History by Hollywood: The Use and Abuse of the American Past

Rating:
Summary: Excellent synthesis of history and film criticism.
Review: How does Hollywood distort history?
Toplin, a history professor at the University of North Carolina, describes four of Hollywood's principal methods of treating (or mistreating) history: mixing fact with fiction, shaping evidence to deliver specific conclusions, suggesting messages for the present in stories about the past, and fabricating a documentary style to develop the "Great Man" perspective on the past.
The techniques are employed in works as varied as "Bonnie and Clyde", " Sergeant York", and Oliver (I-don't-have-to-tell-the-truth-I'm-an-artist) Stone's "JFK", but while Toplin (naturally) respects historical accuracy, he acknowledges the narrative and dramatic necessities which inevitably contaminate the historical reality. He also notes special interest pressures to have movies reflect particular interpretations, and the film-makers' responses to criticisms of their historical veracity. A worthwhile look at some of Hollywood's reconstructions of the past, and their connections to larger issues.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score' books).

Rating:
Summary: fun facts are only novel for the first few essays.
Review: this book shows a great deal of attention to the flubbs in hollywood, but in some cases, the information is too much. for instance, it is great to know where Patton was shot and where all of the equipment came from, but the essay lacks a clear thesis. for an academic text, i am disappointed.