Thursday, September 29, 2016

Glory/12 Years a Slave - Garrett Barrilleaux

     There have been many movies depicting historical events that could be used to study that specific timeline. Glory and 12 Years a Slave are just two great examples of this. These films use the right balance of a majority of accurate depictions and slight variations to improve the quality and enjoyment of the movie.

     By watching Glory I feel that I have learned and really taken in the events it shows with black soldiers during the Civil War. Since students are able to see and visualize the events unfold it is easier to retain and get a better understanding of how things took place and why. By doing some research about the real regiment of black soldiers the movie was based on, I was able to find the many similarities between the film and the true events, such as how the regiment was treated by other white soldiers, and more specific events like the houses that the soldiers were forced to burn down. When comparing my research to what I saw in the film I was able to connect and better understand the reality of the situations I was studying by having that personal and visual aspect of watching a movie to impact the way I took in the information.

Image result for glory movie

     12 Years a Slave was a great film to watch in order to learn what slavery was like during those time periods. The director was able to take the true story of a slave named Solomon Northup and make it easier to visualize the true events that took place. The fact that the director found the novel written by the real Solomon Northup and directly translated it to film gives the impression that students can learn exactly what happened with little doubt of accuracy. The main effect this movie has on someone studying the topic is the film's ability to allow you to experience Solomon life like you never could just by reading about it. Although there are specific details and events that take during the movie that may not have been accurate to the real life events, the overall story and people are enough to give the watcher a good sense of what really took place. Like the fact that Master Ford was portrayed completely accurately, you are still able to see how a slave owner in general might act towards his slaves. By watching the film you can see and really get a better sense of Solomon and the other slave's emotions and struggles during their life. It allows you to think deeper and more critically about the daily life of a slave during those times by using real people and places to convey the lifestyle of the past.

Image result for 12 years a slave

     The contrast between the accuracy and entertainment of historical films is one of the most important aspects of making one. Directors usually will attempt to keep the film as accurate as the original events took place but their will be small moments that are changed or added in order to keep the plot interesting. These two films do a great job in capturing the true events and turning them into something people would want to watch. This is especially apparent in 12 Years a Slave. It was able to keep it's content accurate to the real life story while also being provoking and allowing people to be interested in learning what Solomon's life was like. Using two different techniques of learning and combining them into one gives students a more in depth view of the history they are trying to learn.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

The review talks about how 12 Years a Slave is the best and most accurate movie depicting slaves, but there aren't really any other well made movies about slaves. He mentions Django Unchained but says they aren't comparable since Django Unchained ends with the sense of justice but 12 Years a Slave has no happy ending. He likes that 12 Years a Slave doesn't try to make the situation  slavery lighter than it really was.
"But Griffiths’ film has almost no truth in it — and it is monstrously, numbingly racist. Its black characters are drunks and rapists, played by gurning white actors in blackface, while the Ku Klux Klan are shown to be saviour knights of the new republic. Think again of that strange lack of films about American slavery, and wonder how long it will take for cinema to exorcise these demons. In that light, 12 Years a Slave isn’t simply a masterpiece, it’s a milestone. This, at last, really is history written with lightning."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/06/03/12-years-a-slave-review-this-at-last-really-is-history-written-w/

D.W. Griffith's film is completely unrealistic and racist towards African-Americans depicted in the movie. It creates the idea that the Ku Klux Klan were saviors for killing the crude black characters. This movie has helped cause the lack of slavery movies over the years. Because of this, 12 Years a Slave isn't just a great depiction of slavery, it is a breakthrough in cinematic adaptations of slavery and history.