| HISTORY REEL |
Riverview Social Studies teacher Julie Overby arranges her curriculum for her middle school students to read primary
documents before watching Disney’s “Pocahontas” so they can note the inaccuracies themselves.
Reinterpreted historical films can also be viewed in contrast to science fiction movies that commonly create interpretations of the
future. Fans of these genres have shown loyalty to the fantasy through successful annual conventions, dressing up as film
characters or even learning a fictional language.
documents before watching Disney’s “Pocahontas” so they can note the inaccuracies themselves.
Reinterpreted historical films can also be viewed in contrast to science fiction movies that commonly create interpretations of the
future. Fans of these genres have shown loyalty to the fantasy through successful annual conventions, dressing up as film
characters or even learning a fictional language.
| If you want to make a difference in the lives of our residents, visit our website to view and apply for our current openings. www.oakwoodvillage.net Oakwood Village is a Lutheran church-sponsored, not-for-profit, locally operated organization consisting of two continuing care retirement communities, Oakwood Village East and Oakwood Village West, in Madison, Wisconsin. EOE |
| Caring for older adults through compassionate and excellent service |
By M. Eric Lima
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like in another time
period?
“Midnight in Paris” is Woody Allen’s newest film that explores this time
traveling desire through the protagonist, Gil. While on a Parisian vacation
with a shallow fiancée, Gil (played by Owen Wilson) somehow finds
himself transported to his romanticized ideal of 1920s Bohemian Paris.
As Gil escapes his present life as a dissatisfied Hollywood screenwriter
by night he parties with his literary idols such as Scott Fitzgerald and
Earnest Hemmingway. Yet, even in his fantasized golden era Gil
encounters a new female interest, Adriana, who is equally discontent
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like in another time
period?
“Midnight in Paris” is Woody Allen’s newest film that explores this time
traveling desire through the protagonist, Gil. While on a Parisian vacation
with a shallow fiancée, Gil (played by Owen Wilson) somehow finds
himself transported to his romanticized ideal of 1920s Bohemian Paris.
As Gil escapes his present life as a dissatisfied Hollywood screenwriter
by night he parties with his literary idols such as Scott Fitzgerald and
Earnest Hemmingway. Yet, even in his fantasized golden era Gil
encounters a new female interest, Adriana, who is equally discontent
living in her time, imagining life in the Belle Époque.
Through this film, Allen characterizes the desire and the curiosity to experience life back in the “good old days.” Both Gil and
Adriana crave a life based on a nostalgia unrooted in actual first-hand experience.
Potentially coincidental or not, Gil works as a screenwriter for Hollywood movies, an industry that often sells nostalgia through
entertaining visions of the past. Historical movies offer audiences a lens for time travel that helps viewers construct an ideal past.
“In general, movies inspire imaginations,” says UW-Madison Professor Karyn Riddle from the department of Journalism and
Mass Communication. “Personally, any time I see anything set in the World War II era, I wish I lived there. I don’t know why.”
Through this film, Allen characterizes the desire and the curiosity to experience life back in the “good old days.” Both Gil and
Adriana crave a life based on a nostalgia unrooted in actual first-hand experience.
Potentially coincidental or not, Gil works as a screenwriter for Hollywood movies, an industry that often sells nostalgia through
entertaining visions of the past. Historical movies offer audiences a lens for time travel that helps viewers construct an ideal past.
“In general, movies inspire imaginations,” says UW-Madison Professor Karyn Riddle from the department of Journalism and
Mass Communication. “Personally, any time I see anything set in the World War II era, I wish I lived there. I don’t know why.”
UW-Madison Professor of
Media and Cultural
Studies, Michelle Hilmes
Media and Cultural
Studies, Michelle Hilmes
Movies set in another time have continually captivated audiences’ interest with narratives from an
unfamiliar past. They provide amazing visuals unavailable to past storytelling methods. Grandpa’s
stories can’t compete with Quentin Tarantino’s camera-work or the exaggerated visual effects of
the 21st century.
“I think people like historical films because it takes them out of their everyday experience and puts
them in a world where the rules are different,” says Michelle Hilmes, UW-Madison Professor of
Media and Cultural Studies.
According to Riddle, transportation theory in media studies suggests that as viewers become
immersed in the movie that they lose sight of the real world and become transported into the story.
“You almost forget, oh it’s Tuesday afternoon and I have to go to the grocery store later,” says
Riddle.
Hilmes mentioned that media studies also have narrative theories that encourage viewers to
cognitively identify with characters such as the protagonist.
Martial arts films and westerns have given historical venues for myth-based narratives, but they
also created cultural icons such as Bruce Lee and John Wayne. Their impact might be seen most
modestly through impersonations.
Every historical movie contends with the pastime of critical viewers to point out the inaccuracies.
Contrast to most historians, Professor Cindy I-Fen Cheng from UW-Madison’s history department
believes we shouldn’t focus our attention to this type of review.
“The way to critique [historical movies] is not to say that it’s not the way it happened in history,” says
Cheng. “But to question what are the values that shaped their kind of stories and how is this a
partial or limited view of a story told.”
The creative license behind movie making has created concerns over the effect that
reinterpretations have on spreading historical inaccuracies into public knowledge.
unfamiliar past. They provide amazing visuals unavailable to past storytelling methods. Grandpa’s
stories can’t compete with Quentin Tarantino’s camera-work or the exaggerated visual effects of
the 21st century.
“I think people like historical films because it takes them out of their everyday experience and puts
them in a world where the rules are different,” says Michelle Hilmes, UW-Madison Professor of
Media and Cultural Studies.
According to Riddle, transportation theory in media studies suggests that as viewers become
immersed in the movie that they lose sight of the real world and become transported into the story.
“You almost forget, oh it’s Tuesday afternoon and I have to go to the grocery store later,” says
Riddle.
Hilmes mentioned that media studies also have narrative theories that encourage viewers to
cognitively identify with characters such as the protagonist.
Martial arts films and westerns have given historical venues for myth-based narratives, but they
also created cultural icons such as Bruce Lee and John Wayne. Their impact might be seen most
modestly through impersonations.
Every historical movie contends with the pastime of critical viewers to point out the inaccuracies.
Contrast to most historians, Professor Cindy I-Fen Cheng from UW-Madison’s history department
believes we shouldn’t focus our attention to this type of review.
“The way to critique [historical movies] is not to say that it’s not the way it happened in history,” says
Cheng. “But to question what are the values that shaped their kind of stories and how is this a
partial or limited view of a story told.”
The creative license behind movie making has created concerns over the effect that
reinterpretations have on spreading historical inaccuracies into public knowledge.
"I think sometimes historical films and science
fiction fulfill the same function in that both of them
get us out of our familiar environment,” says Hilmes.
Despite the potential for influence historical movies
may hold, none of the professors interviewed were
aware of any research into the effect of these films
encouraging a longing for the past.
Historical movies might just offer audiences the
“what if” involved in the fantasy of time travel or the
gentle curiosity one would need to hop into the
suped-up DeLorean from “Back to the Future” or the
retro phone booth from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent
Adventure.”
M. Eric Lima is a student at UW-Madison School of
Journalism & Mass Communication, a First Wave
Hip-Hop Theatre Ensemble Scholar, and a member
of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
fiction fulfill the same function in that both of them
get us out of our familiar environment,” says Hilmes.
Despite the potential for influence historical movies
may hold, none of the professors interviewed were
aware of any research into the effect of these films
encouraging a longing for the past.
Historical movies might just offer audiences the
“what if” involved in the fantasy of time travel or the
gentle curiosity one would need to hop into the
suped-up DeLorean from “Back to the Future” or the
retro phone booth from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent
Adventure.”
M. Eric Lima is a student at UW-Madison School of
Journalism & Mass Communication, a First Wave
Hip-Hop Theatre Ensemble Scholar, and a member
of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.