How is film a reflection of history?

Answer 1

Shot in the time of it, it reflects the mores and morals of the day.

You could never get away with a film like "Birth of a nation" today. "Easy Rider" is a classic 60's film. No other era could contain it

Answer 2

I really like both movies and history but the two things are worlds apart. My friends (several who are historians) and I often rip on how inaccurate or misleading movies are in portraying "history" (and yes we still enjoy the film).

One problem is history is a long and mundane story punctuated with great events and many great events would be anti-climatic if told truthfully. Now condense it down into a two hour film. Even if your editing is perfect the narrative been stripped down bare without nuances or complexities.

Then of course you have the prejudices of the filmmaker, the limitations of budget and the need to fit the whole tale into a three act format with just the right amount of gratuitous sex and violence. If the film isn't propaganda it's a money making venture which means profits trump accuracy.

If a film reflects history it's often by accident. At best a film gets the general story and a few details right, just enough details to make it feel authentic.

Even documentaries aren't the unblinking eye of truth, just watch a couple movies by Leni Riefenstahl.

Answer 3

Any movie that based by a history ,sometimes is not in a balance measures ,sometimes the movie always exposed one country after another ,let's say ,the 300 movie ,it was awesome ,but ,in history ,Leonidas got 300 heroes AND 1000 regular Spartans with 7000 Greek polis in his back

Answer 4

Just look at Schiendlers List, Saving Private Ryan...

Answer 5

It can capture the trends, social mores and opinons of the timeline is to be portrayed in.