Theyre really quite intelligent, very intelligent, but are trained in a way that theyve been trained differently from the way we have so that they are interested in, you know, the impact visually and what people hear. And the overarching story or theme or thesis they want to put forward. And so whenever they come to historians, its not as theyre writing the work. It is usually after theyve already worked out in their mind what the opening scene is going to look like and the rest of it. And the story holds together well for them, for what they like to portray in one way. And then on the other side of it is working with the producers to find out whether theyll finance so you have to take into consideration what the producers want to see in this film, too. So they kind of are very collaborative and were only one piece, a small piece of the collaboration because they do come in with this. And its interesting because i want to know whether or not Steve Mcqueen actually shot the opening sequ
Television because black and white. A con cue period but not modern. Anything even in the 1990s might offend southern advertisers. That was the idea. In some ways i think television is a medium that responds so commercially and waits for, you know, like something happens in film and then five to ten years later it becomes okay. Im thinking of this, ive been oust the country for almost ten years and i notice it in the language on television what is now acceptable. Wait. They can see that on tv . That kind of thing. On the other hand it used to be to get anything made with black characters historically as the prominent characters, the center piece, had to be done on television. Thinking about maia angelos the caged bird singing. Not a feature film. Back in the 80s i guess tv was a backup where you could afford to do things like that. Roots of course. The last, i guess, the last episode of the first series of roots still had more viewership than any other mini series period in u. S. Telev
Amistad and the moment in the film where, which is certainly taken from the case. They throw them over board. The slaves are shackled and thrown overboard is one of the most visually powerful, arresting scenes. When i went to the International Museum of slavery in liverpool they had their own version of that so it is something that we deal in words and powerfully in telling stories but its something that we now in the 21st century back to media have to grapple with. Whos going to look at it . How is it going to feel . I think we have to bring our students and public to understand stories can be told in many different dimensions and i think the power of some of these scenes maybe we can deal with clips rather than the full film and deal with the powerful medium of historical film as something that can bring slavery to a modern audience. That seems like an excellent place to conclude. Thank you all so much for coming and thank you very much to our panelists for their very thoughtful and
Location and at the very end she says, tara, home, i will go home. Right . So thats going to fix it. Thats an incredibly powerful sense. I think this adds an element that these people werent fighting so they could keep people in subjugation. This is where they grew up and had a right to fight for their homes. It makes them feel more look crusaders rather than the version that they wanted black people to keep working for them so they could keep sipping their tea. What are some of the other ways that we see the time period affecting this particular version of history . So paige points out when the premier emerges, theres actually actual kinds of confederate flags and veterans show up at the premier, right . It is very explicitly about a celebration of the confederacy and of confederate heritage, right . Theres no question that thats part of it. Both hannah and germ jeremy ta about the portrayal of the north in this. How much do you think this fits into its being made at the time period t
Freedom. This was hosted by the american historical society. It is about 45 minutes. Our next speaker is matt pinsker the associate professor of history and holds the chair in American Civil War history at it is the almost not her of alma mater, for what that is worth. Of a numberauthor of books and articles. And it the author of a forthcoming book, which i think will radically force us to think about lincoln in a new way and it is hard to think of anyone anything that could force us to think of lincoln in a new way, because there is so much about lincoln, what else is there to say . There to say . His new book will be called boss lincoln and he is going to look at lincoln as a party and president ial leader. Ill turn the podium over to matt pinsker and also let him talk to us about mr. Spielberg and lincoln goes to hollywood. Well, thank you very much. To paul and don and everyone here, it is an honor to be at a symposium like this and speak about spielbergs lincoln is important for u