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I'm looking for suggestions for movies about the Viet Nam War. Not looking for documentaries right now. I'm looking for movies that are first and foremost good interesting movies that I would be interested in watching even if I was not teaching my dd15 20th century history. TIA

 

We Were Soldiers, based on the book We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young.

 

Set relatively early in the war. Shows not only life in the field, but training, the families back home (as horrible death reports start coming in via telegram, before the era of official in person notifications by a CACO), and even touches on the issue of racial segregation in the era.

 

The Killing Fields might also be appropriate to the era. The man who plays the Cambodian was himself caught up in the events as the Khmer Rouge took power. If I remember correctly, he was a doctor and was put into a work camp for re-education. His biography is incredible reading.

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We're doing a whole year of modern American history using movies. For the Vietnam era, we're watching Apocalypse Now and Good Morning, Vietnam.

 

It's important to mention that neither is terribly concerned with historical accuracy (and I'm emphasizing the facts through reading other materials). But I think both have something important to say about the era and the conflict.

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Apocalypse Now. I haven't watched it in years, and remember it being over the top, but it is the classic VietNam war movie. And has great music.

 

Great. I knew there must be big ones out there that I couldn't think of. I haven't seen this one in years, but it might be a good place to start.

 

We Were Soldiers, based on the book We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young.

 

Set relatively early in the war. Shows not only life in the field, but training, the families back home (as horrible death reports start coming in via telegram, before the era of official in person notifications by a CACO), and even touches on the issue of racial segregation in the era.

 

Ok. I've never heard of it but it sounds good. I'll check it out.

The Killing Fields might also be appropriate to the era. The man who plays the Cambodian was himself caught up in the events as the Khmer Rouge took power. If I remember correctly, he was a doctor and was put into a work camp for re-education. His biography is incredible reading.

 

I was planning on watching this after doing more on Viet Nam itself.

We're doing a whole year of modern American history using movies. For the Vietnam era, we're watching Apocalypse Now and Good Morning, Vietnam.

 

It's important to mention that neither is terribly concerned with historical accuracy (and I'm emphasizing the facts through reading other materials). But I think both have something important to say about the era and the conflict.

Ooh. Would you mind sharing other movies that you plan on using this year? My plan is to cover 20th century with my dd15 and she learns so much better from audio-visuals than she does compared to reading.

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Ooh. Would you mind sharing other movies that you plan on using this year? My plan is to cover 20th century with my dd15 and she learns so much better from audio-visuals than she does compared to reading.

 

We're starting from the mid-1860s. I think I've posted the list before, but I'm made a few changes since then. Here's our current list:

 

1. My Darling Clementine

2. Tombstone

3. Dances with Wolves

4. Hester Street

5. Shoulder Arms

6. The Lost Battalion

7. Eight Men Out

8. Iron-Jawed Angels

9. The Great Gatsby

10. Matewan

11. The Spirit of St. Louis

12. Amelia

13. King of the Hill

14. Paper Moon

15. The Grapes of Wrath

16. Air Force

17. Flags of our Fathers

18. A League of Their Own

19. The Tuskegee Airmen

20. Patton

21. The Chosen

22. Good Night, and Good Luck

23. Thirteen Days

24. Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

25. The Right Stuff

26. The Long Walk Home

27. Mississippi Burning

28. American Graffiti

29. Apocalypse Now

30. Good Morning, Vietnam

31. Easy Rider

32. Apollo 13

33. All the President’s Men

34. Milk

35. United 93

36. World Trade Center

37. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

 

I have to give the standard disclaimer that many of these films are not necessarily family friendly. Some contain sexual and violent content of which some parents would not approve. PLEASE preview any film you consider showing your student. The fact that I have it on my list does not mean I think it's acceptable to other families.

 

Nor are any or all of them consistently historically accurate. For some of the films, we are using lessons from this book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-history-on-the-screen-wendy-s-wilson/1111862883?ean=9780825144516

 

For the rest, I researched the history behind the film and wrote brief essays about the real events and people and pointing out where the films diverged from history. It is not safe to assume that any film on this list is "true" or accurate. I chose them, however, because I thought they had something meaningful to say to my son.

Edited by Jenny in Florida
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We're starting from the mid-1860s. I think I've posted the list before, but I'm made a few changes since then. Here's our current list:

 

1. My Darling Clementine

2. Tombstone

3. Dances with Wolves

4. Hester Street

5. Shoulder Arms

6. The Lost Battalion

7. Eight Men Out

8. Iron-Jawed Angels

9. The Great Gatsby

10. Matewan

11. The Spirit of St. Louis

12. Amelia

13. King of the Hill

14. Paper Moon

15. The Grapes of Wrath

16. Air Force

17. Flags of our Fathers

18. A League of Their Own

19. The Tuskegee Airmen

20. Patton

21. The Chosen

22. Good Night, and Good Luck

23. Thirteen Days

24. Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

25. The Right Stuff

26. The Long Walk Home

27. Mississippi Burning

28. American Graffiti

29. Apocalypse Now

30. Good Morning, Vietnam

31. Easy Rider

32. Apollo 13

33. All the President’s Men

34. Milk

35. United 93

36. World Trade Center

37. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

I have to give the standard disclaimer that many of these films are not necessarily family friendly. Some contain sexual and violent content of which some parents would not approve. PLEASE preview any film you consider showing your student. The fact that I have it on my list does not mean I think it's acceptable to other families.

 

Thanks for sharing the list. There are lots already on my list, but plenty that I've never heard of so I'll check them out. (We're starting in mid-1800's too. Well, sort of. We're starting with the mini-series Roots. We've done the Civil War enough times that I don't feel the need to cover it again, but I've always wanted to include this in our homeschool studies.)

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We're doing a whole year of modern American history using movies. For the Vietnam era, we're watching Apocalypse Now and Good Morning, Vietnam.

 

It's important to mention that neither is terribly concerned with historical accuracy (and I'm emphasizing the facts through reading other materials). But I think both have something important to say about the era and the conflict.

 

totally this on some of the movies.

 

We did We were Soldiers, Good Morning Vietnam, Platoon Leader -our tie is that dh's commander when he was in the army wrote the book.

 

The Green Berets, Bat 21- forgot to let ds watch this, he did read the book.

Deer Hunter, Hanoi Hilton, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, Platoon,

 

I know you weren't looking for Documentaries, but ds just watched one about the POWs, said he totally respects John McCain more now.

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[C

Ooh. Would you mind sharing other movies that you plan on using this year? My plan is to cover 20th century with my dd15 and she learns so much better from audio-visuals than she does compared to reading.

 

So did mine, we watched tons of movies and documentaries. I just searched and searched netflix.

 

I also did google searches for movies.

 

so like google Vietnam movies and you will come up with list.

 

He also just watched a documentary on plane hijackings in the 70s. It was very interesting since we were at the anniversary of 9-11

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Here is a list I have. It is not my original but I think I got it off of Sonlight forums.

 

 

20th Century MOVIES

 

1900s

BBC's North and South (Not the US civil war one) miniseries… an excellent view of the early industrial period and labor unions. Although it is set just prior to the 20th century, it translates well, and shows all sides of the issue..the mill owners, the workers, the union leaders, child laborers, the bystanders, etc. It's also a very well done story showing the differences between life in the English countryside, London and Milton, an industrial mill town.

Elizabeth CadyStanton & Susan B. Anthony: Witness the dramatic story of two women who made an immensely important mark in American history -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Their fight for equality in a male-dominated society more than 100 years ago gets the exhaustive and respectful treatment it deserves in this film directed by gifted documentarian Ken Burns.

Torn Allegiance- Pro-Dutch account of the actions from the Boer War

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 1

Age of Hope (1900) – [from the PBS People’s Century series]

Far and Away

Breaker Morant

Life with Father

The Miracle Worker

55 Days to Peking: This all-star epic takes place in Peking during the infamous Boxer Rebellion of 1900. Chinese nationals, angry at the presence of foreigners on their soil, have attacked a group of embassies. Major Matt Lewis (Charlton Heston) and his soldiers arrive to help the group trapped in the embassy compound as they await reinforcements. Tensions are high as soldiers, diplomats and their families unite for survival. Ava Gardner and David Niven costar

Teddy Roosevelt: An American Lion : He was the living embodiment of the nation, a powerhouse politician whose straight-ahead style made him one of the most influential presidents in history. This documentary from the History Channel explores every aspect of Theodore Roosevelt's remarkable life and meteoric political ascent. Rare photos, interviews with descendants and reenactments reveal his vibrant family life, and political luminaries reflect on Roosevelt's legacy.

Fiddler on the Roof

 

 

1910s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 1

Killing Fields (1916)

Red Flag (1917)

Lost Peace (1919)

Russia’s Last Tsar

Lenin

World War I

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Last Emperor

Marie Curie

The African Queen

Young Indiana Jones

Lawrence of Arabia

I Hate Dogs &

Back to Ararat: The genocide of 1.5 million Armenians is chronicled in this documentary which also traces the generations driven from their homeland, generations who dream of someday returning to Mount Ararat.

The Armenian Genocide--1913, ff Incredibly well done documentary of the genocide of the Armenian people by the Turkish government and the modern day cover up and denial by the modern Turkish government. This was shown recently on PBS.

Dersu Uzala-A party of Russian soldiers hires aged hunter Dersu Uzala (Maksim Munzuk) to guide them on a surveying expedition through Siberia in the early 20th century. Uzala leads the group through life-threatening conditions with reverential wisdom and concern for his surroundings. Based on true memoirs, Akira Kurosawa's Academy Award-winning production is a testament to the value of lasting friendship, loyalty and mutual respect.

BattleShip Potemkin: Propaganda notwithstanding, director Sergei Eisenstein's masterwork remains a cinematic landmark, charting events that ultimately led to the Bolshevik Revolution. Fed up with the ship's officers' brutalities and with maggot-infested rations, the crew of the battleship Prince Potemkin revolts. The sailors' actions ignite an uprising by the citizens of Odessa, resulting in czarist troops' infamous, systematic slaughter of insurgents and bystanders. Story takes place in 1905.

Nicholas and Alexandra: Set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution, this drama tells the real-life story of the last Russian czar, Nicholas Romanov (Michael Jayston), and his wife, Alexandra (Janet Suzman). The film looks into the private lives of the imperial couple and their daughters (including the much-talked-about Anastasia), the painful secret that bound them all to the mystical monk Rasputin (Tom Baker) and the eventual execution of the entire family.

90 Degrees South: Cinematographer Herbert Ponting accompanied Capt. Robert Scott on his doomed 1910 expedition to the South Pole, and the result is this remarkable photographic diary. Not only did Scott discover that a Norwegian had beaten him to the finish line, but his entire party perished on the brutal return trip. Ponting's footage was re-edited into a documentary feature in 1933, with his own journal entries serving as poignant narration.

All Quiet on the Western Front: Teenage German soldiers pass from idealism to despair in this deeply-felt movie version of Erich Maria Remarque's anti-war novel. This Academy Award-winning film (including for Best Picture) was banned in countries going to war years after its release, and unlike most "message" films that date themselves almost immediately, director Lewis Milestone's film has lost little of its original impact.

Gallipoli: Australian Director Peter Weir takes on one of his country's most tragic moments in history: the World War I confrontation with the German allied Turks. As the film leads up to the battle in act three, we get to know the young men destined to be casualties of war. A young Mel Gibson (on the heels of his successful turn in Mad Max) plays one of the innocent doomed. This poignant war drama swept the Australian Film Institute Awards with eight wins.

The Great War: Stalemate

The Great War: Total War

The Trench: On the eve of the 1916 Battle of the Somme, the worst defeat in British military history, a group of young soldiers confined to the front line experiences a mixture of boredom, fear, panic and restlessness as they await battle. At the center of the troops are 17-year-old Billy (Paul Nicholls) and his older brother, Eddie (Tam Williams), who, like their fellow squad members, are just boys dressed as men … and they all face an equal fate.

Paths of Glory: Writer-director Stanley Kubrick's powerful antiwar statement stars Kirk Douglas as Col. Dax, commander of a weary regiment of the French army along the western front during World War I. When French generals order the regiment to carry out what amounts to a suicide mission against heavy German fire, some of the men refuse. But when the army tries three of the soldiers on charges of cowardice, Dax acts as their defense attorney.

A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama: Nova

The Razor's Edge Based on W. Somerset Maugham's classic novel. Larry Darrell (Bill Murray) returns from the battlefields of World War I a changed man. His fiancée, Isabel (Catherine Hicks) resigns herself to a delayed wedding when Larry heads to Paris to find meaning in his life. He's then inspired to travel to Nepal, where he receives guidance from a lama. But while he's off globetrotting, the life he leaves behind changes dramatically.

 

 

1920s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 1

Joseph Stalin: Red Terror Joseph Stalin ranks as one of the greatest tyrants of all time, responsible for the deaths of 20 million of his own countrymen. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the extent of Stalin's atrocities has been revealed, and he has taken his place alongside Hitler as one of the most reviled leaders of the century. This comprehensive portrait revisits the life of "Uncle Joe" via Soviet archival film and an astonishing collection of interviews

Great Escape (1927)

Breadline (1929)

A Walk through the 20th Cent: The Twenties

All the King’s Men (Huey Long)

The Sand Pebbles: Navy engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) finds himself surrounded by conflict when, during the Chinese revolution of the 1920s, he's assigned to an American gunboat in the Yangtze River. His cynical and antagonistic personality has ensured his status as a loner, and the political situation creates more questions than answers. This epic and romantic drama from The Sound of Music director Robert Wise earned multiple Oscar nominations.

The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell: his 1955 courtroom drama based on real-life events tells the story of General Billy Mitchell, who, in 1925, angered the military establishment by accusing the Army and Navy of negligence during World War I. Facing court-martial, Mitchell was nevertheless vocal about his views, foretelling an event eerily similar to Pearl Harbor. Otto Preminger directs; Gary Cooper, Charles Bickford and Elizabeth Montgomery (in her film

Matewan Well-intentioned labor leader Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper) arrives in Matewan, West Virginia, intending to unionize the men and women of this company town. But his efforts to organize the workers of the Stone Mountain Coal Company ignite a powder keg of racial hostility, corruption and betrayal -- and touch off one of the most violent incidents in the history of the Coal Wars of 1920-21.

Monkey Trial-documentary

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1930s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 2

Einstein

The Speeches of Winston Churchill

Sporting Fever (1930)

Master Race (1933)

Total War (1939)

Einstein: Light to the Power of 2

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story

The Grapes of Wrath

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Amelia

For Whom the Bell Tolls (Spanish Civil War)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Rabbit-Proof Fence:Australia's aboriginal integration program of the 1930s broke countless hearts -- among them, those of young Molly, Gracie, and Daisy, who were torn from their families and placed in an abusive orphanage. Without food or water, the girls resolve to make the 1,500-mile trek home. Meanwhile, a well-intentioned tracker is trying to return the girls to the authorities.

Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab World: This engrossing investigative documentary produced by PBS digs deep into the life of the controversial Thomas Edward Lawrence, known in many circles as a British spy during the Arab Revolt of the early 1900s. Dubbed "Lawrence of Arabia," he was renowned for his undercover deal-making and espionage work that helped shaped the Arab region into its present incarnation. (1935)

For Whom the Bell Tolls : Expatriate American schoolteacher Robert Jordan (Gary Cooper) puts his life on the line to fight alongside communist insurgents during Spain's civil war. While waiting to carry out his mission of blowing up a bridge behind enemy lines, Robert bides his time -- and falls in love -- with Maria (Ingrid Bergman), a peasant girl who's joined the resistance. Katina Paxinou picked up an Oscar for her supporting role as the guerillas' gritty doyenne.

Finding John Doe. Setting: The US in the Depression era. Stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck and Walter Brennan.(1941) [135 minutes]

The Miracle Worker [2000 PG] Unable to see, hear or speak since early childhood, young Helen Keller lives in an isolated world of shadowy silence. That is, until determined teacher Anne Sullivan enters her life, determined to draw the girl out of her lonely darkness. David Strathairn co-stars in this moving television adaptation of the timeless -- and true -- tale of courage and spirit, based on the play by William Gibson.

The Great Debaters When African American poet Mel Tolson (Denzel Washington, who also directs) creates a debate team at historically black Wiley College in the 1930s, he pushes the team to a level of excellence that allows them to take on Harvard University. But despite public success, personal clashes foment as the father of one of Tolson's students begins to resent his son's loyalty to his coach

 

 

1940s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 3

The Battle of Russia

A Walk through the 20th Cent: The Democrat & the Dictator

A Walk through the 20th Cent: World War II

World War II: The Music Video

Fallout (1945)

Brave New World (1945)

Freedom Now (1947)

Boomtime (1948)

Empire of the Sun

Ghandi

The Longest Day

The Hiding Place

Fat Man and Little Boy

Tucker

The Glen Miller Story

A Midnight Clear

Midway

The Jackie Robinson Story

Schindler's List

Life is Beautiful

The Pianist

Uprising

The Last Days (excellent documentary/brief frontal nudity of concentration camp victims)

Paradise Road: Fact-based recounting of a group of women who are imprisoned on the island of Sumatra by the Japanese during World War II and used music as a relief to their misery. When the Japanese overrun Singapore during World War II, many women and children end up in a prison camp. Although they are of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds, the women form a bond as they cope with the brutal behavior of their captors and the lack of food and medical care. They form a "vocal orchestra" which brings beauty into their harsh situation. Rated R for war/prison brutality and violence.

"The Scarlet and the Black" about an Irish priest at the Vatican during the Nazi occupation of Rome. Based on the book "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican". Riveting. Both book and movie were in our library system.

Judgment at Nuremberg

Gentlemen's Agreement1947

Joyeux Noel

Silent Night: (this is the review from Netflix)

This retelling of a heartwarming true story is set in Germany on Christmas Eve of 1944, as a German mother, Elisabeth Vincken (Linda Hamilton), and her young son, Fritz (Matthew Harbour), face invasion of their home by both American and German troops. Against all odds, the mother and son try to persuade the soldiers from both sides to temporarily call a truce so that they may all join together and break bread in the spirit of Christmas.

Dragon Seed c. 1944 Story about the Japanese invasion of China during WWII.

Band of Brothers - An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows the 101st Airborne as it prepares and lands on D-Day, and fights its way through Europe to the end World War II.

The Pacific - The Pacific DVD is an epic 10-part miniseries that delivers a realistic portrait of WWII's Pacific Theatre as seen through the intertwined odysseys of three U.S. Marines - Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge. The extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain forests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, to the triumphant, yet uneasy, return home after V-J Day. The viewer will be immersed in combat through the intimate perspective of this diverse, relatable group of men pushed to the limit in battle both physically and psychologically against a relentless enemy unlike any encountered before. Actors: James Badge Dale, Jon Seda, Joseph Mazzello Release Date: 2 Nov., 2010

Into the Arms of Strangers Filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris's Oscar-winning documentary tells the story of an underground railroad -- the Kindertransport -- that saved the lives of more than 10,000 Jewish children at the dawn of World War II. Through interviews and archival footage, the survivors movingly recount being taken from their families and sent to live with strangers in the relative safety of England. Judi Dench narrates

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1950s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 4

A Walk through the 20th Cent: Post-war Hopes, Cold War Fears

The Cold War

The Korean War: Part 1

The Korean War: Part 2

The Korean War: Part 3

The Korean War: Part 4

Asia Rising (1951)

Living Longer (1952)

Endangered Planet (1959)

Quiz Show The infamous true story of Charles Van Doren, who rocketed to national fame as a repeat winner on the TV quiz show "Twenty-One." In the late 1950s, prime-time game shows were a cultural phenomenon. But the American public didn't realize it was being hoodwinked … until persevering congressional investigator Dick Goodwin unmasked the corruption behind the show's glittering façade

The Atomic CaféA chilling and often hilarious reminder of Cold War-era paranoia in the United States, this film artfully compiles newsreel footage, government archives, military training films and 1950s music into a singular cinematic experience. Also covered are Washington's Communist witch hunt, the historic trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and the sagely prophetic comments of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

October Sky As the Soviet satellite Sputnik streaks across the heavens in October 1957, it's a source of inspiration for 17-year-old Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who refuses to follow in his father's footsteps laboring in West Virginia's coal mines. Hickam would rather reach for the stars -- literally. Drafting a few friends, he sets about crafting a rocket to compete for a science-fair scholarship -- and a chance to change his seemingly immutable future

The Rosa Parks Story: Angela Bassett stars in the story that sparked the birth of the modern civil rights movement in the late 1950s. Parks took the only available seat in the first row of the "colored" section on a city bus; when a white woman boarded and the driver demanded that the black riders in her row move, everyone complied except Parks. This singular event threw Parks and her family into the Ku Klux Klan's ring of hatred -- and into the NAACP's limelight.

 

1960s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 4

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream speech

The Assassination of MLK; and the KKK Killings

Nixon

The Vietnam War

Skin Deep (1960)

Picture Power (1963)

Great Leap (1965)

Young Blood (1968)

Half the People (1969)

Return with Honor (Vietnam doc)

Vietnam’s Unseen War (North Vietnam doc)

No Time for Tears (women in Vietnam doc)

JFK

Apollo 13

Thirteen Days

Malcolm X

October Sky

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

Dr. Strangelove

Ghosts of Mississippi

Fog of War

K-19: The Widowmaker. The amazing true story of Russia's first nuclear ballistic submarine, which suffered a nuclear reactor malfunction on its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic in 1961. Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson.

Malcolm X. Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated drama illuminates the life of black nationalist Malcolm X, following him from his early days in prison to his conversion to Islam, marriage to Betty and discovery of Elijah Mohammad's Nation of Islam writings. When Malcolm turns his back on the Nation of Islam (following a pilgrimage to Mecca), he becomes a murder target

In the Heat of the Night Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) helps a redneck Southern sheriff (Rod Steiger) solve a murder in this fascinating study in racism that still strikes a resonant chord today. Steiger won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance as the put-upon sheriff who comes to respect Tibbs's professionalism and ability. Norman Jewison directs this dramatic tale with a feeling for the cultural and social atmosphere of the time

Thirteen Days-Cuban Missile Crisis When a nuclear missile presence escalates in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) attempts to curb the threat with help from his aides, his generals and his younger brother, Bobby (Stephen Culp), then the U.S. attorney general. After assessing the situation, they quickly realize the Soviets could launch offensive warheads, leaving the fate of the world hanging by a thread. Kevin Costner co-stars in this drama based on actual events

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1970s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 5

Guerilla Wars (1973)

God Fights Back (1979)

White Nights

All the President’s Men

Fog of War

Forrest Gump

Missing (Chile, 1973)

Apollo 13

The Killing Fields (R - Cambodia – 1975-1979)

Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story (American Indian) Narrated by Robert Redford, this provocative documentary chronicles the controversial events surrounding the shooting of two FBI agents on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation in 1975, resulting in the conviction of Sioux activist Leonard Peltier. Featuring reenactments and interviews with key players in the incident, the film offers evidence that the government's prosecution of Peltier was unjust and politically motivated

 

1980s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 6

US Politics:1980-2000

Ronald Reagan: A Legacy Remembered

The Fall of Communism

Kundun (Dalai Lama)

For Queen and Country (Falklands War ,1982- R)

Heartbreak Ridge (Grenada – 1983 - R)

Modern Warfare: Falklands, Lebanon

American Dream (1984) Documentarian Barbara Kopple weighs in with an unsettling account of the months-long strike of employees at the Hormel meatpacking plant in Austin, Minn., in 1984. Juxtaposed against the Reagan administration's demolition of the nation's air traffic controllers' union, the Hormel strikers found themselves picketing during the worst climate for organized labor since the 19th century. Oscar winner for Best Documentary in 1991

 

1990s

The Century: America’s Time – Vol. 6

Fast Forward (1999)

Beijing Bicycle (modern Chinese movie)

Kandahar

Something the Lord Made- true story of the doctor and his lab assistant who found a way to surgically treat "blue baby syndrome" Deals with issues of race in our country in the mid 1900's. DH and I felt this was the best movie we have ever seen.

The Saltmen of Tibet Journey to the rooftop of the world! Documenting the ancient traditions and day-to-day rituals of a Tibetan nomadic community, the film transports us into a realm of endless mystery untainted by the tides of foreign invasion or encroaching modernity. The Saltmen of Tibet is a work of sublime beauty and epic proportion.

Invictus: In this drama based on real-life events, director Clint Eastwood tells the story of what happened after the end of apartheid when newly elected president Nelson Mandela used the 1995 World Cup rugby matches to unite his people in South Africa. Based on John Carlin's book, the film stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon (both Oscar nominated) as Francois Pienaar, the captain of the scrappy South African team that makes a run for the championship.

The Inner Tour (2001-NR) [Palestine] Director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz takes viewers on a journey through Israel along with a busload of Palestinian tourists. Heartbreakingly honest, this documentary poignantly puts into focus the human emotions underlying the vast and overwhelming Middle East conflict: A stop at a kibbutz, for instance, shows how one side can feel like courageous pioneers even as the other side struggles with feeling violated and enraged

Chile: Hasta Quandro This gripping documentary exposes the political repression that existed in Chile under the brutal dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Filmmaker David Bradbury details indiscriminate arrests, military intimidation, brutal murders and unexplained disappearances. Chile: Hasta Quando? garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary and won the Cinematography Award and a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival

Hotel Rwanda Amid the holocaust of internecine tribal fighting in Rwanda that sees the savage butchering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, one ordinary hotel manager (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) musters the courage to save more than 1,000 helpless refugees

The True Story of Black Hawk Down (History channel documentary)

 

Century Spanning….

 

The Magic of Flight IMAX From the Wright brothers' first rudimentary experiments at Kitty Hawk to the rigorous training of today's U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, this mind-boggling documentary deftly navigates the history of aviation. Cameras mounted on planes' bellies, noses and cockpits provide an up-close view of what the amazing flying machines are capable of as well as the camerawork necessary to capture it on film. Tom Selleck narrates

The Right Stuff Chronicles NASA's early transition from breaking the sound barrier in 1947 to the expeditions of the Mercury astronauts in the 1960s. Richly variegated and surprisingly funny, this film adaptation of a novel by Tom Wolfe brilliantly depicts the personal, political and technological achievements it took for America to get ahead in the space race.

Road to 9/11 Beginning with the Ottoman Empire's collapse at the end of World War I, this enlightening documentary explores the reasons behind the Muslim world's uncompromising position against Western culture and the United States. Directed by Sabin Streeter, the film examines the Middle East's steady deterioration of social, political and economic circumstances; religious fanaticism's rise; and the escalation of Islamic terrorism

7 days in September With help from almost 30 filmmakers, director Steven Rosenbaum turns the tragic events of September 11, 2001 -- the memories of which are forever jarred in our psyches -- into a moving portrait of emotion, loss and even kindness. Although the film uses footage of the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center and the resulting catastrophic loss, it also hones in on New York City's tremendous ability to rebuild, through will and compassion

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion Ten years in the making, this feature-length documentary was filmed during nine remarkable journeys throughout Tibet, India and Nepal, chronicling the dark secrets of Tibet's recent past through interviews, personal stories and archival images. Martin Sheen narrates, and Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris provide voice-overs for this powerful film that takes viewers to the long-forbidden "rooftop of the world" with an unprecedented richness of imagery.

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the life of Robert McNamara - Using archival footage, United States Cabinet conversation recordings, and an interview of the eighty-five-year-old Robert McNamara, The Fog of War depicts his life, from his birth during the First World War remembering the time American troops returned from Europe, to working as a WWII Whiz Kid military officer, to being the Ford Motor Company's president, to his being employed as Secretary of Defense and the Cuban Missile Crisis, to managing the American Vietnam War, as defense secretary for presidents Kennedy and Johnson — emphasizing the war's brutality under their regimes, and how he was hired as secretary of defense, despite limited military experience.

The Remarkable 20th Century (2000) NR: It was a century like no other, in terms of technical innovation, and this documentary attempts to chronicle the high points. Important historical events are also covered, providing a contextual (and chronological) backdrop to the commentary from television anchorman Howard K. Smith. From stunning progress in automobile manufacturing to the exploration of space, relive some of the greatest moments of the past century

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We're starting from the mid-1860s. I think I've posted the list before, but I'm made a few changes since then. Here's our current list:

 

1. My Darling Clementine

2. Tombstone

3. Dances with Wolves

4. Hester Street

5. Shoulder Arms

6. The Lost Battalion

7. Eight Men Out

8. Iron-Jawed Angels

9. The Great Gatsby

10. Matewan

11. The Spirit of St. Louis

12. Amelia

13. King of the Hill

14. Paper Moon

15. The Grapes of Wrath

16. Air Force

17. Flags of our Fathers

18. A League of Their Own

19. The Tuskegee Airmen

20. Patton

21. The Chosen

22. Good Night, and Good Luck

23. Thirteen Days

24. Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

25. The Right Stuff

26. The Long Walk Home

27. Mississippi Burning

28. American Graffiti

29. Apocalypse Now

30. Good Morning, Vietnam

31. Easy Rider

32. Apollo 13

33. All the President’s Men

34. Milk

35. United 93

36. World Trade Center

37. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

 

I have to give the standard disclaimer that many of these films are not necessarily family friendly. Some contain sexual and violent content of which some parents would not approve. PLEASE preview any film you consider showing your student. The fact that I have it on my list does not mean I think it's acceptable to other families.

 

Nor are any or all of them consistently historically accurate. For some of the films, we are using lessons from this book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-history-on-the-screen-wendy-s-wilson/1111862883?ean=9780825144516

 

For the rest, I researched the history behind the film and wrote brief essays about the real events and people and pointing out where the films diverged from history. It is not safe to assume that any film on this list is "true" or accurate. I chose them, however, because I thought they had something meaningful to say to my son.

Thanks for sharing your list. We love historical movies.

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You're going to preview these? To be honest, there are some of these I wish I had never seen because of the intense graphic violence.

 

yes I agree I'd show them with caution.

 

But also know that in 3-4 years our children are going to be out in the world able to do what they want too.

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