Amistad omits some truths that must be told baltimore sun. Reel american history films list digital scholarship lehigh. Cinque is shown in the first scene of the film ripping a nail to pick his shackles from the lower deck of amistad with his bare and bloody fingers during a storm. His new film centers on the legal status of africans who rise up against their captors on the high seas and are. One of the astonishing facts revealed in steven spielbergs amistad is that seven of the nine u. Slavery could, i suppose, be seen largely as a matter of laws and propertyat least to those benefitting from it.
Supreme court justices in 1839 were slaveowning southerners. When the amistad is captured by the american naval vessel, and cinque jumps out of the dinghy to swim for it, the frontal shot of his face with the pursuing boat behind him shows the sun overhead, at midday or morning, towards viewers left. Though foner finds the film interesting historically he is critical of the guide because of its inaccuracies. The amistad slave rebellion, 175 years ago history. Historical accuracy, 3 amistad took too many liberties in its screenplay to be considered as a main source of historical education with regards. Are historical epics such as amistad dishonest, or do they convey human truths that textbooks cannot. Historian eric foner, dewitt clinton professor of history at columbia. Eric foner discusses the accuracy of the film amistad. The most historically inaccurate movies ever readers digest.
Rather it is tainted with a bit of historical accuracy resulting it to be more difficult to discern the accuracy of the movie as it is now ambiguous for which part of the movie is unreliable and reliable. Debbie allen, a coproducer of the film and the only africanamerican among its makers, assumed the role, according to newsweek, of guardian of black culture. While steven spielbergs amistad presents glimpses of historical truths, the majority of the film distorts and subverts the historical accuracy of the amistad event. History is the guardian of the collective memory of people as a nation or as a human race. John quincy adams and the amistad event pamphlet produced by adams national historical park. Amistad, the film directed by steven spielberg, places before a large audience a glimpse of the brutality of the african slave trade. Initial efforts to speak with cinque and the other amistad survivors fail, as a blundering linguist cannot help the lawyers understand. Attorney general henry gilpin, arguing for the government, told the court that it should not go behind the amistad s papers and make inquiry as to their accuracy, but should accept them on their face in order to show proper respect for another sovereign nation.
Doc critical analysis of the spielberg movie amistad allison. Yet if this is the true concern the broader historical accuracy of themes presented within the film the reverse is true. As history, this account of a cuban slave ship seized in 1839 by its african captives, and their legal travail that ended in the u. Spielberg does a great job in recreating the amistad revolt that spurred a series of trials beginning in the lower courts of connecticut and ultimately. After all, amistad can point to an impressive list of academic consultants, including the historian john hope franklin, head of the presidents raceadvisory board, and henry louis gates, jr. Having sold spielberg on the project in the first place, she kept the story from. It is carrying a cargo of africans who have been sold into slavery in cuba, taken on board, and chained in the cargo hold of the ship. The amistads story began in 1839 when slave hunters captured large numbers of native africans near mendeland in presentday sierre leone. While steven spielbergs amistad presents glimpses of historical truths, the majority of the film distorts and subverts the historical accuracy of the amistad event in order to adhere to hegemonic voyeuristic standards of hollywood. Though foner finds the film interesting historical ly he is critical of the guide because of its inaccuracies.
Amistad and the abuse of history gary rosen, commentary. When the shot changes to behind him chasers view, the sun is dead in front of him and setting. Do notice that even at that point in the story, nothing is mentioned of the injustices done to the domestic slaves, and yet the movie is connected to the abolition of slavery in the history of america. More importantly, foner raises questions not only about the accuracy of details and lack of historic context, but. The movie focuses on a littleknown armed insurrection carried out by 53 heroic africans against their slave masters on july 1, 1839.
Amistad is the name of a slave ship travelling from cuba to the u. The film is filled with the brutal truth of slavery and how inhumane the entire system was. B ased on a true story, amistad is the saga of 53 africans. Gladiator and the historical accuracy of the film gladiator 1712 words 7 pages. Feb 06, 2019 the amistad slave rebellion, 175 years ago. The films 2 12 hours are leisurely but never tedious, and there are so many. History is the best teacher and a good historian knows it. This paper examines the cinematographic choices spielberg made in the directing of this film, as he balanced historical accuracy with contemporary interests. Teaching american history and the movie amistad american. Salvaging amistad university of missourikansas city. In this context, historical films gain special importance. In fact, cinque was topside one day, and simply stooped down to pick up a piece of metal he saw to use as a pick. The leader of the insurrection was singbe pieh of the mendi nation located in sierra leone, once a colony of britian. It was clear that historical accuracy was an important point that steven spielberg wanted to focus on during the filming of amistad.
Historical accuracy edit many academics, including columbia university professor eric foner, have criticized amistad for historical inaccuracy and the misleading characterizations of the amistad case as a turning point in the american perspective on slavery. In fact, we see it every time a historical film is made. If the white characters in amistad are made to take their historical lumps, the black ones are allowed to create a history of their own. These captives were sent to havana, cuba to be sold into slavery. I cant remember when, if ever, ive seen such a powerfully moving portrayal of the word of god in a major motion picture. A lasting legacy 393 admires cinque for his independence and manhood. Some historical considerations world socialist web. Steven spielberg does a satisfactory job balancing out historical accuracy and hollywood cliches. The film is an excellent way to convey knowledge to people, especially if they dont like to read or study. The initial hearing of the amistad case took place before a u. Of course, it is politically and historically flawed, and it gushes with bourgeois morality. The historical accuracy of the amistad story was all important, and i felt confident that spielberg, despite his right to poetic license, would maintain its factual base.
Historian eric foner, dewitt clinton professor of history at columbia university, examines the issues surrounding the historical film amistad. Amistad and the abuse of history commentary magazine. The district court ruled that the africans be turned over to the president for return to africa. Spielberg does a great job in recreating the amistad revolt that spurred a series of trials beginning in the lower courts of. The guide erases the distinction between fact and fiction, urging students, for example, to study black abolitionism through the films invented character, theodore joadson. Is django unchained historically accurate and does it. The mayans in the film were portrayed as radical savages, which was more akin to the aztecs. Foner says the guide erases the distinction between fact and fabrication, using composite characters instead of real ones, and that the guide.
Circuit court which referred it to the lower district court as a civil case. Spielberg does a great job in recreating the amistad revolt that spurred a series of trials beginning in the lower courts of connecticut and ultimately ending in the supreme. The movie amistad is both a moving epic and socially stimulating. Overall, however, as a movie amistad is simply a bore. Dvd scene 11, a slaves journey, offers haunting and mentally disturbing images of the middle passage. Attorney general henry gilpin, arguing for the government, told the court that it should not go behind the amistads papers and make inquiry as to their accuracy, but should accept them on their face in order to show proper respect for another sovereign nation. Shifting towards examining the film through a historically critical perspective, it is arguable that if it had been created with an outlook of the gospels as historical texts, rather than sacred scripture, a majority of elements would be characterized differently. Kale, amistad african 81 when a film is used as a historical source, teachers need to consider the biases and inaccuracies of the film and deem it worthy or unworthy to broach the problems of popular media and historical interpretation. The amistad case took place in 1839 when 53 illegally purchased african slaves were being transported from cuba to the u. Love us pray our father who art in heaven hallowed be. Amistad 1997 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
Some historical considerations world socialist web site. Professor of history at columbia university eric foner discusses the new study guide by the producers of the film amistad. Such questions of historical accuracy aside, the study guides emphasis on contemporary judicial and legal controversies takes students away from what. Many academics, including columbia university professor eric foner, have criticized amistad for. While django unchained is not as historically bound as lincoln 2012 or amistad 1997, the film is accurate in its depiction of southern barbarity.
Oct 20, 2010 in many ways the film is not an accurate depiction of the real events. While the film is loosely based on the true story of a group of mende people from sierra leone. In many ways the film is not an accurate depiction of the real events. The films historical problems are compounded by the study guide now being distributed to schools, which encourages educators to use amistad to teach about slavery.
The film begins with the event that made that ships history different from. Is the movie amistad historically accurate answers. The film is so uneven its as if all those involved didnt trust the fact that the. Some historical considerations by helen halyard 18 february 1998 amistad, the film directed by steven spielberg, places before a large audience a glimpse of the brutality of the african. Black people who think that steven spielberg s latest movie amistad is about black heroes taking their freedom by any means necessary are doomed to disappointment upon seeing the movie. My biggest problem with this film is that it is a historical film mixed with a feel good flavor, thus the film falls short of what it could be. A deft piece of moviemaking, amistad is gorgeous to look at and. Body of paper amistad showcased multiple ways that people showed opposition toward slavery during the earlymid 1800s. In this essay he explores the problems faced by the producers of amistad and the shortcomings of both the film and its accompanying study guide in their attempt to portray history. Amistad is a film that swings wildly from unflinching historical accuracy to disastrous melodramatic hyperbole. Historical accuracy in films essay 1871 words bartleby. Stephen marchie of esquire says, django unchained is one of the most overt attempts made to deal with the physical reality of slavery. The movie gives little time to the bloody slave mutiny led by sengbe pieh called joseph cinque in the united states.
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