Extra Credit - World History 10 - Q1/Q2 - World History Films

1) I watched The Mission
2) It was centered on Spanish and Portuguese Imperialism in South America and dealt very heavily with racism, racial superiority and colonialism. The events in the film took place in Brazil and were based on true events.
3) It really emphasized the brutality with which colonial powers sometimes dealt with their colonies, and It underscored the cruelty of the Europeans in dealing with other races.
4) I really enjoyed the film, Jeremy Irons gave a very powerful performance with DeNiro alongside him. Liam Nesson also made a prevalent appearance. It was an incredible story about redemption and beliefs.

I watched Frankenstein, a romantic movie that was adapted from Mary Wollstonecraft’s original novel. During the eighteenth century, Europe experienced a time called Enlightenment. During the Enlightenment period, society constantly yearned for knowledge and power.Ms. Wollstonecraft summed up the chaos of the Enlightenment period through Dr. Frankenstein’s constant thirst for knowledge. Dr. Frankenstein’s greed for knowledge about creation consumed his life similar to the way the Enlightenment ideas affected Europe. Enlightenment thinkers were constantly questioning aspects of life that many people accepted as true.

The movie, Frankenstein, changed my perspective on the Enlightenment period. The way Mary Wollstonecraft illustrated her thoughts and feelings of the Enlightenment period reminded me of the way Homer used epic similes to depict unfamiliar situations. Also, the movie reminded me of how Europe’s revolution changed many major aspects of everyday life. For example, people were killed for challenging the beliefs of the Catholic Church.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie, partially since Halloween is in less than a week. It was weird to watch Dr. Frankenstein’s emotions when he was torn between his experiment and his fiancée. Frankenstein’s monster was interesting to watch how he interacted in different situations outside the confines of the castle.

What film did you watch?

Les Miserables

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

I thought that there were many accurate elements of “world history” in this film. For example in the climax of the story there is the Paris Uprising of 1832 or also known as the June uprising. This uprising was brought upon by the harvest failures, food shortages, and increases in the cost of living. These conditions are shown in the movie. For example most of the scenes of the play are that of the poor children struggling to survive, the poor conditions of housing and the corruption because everyone is struggling to survive.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

I thought the movie changed my understanding of that history because of the way I always thought of that time period. It made me question things and it gave me a more clear prospective of that time. Because I think that my idea of this time period and that before it are not very clear or accurate.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

I really, really enjoyed this film. I liked how it had a very interesting plot and it was a love, adventure like story. And the fact that I got extra credit for watching a very entertaining movie helped. I thought that the way they portrayed the characters and how they developed each 10 years made the movie go along at a fast pace that made it even more entertaining to watch.

Extra Credit World History

What film did you watch? What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

I watched Elizabeth the Golden Age. Elements of “World history that were touched on the film were absolute ruling, religion, golden age of art and literature. Queen Elizabeth I of England was an great absolute ruler, who ruled for many years. Elizabeth was protestant and fought with King Philip II of Spain in the Spanish Armada. She led her country to victory.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

The film reinforced my understanding of this time in history by giving me a visual what happen in that time. It also provided me with the feeling of what was going on. The movie helped me understand how life was. And allowed me to view an absolute monarchy.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

I thought the movie was very good. I have always enjoyed watching that time period in history. The storyline was very interesting about her love and then losing him to one of her ladies. I was shocked at some point in the movie when the Queen called her lady something that i

What film did you watch?

I watched The Patriot, a movie about the American Revolution.

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

This film focused on the American Revolution and the struggles the Americans went through to become independent. It showed the British as cruel, ruthless criminals that would easily burn houses and kill innocent American civilians. It also focused a lot on religion, specifically Christianity, and death as (SPOILER!!!) two of Mel Gibson's character's sons died in the movie.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

This film really showed me how motivated the Americans were to break free of the British. Mel Gibson was a very good actor in this film and you could see how much power he had to fight against the British. It also really showed me how much fear was going through America at that time. It seemed like there was a constant lingering fear of the British looting and burning down your house!

What did you think of the film?

Although The Patriot was very well acted and directed, I wasn't a huge fan of it. As I said before, it seemed to glorify the Americans, while making the British seem like monsters and this really simplified the story to just a "Good Vs. Evil" story. Another thing that I didn't like about it was that it seemed more of just a story of revenge then a story of the American Revolution as a whole. Finally, considering that it is already 10 years old, I found it to be extremely corny! Maybe it was the slow motion fight scenes or all of the melodrama, but it seemed very corny and cheesy to me.

I watched the movie Frida. It was set in the early to mid-1900s, and focuses on the life of the artist Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera. One thing the film shows is the contrast between the more rural Mexico and industrialized America. The film was relevant beyond art history because the artists, particularly Diego Rivera, were identified with communist ideals of Marx. Additionally, Frida and Diego experience the Industrial Revolution in America through Diego’s commission by a member of the Rockefeller family. After a mural is destroyed for having Lenin painted in it, the couple ends up offering sanctuary to Trotsky, who is being hunted by Stalin. The film does an interesting job framing the contrast between rural Mexico, the wealthiest of America in the Industrial Revolution, and the interaction with the ideas of communism and workers rights. The rest of the movie is less successful.

The two main characters and their relationship dominate the film. Their relationship involves perpetual infidelity, thoughtlessness, immaturity, and self-centeredness. The artwork of each character is incredibly more interesting and compelling than the artist themselves, at least as they are portrayed in this film. These characters, in fact, are so shallow that despite numerous hardships, (including a terrible bus accident and a lost pregnancy) it was very hard to maintain much interest in the characters.

Elizabeth The Golden Age:

Elizabeth The golden Age did a great job of showing the history of Queen Elizabeth and Phillip II. Although it focus’s mostly on Elizabeth, it also shows how Phillip II thought of himself as “the catholic defender”. It showed how Phillip II concurred nations and showed how and why he tried to concur England.

I learned a lot about Queen Elizabeth’s personal life from this movie. She was called the virgin queen and never married. It was also interesting to see her daily routine and how much work it took for her to get dressed and ready in the morning. This film also did a great job of showing Elizabeth’s victory over Phillip II and how her army defeated him.

The story line was very interesting. I enjoyed learning not just about the time period but also about Elizabeth's personality and personal life. It was very interesting to me to here about England going to the new world (America) and building colonies there. This film had many important events and people in history and was a great movie in my opinion.

Lindsay Coleman

lydia wall

• What film did you watch?

Marie Antoinette

• What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

The life of Marie Antoinette, and her husband, a French prince, and how she came over from Austria to rule as a princess. It showed how clueless and self-centered she was. She spent the county’s money without a second thought and ran from problems. She was unfaithful to her husband and didn’t

• How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

I didn’t really think much of it, but I learned a lot about the history and the order of how things happened. The entire thing was much more formal that I thought it would be, and they had MUCH more money than I thought they would. Also they commanded much more respect than I thought. How the princess could only be spoken to when she spoke first.

• What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

I think it was very well done. The costumes were beautiful, the acting was great and they got their point across. It made it much easier to imagine what it must have been like during that time period.

I watched Elizabeth (1998), which focuses on the beginning of Queen Elizabeth the First's rule of England in the 1600's. It was FANTASTIC--I've seen the sequel film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but I'd never seen this one. The portrayal of each character was fantastic, the costumes and locations were phenomenal, and the film kept to the accurate-history track. It was great to see an accurate depiction of that time in history (or what I believe to be accurate--in other words, the movie didn't revolve around a flimsy love story or another aspect of that time). The Elizabethan age has always fascinated me, and this movie definitely did my thoughts justice. I felt like the amount of accurate history it contains far exceeded many other films made about the same era (or any other era people seem to be infatuated with), and because the film was so long, the filmmakers were able to fit a lot of important points in. It also kept my attention because there was drama, humor, and romance--but not too much to be mushy or a bodice-ripper. Loved it. 5* out of 5*.

~Hannah M.

1. The Patriot
2. The movie was based on the American Revolution. The "Patriot" is a hero of the French and Indian war who believes in freedom but he feels the odds of losing are almost a 100 percent and he is not going to fight. Because of the deaths of his sons he is dragged in to the war.
3. This movie helped me to better understand the way the American troops fought and why. Going muzzle to muzzle in a battle, the way the British regulars were used to, was not the best way for untrained farmers and merchants to fight. The guerilla warfare made more sense for the Americans since they knew all the back trails and hiding places and were not trained for a stand up battle.
4. I thought the movie told a very realistic story and was well made. The likable characters were developed thoroughly. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes a good action movie.

1. I watched the patriot

2.This movie was based of the American Revolution. the main character was Mel Gipson who was an old French Indian war hero. He is reluctant to go to war with England, but one of his sons get murdered he goes to war for revenge.

3.This movie was a great visual for the ways wars were fought. It showed the greater British military against the American mulisha. The Americans started losing and the the french came and helped them.

4. I enjoyed this movie it was a good action movie but in some parts it was slow. the battle sequences were very cool. I would recommend this movie to anyone that likes drama and action in a movie.

What film did you watch?
I watched The Patriot (2000), a movie centered on the Revolutionary War from an American perspective, presenting the viewers with vivid accounts, rich with love, those lost and passion for war.

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
Throughout The Patriot, themes such as racial dominance, racism, colonialism, democracy, enlightenment and cultural differentiation worked their way into the central conflict, and most accurately portrayed the colonial time period, although overly dramatizing the whole event. At certain points during the movie, dissimilarity between races was wound taught, but for some odd reason, was resolved by the end as if it were a side conflict. In NO way was that accurate, but added some theatrical value to it. Of course, since the fight for independence was derived from the philosophes of Europe, their ideas of enlightenment had to be central themes of the movie, despite their subtlety.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
Although this movie contained numerous historical references, I was unable to either pick them up, or make connections to them as they were saturated in drama and needless emotion. I did learn, however, of the depth of people's reasoning for their actions and the infinite amount of emotion/ desire that drove the war. It added color to the grey slate of history, that we, as people, can relate to forever.

What did you think of the film
I very much enjoyed it for its theatrical content. It was an easy story to follow and Mel Gibson did an excellent job as the lead. Movies are most captivating when we begin to attach ourselves to the main characters by sheer feeling alone, and let me tell you, I was rooting for Benjamin Martin's survival by the end!!!

* What film did you watch?
Elizabeth the Golden Age

* What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
The film showed the battle between Phillip II of Spain and Elizabeth. It also showed different betrayals and under the radar dealings that Mary, Queen of Scots and Phillip II of Spain did in order to gain the throne. The film also displayed Elizabeth as "the virgin queen," and her fight to keep her throne. It also told the story of her many pursuers and her kind hearted nature toward the whole charade.
The film also showed Elizabeth's religious tolerance in her kingdom during that time. It touched on the fact that she allowed Protestants and Catholics to live together in peace and how many countries hated her for it.

* How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
If the personal portrayal of Elizabeth is true, I never knew that she had such an understanding and acceptance of many different religions. She didn't let the religions tear England apart, she believed in protecting ALL of the people in England and I never knew that about her before.

* What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
I think that the film was okay, but I would have liked to see more facts about Elizabeth and the battle between her and Phillip II of Spain. The film mainly focused on her love life but was not straight forward enough to really understand what exactly Elizabeth was thinking. I wish the focus would have been more on the big picture of Elizabeth and not focused on a made up side story line.

The Patriot:

I watched the movie The Patriot. Some of the elements of “World History” that were touched in the film and really stood out to me were the fighting scenes and costumes. These stood out because I remember reading about both of these and being able to see the fighting and deaths really makes understanding the time period a lot easier. The term “taxation without representation” was used in the film and that too, reminded me of class reading. It was interesting to be able to see a term we learned from a book in a movie because, not only does it help you understand it better, but it prompts more interest in what you are learning. The movie not only kept my attention but it also changed my views on things we learned to a different side because I was able to see and hear the facts, and not just read them. In my opinion, The Patriot is a very good movie. Although I think I enjoyed it more because I could point out “AHH I remember learning about that!!” But it still kept my attention and it helped me understand certain things from history better. I also really liked how it showed how people’s lives are affected by war during the scene where the young boys are forced kill soldiers to help their father.

--Justin

* What film did you watch?
The Patriot
* What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
This film focused on the American Revolution and the struggles of the American militia, and how their lives were affected by the cruel british soldiers.
* How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
it made me see that the ways they fought back then, lining up and taking turns firing on each other was basically ridiculous and there were very slim chances that you would survive those battles.
* What did you think of the film?
it was a good film. pretty bloody. it did a good job of capturing the intended audience and at the same time being pretty historically correct.

For extra credit I watched Out Of Africa (1985). The film touched on the many attempts to colonize Africa by the British and other European countries. Watching the film I understood more how the African peoples felt by being pushed to new and new homes when European countries came in and "took control" of the tribes and the land. I've always thought the European powers were thoughtless and greedy by coming in and taking the natives' land, but by seeing this movie I only thought this more. I really liked this film, although the ending was quite disappointing. The dreamy foil to Meryl Streep's character dies in a plane crash at the end, obviously ruining their chances of being together forever and living happily ever after!!!! Sadly that wasn't the case. Besides being quite long, I thought the movie was very enjoyable.

I saw the Patriot

It touched on the American Revolution

It was good the way it represented both sides in the War but seeing as it was an American film I think it was a tad bit lopsided.

I enjoyed the film over all because of all the fighting but it did get kind of gruesome at some points such as when they burn down the church

I saw Black Robe, the movie about the Jesuit Missionary and his attempts to convert the Huron Indians. It took place during the 17th Century. It is mainly about belief and faith, but also about the difference between French and Native ways of being. It reminded me of the strong willed belief in God so many held and that people truly did believe their Christian way was the only one to salvation. It also many times referenced the trade that went on between the colonists and the Natives. At one point, one of the Hurons said that his people were becoming more and more dependent on the new tools they were getting from the whites. The movie lent good and numerous perspectives on religion, faith and spirituality. It made one ponder the sanity both of the Christian beliefs and of the Native American ones, while at the same time alluding to the validity and power of both. What is a sin? Who are the demonic, barbarous ones? Both are questions I found myself asking as the story progressed and became darker and colder. Overall, Black Robe is a dark and often poorly executed film, but it does give one a head full of interesting ideas and comparisons to ponder, and so it was a well spent hour and a half.

I watched Frankenstein (1931)
The Film touched the Enlightenment, a period were people were constantly challenging the ideas that were made by the church.
The movie changed my understanding of the Enlightenment because I thought that people challenged the ideas of the church directly; meaning that they would tell the church that they did not believe in God or that Heaven did not exist. This movie showed me that what actually happened was that people's ideas were put into practice through scientific experiments, and challenged pre-exiting concepts. Therefore making the church mad at them.
I actually liked the film, I thought it was going to be boring because it was so old, but I ended up enjoying it. It was one of the first old movies I have ever seen and I really liked how all special effects looked so old, especially compared to the ones we use today.

Jimena

The filmed touched the Enlightenment, a period were people challenged the ideas made by the church.
The filmed changed the way I thought of the Enlightenment, because I used to think that the way all people challenged the church was by challenging it directly for example they would tell the church that they did not believe in God or that Heaven did not exist. When in reality what happened was that people would conduct experiments to prove their ideas and this was the way that they would challenge pre existing ideas and concepts.
I really liked the film I thought that I was not going to because it was so old, but I ended up really liking it. I enjoyed seeing how film making has developed so much since 1931.

Jimena

I watched Frankenstein
The filmed touched the Enlightenment, a period were people challenged the ideas made by the church.
The filmed changed the way I thought of the Enlightenment, because I used to think that the way all people challenged the church was by challenging it directly for example they would tell the church that they did not believe in God or that Heaven did not exist. When in reality what happened was that people would conduct experiments to prove their ideas and this was the way that they would challenge pre existing ideas and concepts.
I really liked the film I thought that I was not going to because it was so old, but I ended up really liking it. I enjoyed seeing how film making has developed so much since 1931.

Jimena

What movie did you watch?

I watched Elizabeth the Golden Age.

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

This movie was about the reign of Elizabeth I, the protestant queen of England. It was about her life and the battle between her and Phillip II in the Spanish Aramda. It played out the events of the war and how the Spanish were defeated.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

It reinforced and helped to further explain the events that happened in England and Spain. It showed how the daily life was like for Elizabeth and all that she would do in a given day. It was a very visual movie and made you think a lot about all the awful things that were happening in that time.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

I thought the film was very well made. There were a few times when it was a bit gory for me but other than that I really liked it. I especially like the relationship between her and one of her ladies, Bess. They had a very close relationship in the start of the movie and it was interesting to see it change especially when Elizabeth hit her because she got pregnant with the man that she loved.

I watched Les Miserables.
This film was an adaptation of a victor hugo novel we talked about in class. It also touched on the history element of france.
This film simplified the novel for me, and made it much more understandable. I also learned about french life during that time period and some of the causes behind the french revolution.
I liked this movie a lot. It was understandable and I liked the music and acting.

I watched Michael Collins.

This film was about Michael Collins, a statesman that was the leading man in the negotiations for Ireland's break from England, in the 20th century.

It really helped me understand the brutality of this war and any war really, and how some terrible things are done in the midst of all war. For instance when the battle tank drives into the middle of the sports field and starts shooting everyone. It is a terrible scene to watch. But overall this movie really shows how Michael Collins helped Ireland in a really entertaining way.

I found this movie surprisingly entertaining. It was very educational, but is also interesting at the same time. The acting was good, and I always like Liam Neeson. Overall I found it better than I expected it to be.

What film did you watch?

I watched the 1931 version of Frankenstein.

What elements of "World History" were touched on by the film?

Mary Shelley’s book Frankenstein, written in 1816, was part of a movement in art and ideas known as romanticism. This movement, which grew as a rejection of Enlightenment ideals, stressed less reason and society, and more emotion and nature. Romantic thinkers and writers also rejected the ordered and organized world of the middle class. All of these romantic ideas were touched on by the film. Other ideas of romanticism shown in the film were a focus on the mysterious, supernatural, grotesque, and horrifying, and an affinity for the “beauty of untamed nature,”
The movie Frankenstein effectively showcased the ideas of romanticism. The idea that a dead body can be reanimated certainly illustrates little emphasis on reason, and more on the supernatural, the horrifying, and imagination. Also, the main focus of this movie seemed to be emotion. Viewers watch as Dr. Frankenstein’s insane ecstasy over creating life degenerates into worry that his creation is not perfect and eventually into fear for the lives of his lover and fellow villagers (a “What have I done?” kind of feeling). The primitive emotions of Frankenstein’s monster were also interesting to watch, seeing him experience fear, anger, happiness, and loss, for the first time.
Romanticism’s idea of respect for untamed nature was obvious here, too. This film clearly showed how the outcome is never good when one tries to tame nature, to alter a natural process or improve on nature’s design. Dr. Frankenstein thought he could beat nature at its own game and reanimate a corpse, constructing it from the best body parts around to improve human capabilities. His attempts to be God caused nasty consequences.
Lastly, the film showed the rejection of the order of the middle class. When Dr. Frankenstein is about to get married, the town becomes a disorganized scene of exuberant celebration. People are cheering everywhere, dancing, and running around town. The film shows the joy in this disorganization.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

Through the emphasis of romantic ideals expressed in the previous response, this movie helped me understand what romanticism really was. After reading the chapter in our history book I felt like I grasped the general ideas of the movement and realized it was a turning of one’s back on Enlightenment ideals. But seeing an example of a romantic work allowed me to see how artistically these ideas were expressed. I think I had been seeing romantic ideas as merely words on a page and couldn’t picture how they were expressed through art, but this film, through the scenes I have described, effectively showed me the mindset of romantic thinkers.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

Perhaps all films were made like this in the old days, but I though Frankenstein was very melodramatic. People expressed what they felt to an extreme degree, as if they were on a theatre stage rather than a movie set. Cameras pick up emotions easier than an audience can at a play, and this had a sensationalized effect on the movie.
I also thought individual camera angles seem to go on for too long, making scenes less exciting. Only at the end did the movie really get interesting, when there was faster camerawork and more action as an angry mob chased Frankenstein’s monster about the countryside. I really enjoyed the portrayal of Frankenstein, too, especially seeing how awkwardly he used his uncomfortable body and when hearing his strange vocalizations that somehow conveyed whatever emotion he was feeling at the time.
Overall, I think this movie would have been enjoyable for a lover of classic films and dramatic acting, something my parents might watch, but I was bored by it. I know that might not be a great thing to say about something many consider to be a masterpiece, but that is how I feel.

What movie did you watch?
Michael Collins

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
Michael Collins the movie, was about Michael Collins, a statesman who negotiated the establishment of the Irish Free State in the 1920’s. He developed new strategies for the independence of Ireland, including what is now referred to as urban guerrilla tactics and organized assassinations of G-Men, the Irish who worked as informers for the British and later members of the British intelligence. This film touched on the conflict between the British and the Irish, between free states, and republics.
How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

This movie made me see the how much of a struggle the war between the Irish and the British really was and how brutal it all became. Before I watched this movie, my background knowledge of Michael Collins and what he did for Ireland was very weak. After having seen this film, however, I know realize what a great role he played in the independence of Ireland and how much of a difference he made in their history.

What did you think of the film?
I really enjoyed this movie, although it was rather violent, which is to be expected in a movie documenting the life of a revolutionary leader. I thought it did a great job in summing up his life in a somewhat short period of time, but doing it in a way that was detailed enough but not overly stuffed with information. This movie was easy follow and was educational but was made in a way that was also entertaining to watch.

What Movie Did You Watch?

I watched Les Miserables (1998) - Starring Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean.

What elements of "World History" was touched by the film?

There was one key element of World History that stuck out to me from this film. During the climax, the Paris Uprising of 1832 is occurring (June Uprising). The uprising happened because of food shortages (due to harvest failures), increases in cost of living, etc. However, in the film, the key reason the uprising occurred was the lack of suffrage, or the civil right to vote. Marius (played by Hans Matheson), is the co-leader of this movement in the film.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

The film reinforced my understanding of history at that time by visually displaying the lifestyle of 19th century France. The film (Mainly 2nd half, towards the end) also gave me a good feel for what was occurring at the time. For example, how things changed in the 10 years from when Valjean and Cosette first enter the convent.

What did you think of the film?

I really enjoyed watching this film. I consider Liam Neeson to be one of my favorite actors, and thought he did a marvelous job. As for the rest of the cast, like Neeson, they did a wonderful job, making the story believable and entertaining. The mix of adventure and romance in the story complemented each other quite well. I specifically enjoyed the suspense of not really knowing what is going to happen next. For example, at the end of the movie when you think Neeson escapes with Matheson, to find out that they are caught, to find out that Neeson is going to be arrested, just to come to the conclusion of Javert letting Valjean become a free man, and drowning himself in a river. I usually do not find myself very hooked to movies set in the past, however this film had me hooked throughout, and is one of the best overall films I have seen in a while.

I watched Frankenstein (1931). The movie was made from the Mary Wollstonecraft’s original book. During the enlightenment, many people were curios and wanted knowledge, therefore they did experiments and went against the church. Dr. Frankenstein wanted knowledge; therefore he got dead people, mixed them together, isolated himself, and created a monster.

The movie helped me understand why people would do things away from everyone. Dr. Frankenstein chose a secretive spot and did all his work there, and when his fiancé and friend came, he told them he did not want to be bothered. The movie did however change the aspect of the Enlightenment too. Not only did people write books going against church belief, they did experiments too.

The movie was very good. It was a very good movie for the fact that it was made in 1931. The only difference from the book and movie is that, the monster does not die in the book, in the movie; he dies because the townspeople start the windmill on fire. But overall, a very good movie.

What film did you watch?
Elizabeth the Golden Age

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
This film touched on the battle between Elizabeth and Philip II of Spain. It showed how the Spanish were defeated by England. It also touched on Elizabeth’s battle to hold on to her throne and her daily life as a ruler.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
This film reinforced my understanding of the battle between Philip II and Elizabeth. Before I saw this film I did not understand the importance of all the bad things that happened during that time.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
I thought that the film was very interesting. I enjoyed how they showed a lot of her daily life as a ruler and the problems she encountered along the way. Overall I thought that this film was good.

What film did you watch?
I watched Elizabeth.

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
This film was about Elizabeth's rise to the throne, and how she took care of her enemies. Because she was Protestant, her Catholic enemies did not like her ascension to the throne. Because she was the "vergin queen", many people tried to kill her because she didn't have an heir.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
I understood more the ramifications of not having an heir (or not getting married). It reinforced my idea of her being a strong headed woman who knew how to control. I didn't know that so many people wanted to kill her, and how close many people got. It still seems silly to me that Protestants and Catholics were so dividing, considering it's still just Christianity.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
I really enjoyed the film. Usually films set in this time period tend to bore me, but this was very fast paced and engaging. Care Blanchett acted really well, and the scenery and costumes were VERY realistic. I would recommend this film to anyone.

* What film did you watch?

I watched Frankenstien (1931)

* What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

The book was written during the romanticism era of history, and shows a lot of themes of that time period, and about the amazing feats of science, even if the feats are not real. It is a early example of the horror people see in science, and it was a warning against science, an idea that you still see today.

* How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

It helped to shed light on the mindset of Mary Shelley and her fellow Romanticists. It is pretty amazing that she came up with this story in 1816, and I think the movie takes the main storyline, with a lot of changes in characters and a huge change in the ending, but overall it keeps the sense of wonder and imagination that permeates the book, and would have been shocking in the nineteenth century.

* What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

It was really fun to watch, just because movies were so different back then. Many shots looked like they were on a theatrical stage, and the story slugs along at a slow pace, and it begins with a man talking to the audience telling them it may shock them, but it is so classic that you don't mind. It was just fun to see the beginnings of modern day filmmaking in its infancy.

*What film did you watch?

Elizabeth

*What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?

it talked about Catholicism and Protestantism and the relationship between england, scotland, and spain.

*How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?

it didn't reinforce or change anything but it educated me on the history

*What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)

i thought the film was informative and interesting

The film I watched was “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.”

Elements of “World History” that was touched on by the film are Elizabeth’s absolute ruling, religion, and the Spanish Armada. The film was about Elizabeth, the virgin queen’s reign, how she defends her throne and led her country to victory against Phillip II of Spain. The beginning of the film focused mostly on how the Enterprise and Mary of Scotland plotted to kill Elizabeth. Unfortunately, they failed and Mary was executed. The end of the film focused on the Spanish Armada and Elizabeth’s triumph.

The film was into depth and helped me understand more of the history. I learned more on Elizabeth’s personal life, her absolute ruling, the time she takes to dress up every morning, and how life was back at that time period.

I actually really liked the film. My first impression of Elizabeth was that she was going to be mean and not caring but after watching the film I came to liking her. She cares for her people and she allows Protestants and Catholics to live together. I fell bad for her because her cousin, Mary and her servant, Bess have betrayed her. Even being through all that, she was able to move on. She didn’t want her Mary to be executed and she gave blessings to Bess’s son. The costumes in the film were also very pretty. Overall, the film was great!

I watched Marie Antoinette (it isn't on the list, but you approved it)

This film touched on the life and rule of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XIV. It talked about the storming of the Bastille, and the running out of the royal family from Versailles.

The film reinforced my understanding of the life of the king and queen, but it also changed my perspective. I was able to look at it from both sides. On one hand, our textbook talks about Bastille Day as a glorious holiday where the French people were freed. On the other, after watching this movie, I can also see it from the point of view where Marie Antoinette and the king had no choice in becoming rulers, and they were very young. They did not really know what they were doing, and handled things the best they could. Now, I can still see that they spent to much, and that they could have been much better rulers, but I now understand how hard it would have been to rule and how terrible it was for them to be forced to leave Versailles.

I really enjoyed this movie. The costumes were fantastic, and the plot kept me interested. It was fun to watch, but informative of the lives of the king and queen at the same time. Although this movie focused mainly on the queen, it did a good job portraying many other important people as well, such as the king that came before them, and the background of Marie Antoinette. I had a lot of fun watching.

Sorry, I meant Louis XVI. Just to clear that up.

At first, The Other Boleyn Girl was a bit boring, but after a little while, it got more and more exciting. With all of the complicated feelings and consequences to taking action on those feelings, it reminded me of a modern teen movie. Between Mary and Anne, two sisters, they other seem to have some kind of a connection with the King of England. The King, at first, likes Mary, the younger sister, but she is already married. Mary was forced to leave her husband and had sex with the King. Soon after this, the King decides he is in love with Anne. As if that's not conflict enough, we find out that Mary is pregnant with the King's baby and that the King is already married. Later in the movie, the King is very angry with Anne for trying to convince him that she should be the only women in his world and the King continues to rape her. Anne soon becomes the Queen and has the King's baby which turns out to be a little girl. The King is not happy with this as he wants a son. Anne gets pregnant again only to find out that she has a miscarriage, so to avoid being hurt by the King, Anne tries to convince her brother to get her pregnant again but he refuses. As for the rest of the movie, it gets more and more tragic until the very end when Mary marries William Stafford and both the little boy Mary gave birth to, and the little girl Anne gave birth to, Elizabeth, were strong and healthy children.

Overall, I thought this movie was very sad but still super interesting.

I watched Les Miserables

This movie was mainly the story of the ex-convict Jean Valjean, who we follow around France and watch as he learns to become a good man, but is haunted by his past as a prisoner. It is also filled with the sad story of the abandoned Cosette who is forced to work by her terrible foster parents, and Cosette's mother, Fantine. The movie is focused very much on the somber feel of France during that time. Poverty, economic crisis, and violence (such as the June Rebellion) is touched on as we follow the characters.

Les Miserables really gave me a great perspective on the lives of French people in the 1800s, and how the unjust class-based structure turns good people into beggars and criminals. It also reinforced my belief that since the French Revolution, the regimes were unable to deal with the social injustice and the class system.

At first, I'll admit I was deterred by the film. It seemed overtly dismal and the amount I had to endure was impending. As usual though, once I got halfway through Volume I things started to pick up and I found myself really enjoying the movie, rather than suffering through it like I had originally thought. However it certainly wasn't a feel-good movie. The point Victor Hugo (the author) was trying to get across was not a happy one, and the fact that the whole thing was in black and white didn't help the mood either. Nevertheless it was fascinating, and now that I think of it, oddly reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird; mostly because of the similar flavors and dark themes that only add to the intrigue. I'd recommend the film to anyone who'd like to learn a lot more about the effects of the French Revolution and maybe just France overall.

I watched the film "Elizabeth The Golden Age."

What elements of World History were touched by the film?

The film showed the clash between the Protestant church and the Catholic Church and how people were killed for their beliefs.

The film showed the life and actions of Queen Elizabeth during the 1500s in England. It showed how different Queen Elizabeth was from Mary, Queen of Scots and how Mary wanted to be the successor to the English throne, even if it meant Queen Elizabeth had to be killed.

The film showed the strategy of the Spanish Armada and how a storm at sea played a part in England's success.

How did the film reinforce or change your understanding of that history?

The film changed my understanding of Queen Elizabeth and the Golden Age by showing the human side. It showed the horror of torture and death. It showed the game playing, secrets, and lies between the rulers of England, Spain, and Scotland.

It showed how hard and dangerous it was to be a ruler. Everybody wanted something from Queen Elizabeth until Walter Raleigh came along and liked her for who she was.

What did you think of the film?

I liked the film because it made the names in our history book come to life with faces, personalities, and clothes of the time. I did not like to see the torture and killing (although it is representative of the time). I had to look away when Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded.

I watched the miniseries Peter the Great.

It touched on what we learned earlier this year about (surprise!) Peter the Great and the modernization of Russia. It was a very in depth summary of Peter's rule, and how Russia changed during that time. It also brought up questions about themes that occur again and again in history, such as church vs. state, modernization and resistance to change.

Watching this movie gave me a lot more insight into this period of Russia's history. It's one thing to read about Russia's modernization and another to actually seeing it happening in such a short period of time. Peter is portrayed as an extremely motivated man who is ahead of time, and determined to bring his country in to the modern world despite the resistance of his people. During a time when westerners were thought of as "heretics", he had the drive to bring positive, lasting change. The movie brought up some very interesting points about the responsibility and the burden of leadership. While Peter seems indifferent to the deaths of his people, his mistress, Katherine, reveals that he is deeply insecure and guilty about many of the things he does. He also has a conversation with his son Alexis about the responsibilities of being a czar. When Alexis (who is very devout), expresses concern about the fate of his father's soul before he executes a group of rebels, Peter replies that a czar must do whatever is necessary for the good of country, whatever consequences they face in this life and the next. I also learned a lot about his personal life (oh, the drama!) and his relationship with the church.

I didn't have very high expectations for this movie. It's over 6 hours long, and was made in the 80's, so I was expecting it to be long, dull and cheesy. But I was completely blown away by it. While it enriched my understanding of that period in history, it was also extremely enjoyable to watch. The entire cast was spectacular. I've actually been turned into a bit of a fan of the actor who played young peter, Jan Niklas. Man, he was attractive! I was especially moved by the father-son relationship between Peter and Alexis. Alexis grew up with his mother in a separate palace, where he learned to hate an fear his father. There is a chilling scene that takes place after Russia's conflict with the tartars. Peter forces Alexis, who was just a child at the time, to watch the execution of several tartar soldiers. This scene is evoked later towards the end of the movie. Peter and Alexis are watching the beheading of several conspirators. Alexis asks his father if he would have the courage to kill them himself. Peter, angered by his comment, takes the axe from the executioner and beheads them all himself. I got goosebumbs when shortly after this, he lovingly held his illegitimate daughter Elizabeth, his hands still covered in blood. Alexis then goes on to defy his father by carrying out an extramarital affair. When Peter confronts him about this, Alexis innocently replies, "I though you wanted me to be more like you." It was very heart wrenching to watch Alexis's rejection of his father, who loves him despite of everything. Alexis, on the other hand, has turned against him to the point where he believes the rumors that he is possessed by Satan. Peter, who is such a strong person, is completely torn apart by the loss of his son. There's so much more I could talk about, but this is getting long... so I'll stop.

--North and South (based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell)

--The movie took place in a cotton-factory city in northern England where the cotton industry was part of everyone's life. The film touched on topics like worker strikes, unions, class division and capitalism.

--This film really gave me a new perspective on things I only knew in a distant way. It did reinforce my concepts of worker conditions daily life for a factory worker, compared to that of an entrepreneur. However, I learned how important the factory was to everyone in the city, how strikes can be a powerful tool for workers.

--I really enjoyed this movie! I thought it offered an interesting and accurate portrayal of the Industrial Revolution and it has a wonderfully suspenseful romantic drama as well. If you generally like BBC productions and English history, then I recommend this film.

The Other Boleyn Girl:

This movie was about the reign of King Henry Tudor of England. He was married to Catherine of Spain. She gave him one girl and had two miscarriages, both of would have been boys. In order to have a boy so he could lead on his title, Henry was first paired up with Anne Boleyn. However, that did not work out since he was injured in their first hunt together. So he turned to Anne's younger sister, Mary. Mary provided him with a son, but only after Mary was ordered to return from her banishment in France. The newly reformed, well-educated, and witty Mary won over Henry's heart (only by lust and his desire to seduce her). Once he divorced Catherine and broke England's tie with the Roman Catholic Church, Mary finally became Queen of England. However, she provided him with a daughter, and had a miscarriage as well. Henry then moved on to other mistresses. After a rumor spilled out the Mary slept with her brother George, she and her brother were both executed for Adultery and Incest.

However, Henry decided to not pick his son as his reign, but instead chose his daughter Elizabeth( only daughter from Anne) as his reign.

I really liked this movie. It gave a visual view of how the royal house and courts worked back then. It seemed accurate based off of what I read about the Boleyn Girls! It doesn't necessarily have a happy-ending but it really leaves you thinking about how everything was tied together. For example, when Anne was accused of Incest and Adultery, her trial went though the court, the church and then the king.

What film did you watch?
I watched The Other Boleyn Girl.

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
Throughout this movie King Henry of England is pretty much stuck between two sisters, as a married man. In the end he chooses a sister named Mary. But at the end of the film Mary gets executed because she couldn't get pregnant with a boy.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
The film made me think that life really wasn't much different then than it is now with certain things. Obviously life was very different during that time, but some things made connections with modern day problems.

What did you think of the film? (Comment on whatever you would like.)
I ended up liking it, it made that time seem more real instead of a chapter you read in a book. Though it was difficult to follow at some times, it ended up being a good movie.

What film did you watch?
I watched the movie Les Misérables

What element of "World History" was touched by this film?
I thought there were many accurate examples of "world history" that were touched by this film . One example is the Paris uprising of 1832. The Paris Uprising, or the June uprising, was fueled by harvest failures, food shortages, and an increase of the cost of living. This film shows these conditions clearly throughout the film. For example, these conditions can be seen through many scenes of children struggling to survive because of little food, or poor housing conditions.

How did the film reinforce and /or change understanding of that history?
This film really reinforce my understanding of history. When I watched this film, it gave me a much stronger perspective of the struggles that were happening during this time period. Seeing a visual example really helped me understand the reasons for why some of the events occurred during the French Revolution.

What did you think about the film? (Comment on whatever you like.)
I really enjoyed watching this film. I was a bit skeptical about watching it because I felt like it was going to only show people struggling to survive, however it was nothing like I had expected. This film accurately showed the events of the French Revolution, which still incorporating adventure, romance and suspense.

I watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age

I believe this film focuses on the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and the battle between her and King Phillip of France. It also shows the battle between Catholics and Protestants.

This film really changed my opinion of Queen Elizabeth. I never knew how loving and kind hearted she was. She did not want Queen Mary of Scots executed even though Mary tried to assassinate Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth also made the Protestants and the Catholics live together in peace.

Overall, I enjoyed watching this movie.

I watched the movie, Zulu, which was based on the struggle between British soldiers and the Zulu tribe during the 1800s. Zulu touches on several “World History” themes. First, it touches on empire building. The British began colonizing Africa believing that African’s would soon buy European goods. However, this did not happen and Europeans still needed raw materials from Africa. Soon Europeans discovered gold and diamonds in South Africa. As the British expanded their rule over more and more of Africa they encountered the Zulu. Around 1816, Shaka, the Zulu chief, had created a large centralized state using highly disciplined warriors and good military organization. With his highly trained warriors, he held off the British. Second, Zulu touched on cultural interaction between the Zulu and the Christian minister. The movie opens on a Zulu wedding. Unlike Christian weddings, Zulu weddings were for a mass of people not just two people intending to get married, but a large number of the tribes’ people. The Zulu warriors and the Zulu women face each other and perform a very rhythmic dance to get married. The Christian minister and his daughter were taken aback, almost offended, by the sensuousness of the marriage ritual.

Zulu reinforced my understanding of the British colonization of Africa. It exhibited the power of the Zulu tribe, which defeated 1,200 British soldiers at Isandlwana with just shields and spears. This is unbelievable. The Zulu must have been very organized and powerful to defeat one of the strongest European forces. The movie showed that the British viewed the Zulu as barbarians and not much else. Lastly, the cultural differences were quite evident; this always surprises me to know how diverse cultures can be. For example, the Zulu live a very raw lifestyle, in comparison the British seem to be living an almost luxurious life.

I enjoyed watching Zulu. I found it sad seeing the Zulu annihilated by the British. I was rooting for them throughout the movie even though I knew they would be defeated at the end. I applaud the tribe for their braveness in taking on the British soldiers who had far superior weaponry. I found the Zulu wedding interesting to watch, it demonstrated the huge cultural difference of the Zulus and Christian marriages. The most impactful part of the movie, in my perspective was after the 139 British defeated the 4,000 Zulu. The Zulu saluted the British for their brave fighting. This would never have happened in most fights. This act made me question who was more barbaric, the Zulu tribe or the British soldiers.

The movie I watched was Les Miserables (1998). Les Miserables is a remake of Victor Hugo's novel. It is based off of the French Revolution but the time frame is actually different. The movie is more about the June Uprising which was an uprising created by students. In the movie, you can see how life was like back in the 18th century in France. In the movie, you see Marius, a young teenager, giving a speech about why they want to be a republic. He talks about how there are food shortages, higher taxes, the cruelty to the poor and much more which ends up causing the uprising.
This movie focuses more on the main characters of the movie rather than the actual history of the Revolution.
Les Miserables showed me how badly people were treated in the lower class. It gave me an understanding of life back in France in the 18th century.
Before I watched the movie, I went back to the textbook and looked at the terms in the book. After watching the movie I tried to connect the characters to the classes. For example, Jean Valjean originally was a proletariot in the third class but he later becomes a bourgeoisie.
For me, I was more focused on watching and enjoying the movie instead of noticing the historical content. It was entertaining, very good and I loved it!

I watched the film Zulu about a small amount of British soldiers holding off 4,000 Zulu Warriors. The film was about British imperialism in Africa. Personally, I thought it was a good movie, but it reminded me of a western because it dragged on and on. I feel like the movie maker could have easily cut out 45 minutes and it would’ve been just as effective. It also seemed a little hypocritical because they talked about how brilliant the Zulu’s tactics were, but in the movie they actually seemed pretty dumb. I feel like if all 4,000 thousand Zulu’s attacked the 100 british they would have won, but whenever the Zulu’s were about to finally win, the leaders would call off the attack and the British would have a chance to regroup. I’ve always thought of the Zulu’s as brilliant fighters, and this movie didn’t change that, I just think the producers did a bad job of portraying their intelligence. I used to think of the British as cruel and dumb and even though they weren’t nice, the movie makes me have a little more respect for them.
-Nick Gardner

I watched Frankenstein. This movie was made in 1931. It was based off Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Because we learned about the ideas of romanticism and gothic horror in class, these ideas were really showcased. It really put the difference of these ideas into perspective. I saw the effects of enlightenment in this story. The especially amazing part of this story is that it was written by a women. Before the enlightenment this would never have happened. Although the film didn’t showcase too many of the enlightenment ideas itself, it really just gave me an insight of the types of stories the romantic authors were writing. We just have to take into reason the time period of when the story was written and who wrote it. Then we really see the effects of the enlightenment. Overall I really enjoyed the story. I read the book in 7th grade at my old school, but I didn’t really remember too much about and I hadn’t seen this movie. It really wasn’t that bad, especially since it was made in 1931. The added effect of Halloween quickly approaching made the film that much better. Frankenstein will always be a great book, film, scientist, and monster.

What film did you watch?
I watched the film Out of Africa (1985).

What elements of "World History" was touched on by the film?
The film, Out of Africa, showed how colonization of Africa by the British and other countries affected the lives of many natives. The movie takes place during World War I and demonstrates how other countries are starting to colonize and westernize Africa to expand their territorial reach. The native people were constantly being pushed off of their land, and were forced to continue their hard working lives elsewhere. Most of them were taken and brought to work on other lands, as slaves.

How did the film reinforce and/or change your understanding of that history?
Before I watched the movie, I thought the British were doing good things for Africa, such as bringing railroads and new inventions for the people. Everything was fine up to a certain point. After the movie ended I realized that most of the British were a group of entitled people. They felt the need to own everything and everyone, including the locals. This caused a lot of tensions within Africa. Now I know that everything wasn’t fine because most of the people were being driven off of their homeland and forced into slavery.

What did you think of the film?
I thought the film was quite good, and I especially loved the music throughout. The movie was a bit long, but continued at a good pace, keeping me intrigued. The end disappointed me because the love story between Meryl Streep and Robert Redford ended in a very uninteresting way. Other than that it was an excellent movie!

I watched the film Zulu (1964), with Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. The story focused on a group of British soldiers in Africa who are ordered to defend a small settlement against a predicted attack by the forces of the African Zulu tribe. Roughly half of the film is supposed to build tension and focuses on the British fortifying the village, and the second half is basically one continuous fight scene, complete with melodramatic 1960s-style deaths. The movie focuses on the era of European Imperialism in Africa, in particular the British occupation in South Africa. Another element of world history shown is modernization. In the film, around 150 British soldiers defend their stronghold against 4,000+ Zulu warriors, and still manage to win. This shows the European modernization, where the new breech-loading rifles punch through the cowhide shields of the tribal Africans.
The film wasn't precisely educational, but how it changed my views on world history was really by showing me just how wildly ill-matched the Africans were in the face of British infantry. Wave upon wave of these warriors kept charging the stronghold, seemingly unaware that a leather shield and a small spear could do very little against a rifle.
As for the movie itself, I honestly thought it was quite bad, I would not recommend the film to anybody. The only reason I watched it was because it was on Netflix instant queue. I'm not entirely disappointed because I got extra credit for seeing it, but I didn't find the film engaging. The plot moved too slowly, and was minimally interesting. Not a lot happened, to be honest. Regardless, I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn more about what we've done in class, and of course to earn some extra points.