Yay educational movies!
Going along with my previous post, i was thinking about why educational, historical cinematic endevours work. they do because they come out at a time when a younger generation needs telling, the older enjoys to reminisce about the good ol’ days. Even if they weren’t so good.. that’s reason #2! they come out when enough time has elapsed that society at large can handle a dramatic representation of the past, imagine a Vet watching “band of brothers” a soon as he got home, that’s a heart attack waiting to happen. Now, when that same Vet is in his upper 70’s, willing to share his story, writing books and going to reunions, he can handle even helping create “Band of brothers” adding his memories, comments and stories to the mix. His kids get to see what Dad really did go through, and the grankids are awed at the hero that grampa really was. (or uncle, or cousin, or neighbor, insert your common experience here) And reason #3, the past si something that families can rally around and learn about together. The future may be unceratin, but we can take comfort in our (however shameful or gruesome) past.