Valeria Cowell
9/17/2015
HBlock
Learning about history is a key subject in my education. As people we are able to learn about this subject through different forms. One form that is brought to attention is
movie based learning. For
example learning about slavery is a major theme in our history because its events has shaped how America is now. The movies 12 Years a Slave and Glory are historically based around the time of slavery and
Civil War. By watching these movies I was able to see the attitudes people had because of their circumstances. I was able to analyze it more clearly because I saw what was happening rather than see what was happening.
The movie Glory is about the 54th regiment of
Massachusetts which was the first black regiment. This story is based on the colonel Robert Shaw’s written letters during the Civil War. All soldiers were either runaway slaves or free slaves that have volunteered to fight against all the wrong doings that put upon them because of their race. In a critical review by James Berardinelli on the movie Glory he says that “Kevin Jarre’s scripted illuminates the frequent oversight of history books.” History books only want us to read what they think is what is appropriate for us to read. I’m not saying this is completely wrong, but it’s wrong in the sense we are not learning the complete truth. For
example in the movie the Union soldiers depicted what their actual feeling and attitudes toward slaves were, that they were just slaves as simple as that. That they were not equal to them even though they are
fight for their freedom. I personally was amazed the attitudes of the Union soldiers and I was because it was an “oversight in history books”. The movie itself is for the most part correct in the historical accuracy. This is because the lesser characters were made up, this helped show the type of men that really enlisted in the 54th. By making up some lesser characters it was able to show how 54th was a “close knit group” of soldiers. When scenes or characters are made
up it helps bring a sense of emotion and understanding of what’s going on in their lives. Another review by rotten tomatoes on the movie Glory said “Glory is, without question, one of the best movies ever made about the American Civil War”. This critic
say it was the best because it made on what “really” happened in the Civil War. I believe it is a great movie because it shows me a different perspective on each role throughout the movie. For Robert Shaw to lead the regiment he
show how that no matter the race every live matters.
The movie 12 Years a Slave is about the story that is based on the real life of Solomon Northup and how he was a free black man and that he was taken and sold into slavery. This movie was also for the most part historically correct. In a key scene we see a slave Patsy that befriended Solomon about to be whipped. When Patsy
askes for Solomon to just kill her to end her misery, it was all false. Yes, Solomon did whip her, but that she never asked. What she really wanted was to escape to be free and to have hope all the way until the end. The director Steve McQueen did the scene the way he did to convey emotion, empathy, and sympathy from the audience. It was a slight change that had a big effect on the movie and on the Audience. In a review on the movie 12 Years a Slave it was said that “There is a spiritual and violent content.” This is somewhat obvious because the movie was based on a time of slavery.
A announcement
by AFI Awards it said that “12 Years a Slave is a story amazing in no good way [..] it is depicted with such raw intensity.” This is the truth this movie “depicts” what life was like and that in a bad situation there is hope.
i believe that this is a movie that should be shown because it was real and real is life during then brought hope and dignity to those who have nothing.
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