece of history that defines a moment. Sure, there were a half a million people who attended the rain soaked, muddy event for three days of Peace and Music in upstate New York, but Woodstock enabled the event to live on afterwards and grow into legendary status. What could have been a small footnote in history has been expanded to mark the event with more significance than it may have originally had, and this is largely due to this documentary.
Apocalypse Now! (1979)
Francis Ford Coppola has constructed the definitive Vietnam movie even though Apocalypse Now isn�t just about the war. Coppola�s film explores the dark regions of the heart and soul in a well-conceived metaphorical rendition of Conrad�s novel that we see through Captain Willard�s eyes as he pursues Kurtz and to �terminate� his command �with extreme prejudice!�
There are so many memorable scenes here � skiing on the river, surfing in the midst of chaotic shelling, the massacre in the boat, the bridge scene at night, the Wagnerian operatic huey attack on the village, and others. Who will ever forget Robert Duvall�s statement, �I love the smell of napalm in the morning . . . Smelled like. . . victory.�
While other films about the Vietnam War will become film footnotes in history, Apocalypse Now is destined to be viewed and re-examined for many decades to come. Vietnam may provide the subject matter, but this landmark film reaches far beyond its Southeast Asian boundaries into the universal.
Note: For a more straight-forward accounting for the Vietnam War you may prefer Oliver Stone's autobiographical Platoon, but Stone cannot resist preaching to us in any of his films.
All the President�s Men (1976)
Why cover Watergate when there are so many other choices available? For one thing, Watergate must be regarded as an important turning point in American history�never again will Americans naively regard their political leaders as highly. So, the scandal in a sense destroyed much of our innocence, and pointed out the value of freedom of the press. Another reason is that Pakula�s film is an intelligent and finely crafted work. Students will need to take notes to keep up with all the Watergate figures�but so did those of us who attempted to follow the situation as it was happening. Never before did we become as familiar with the White House staff.
American History X (1998)
This film brings new light to present day fear, hatred, and ignorance. It is quite violent and graphic. Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) returns from prison to find his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), caught in the same web of racism and hatred that landed him in prison. After Derek's father is killed in the line of duty by a minority, Derek's view of mankind is altered, but while in prison, he discovers that there is good and bad in every race. The task before him now is to convince Danny of his newfound enlightenment. This movie will find yourself questioning your own opinions and bias and what shapes them. Great movie for discussion.
