Thursday, September 17, 2015

Film Essay











Thomas Beckman - Film Essay - 9/17/2015  - H Block
People throughout the world watch movies for many different reasons. Some watch just purely for entertainment, while some people watch for a better understanding of historical events. Movies can be a great and sometime the only way to get a visual representation of famous events. In our history class we have watched both Glory and 12 Years a Slave both are great representation of the events the are about. Both of these movies express the effect of slavery on blacks in both the North and South.
Solomen
12 Years a Slave is a true story which is about a man by the name of Solomen who was a free African American during the time of slavery. The movie takes place during the mid 1800’s and talks about the rough life Solomen went through after he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Throughout the movie Solomen is treated just as any other slave was treated, if not worse. This movie challenges the viewer to put themselves in Solomen’s shoes and try to overcome the adversities that Solomen has to overcome himself. As Steve mcqueen said, “This is the Anne Frank diary of America”. This is because of their both of their circumstances they were in. Anne Frank was trying to hide from the Nazis in World War II, while Solomen was trying to hide his true self during the mid 1800’s in America. Steve Mcqueen also stated that through “the power of cinema” he was able to help other people tell their stories. During an interview he talked about this woman whose grandfather was poisoned for trying to teach slaves to read and write. This is probably why it won many top awards such as, both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best picture and Scott Mendelson of Forbes said “‘12 years a slave’ is among the year's best films.”
On the other hand, Glory is talking more on the fact that slavery affected every black man was viewed, weather they were free or not. Glory is about 54th regiment of the Union Army during the Civil war, which was an all black unit. The movie takes the viewer through the creation and lifespan of the 54th. It shows the lack of respect for the 54th from the rest of the Union Army. This is expressed through the scenes of the 54th’s Commander Shaw, being rejected items such as uniforms, shoes, and a chance to fight. Throughout the movie the 54th is used as a manual labor unit that clears paths for the army. The director of the movie tried to put the viewer in the 54th and make you understand what it was like.
Movies are a great resource to get a better understanding of history of all kinds. Movies such as, Glory and 12 Years a Slave, let us explore and be a part of major historical events. Unlike books or lectures movies allow us to be both mentally and visually there in the story, it lets us be a part of the story, and it allows you build a better understanding of your own about the story, which you can compare and relate to the ideas of other people through research. They also can expose certain truths about history that make us reconsider different Ideas that already exist.




SOURCES-







http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/12-years-a-slave-marks-important-249804
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