Much more than mere entertainment, films are rich
cultural documents. Films record the look and mood of a particular
historical period. Films are also rich psychological texts that
speak to the social anxieties and concerns of the period in which
they were created. Some films—for example, the classic western
High Noon—give expression to political ideas, moral values,
and cultural myths. In addition, films are educators that convey
messages about social class, ethnicity, masculinity, femininity,
and America’s role in the world. Students need to learn
how to decode these messages.
Projects:
•
Discuss specific issues raised by a film (for example, isolationism
in Casablanca or fears about conformity and infiltration and
mind control in Invasion of the Body Snatchers).
•
Locate a film in its historical context and in the context of
other films that have dealt with the same issue (for example,
comparing and contrasting films that have dealt with the American
Revolution, slavery, Native American-white relations, World
War I, World War II, or Vietnam).
•
Examine specific films—such as Pocahontas or Amistad--for
historical errors.
•
Discuss how a specific film—such as The Wizard of Oz—offers
a parable for broad political issues (in the case of Wizard,
for the controversies surrounding Populism). Another example
might include On the Waterfront to discuss the issue of informing
during the Red Scare of the 1950s
•
Compare and contrast the way specific films (such as Hester
Street or Moscow on the Hudson) deal with the issue of immigration.
•
Examine how a specific filmmaker (for example, Frank Capra or
Oliver Stone) has used film to convey a particular vision about
American society or American history.
