reliable and useful

Alasdair · reliable and useful

Not strictly speaking anything to do with Scottish history, I do however have a question Shocked

I seem to have become embroiled in a debate, against my better judgement, elsewhere and was hoping for a bit of perspective. In the debate it has been stated that films like Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Apocolypse Now, and a few others may be used in the education of history at GCSE or A - Level on the basis that whilst they may not be reliable they may be useful as the give a 'feel' for what such events and conflict might have been like.

Clearly I disagree on the basis that they have been written and made outwith the time period of the event and that their primary purpose was to make money and entertain and therefore any historical accuracy is likely not to have been at the forefront of the producers and directors minds.

So, can historical dramatisations via holywood be useful educational tools?

agentmancuso

Yes, but only to a limited extent?

Alasdair

Ok, the other half of the debate has admitted defeat Very Happy

Cruachan

I was appalled the other day when my youngest daughter came back from school saying they spent an hour in history class watching Lord of the Rings, so they could learn about medieval castle sieges. How lazy is that teacher? Shocked

I did of course refer them to the siege of York Castle scene in Braveheart .
Although they've spent their whole life in England (to date) I never let a chance go by to remind my kids that they are Scottish really Rolling Eyes

Porridge for breakfast tomorrow. Very Happy

Lord Pitsligo

I would say that some are good, some aren't. Braveheart is utter rubbish for history, as is Saving Private Ryan. Apollo 13 is excellent for historical accuracy though.

Rinty

I would rule out the examples given. Black Hawk Down could easily have the Somalians drawn by the Disney artist who made alladin, such was the level of racist caricature in that movie. Up there with Midnight Express' slobbering fat, corrupt turks.

If you ignore that it is not a bad movie, but useless as an educational tool.

If you want a good castle siege in a movie then Luc Bessons The Messenger - Story of Joan of Arc is great, fark nose how accurate it is though. I suppose we can rule the out the accuracy of Milla Jovovich seeing visions!

And, of course, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is as accurate as you will get.