Artistic License + Impressionable Youth=

Oh, cripes.


Sometimes Boyfriend says I am a little too uptight about my authenticity issues with Hollywood and it's ilk, but sometimes I think I have a good reason to be distressed over how history is depicted in pop culture. Granted the video above, which actually advertises a book, hopefully won't be mistaken for the "true" story, but I was adamantly against "Inglorious Basterds." I don't want to come off and say people are gullible, but at the end of the day, history has the reputation of being the "boring" subject in school. Can't we rely on the famous to help our society?

I have watched a lot of historical movies, some of which are very historically accurate and boring as anything and some of which are highly entertaining and not historically accurate at all. I have two issues that I let slip when I judge a film...well, two and a half:

1) Children's movies. I spare a little mercy on children's movies such as Disney's "Pocahontas." There are a lot, I mean, a lot of things wrong with the history in that movie. Women of her tribe, for instance, did not wear  tops. I can see why Disney would have a problem with this. However, my leniency actually stems from the interest sparked by children's movies. Personally, as a child, I loved John Wayne movies, particularly the cowboy ones. As I grew older and became more interested in history, I learned that the Wild West, wasn't quite as it is depicted, but such movies inspired me to go and learn the true story.  This also leads me to excuse two...

2) Entertainment. Take the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series...pirates were actually really bad people. They were criminals and a lot more like the ones in Somali than the one in Johnny Depp's trailer. HOWEVER, if the film is being advertised as an entertainment/adventure film and not a historical film it can be forgiven. Cowboys, also, are something of a sub-culture Americans created. I can deal with the sheriff shooting 15 bad guys a day in Tombstone, what I can't deal with is Hitler being assassinated. Hollywood, stop CHANGING history for your convenience! History was interesting enough, okay?

.5) If the movie is based on a book and follows the book well, you cannot really judge it for being inaccurate. I would much, much, much rather see a movie that is similar to the book it's based off of than have it changed entirely. This does not excuse the historical inaccuracy, but it does move the blame from Hollywood to the author.

I'm introducing the Friday Night Movie Review (not always to be posted at night), please leave any historically-based movies you would like to see reviewed in the comments! Happy Weekend!