Great Points.  I have enjoyed the exchange about "The New World"--maybe
should have been "The NOVEL World"--in particular and film issues in
general.

We can only spot inaccuracies in films--or books--if we know enough to the
contrary and only really care if we have invested alot of blood, sweat, and
tears in the pursuit of accuracy.  For instance, I either don't know enough
or care enough to get bent out of shape on "Troy" or "Alexander," which I
am sure caused several suicides among scholars of the ancient world.  I
thoroughly enjoyed "Master and Commander" as a nice, bloody romp and
probably suspended belief because it was based on a series of novels to
begin with.  But if they had portrayed Admiral Nelson as having both arms
OR screwed up the chronology, or tried to make Russell Crowe BE Lord
Nelson, I would have gotten seasick.  Remember "Inherit the Wind"?
Although most viewers knew it dealt with William Jennings Bryan and
Clarence Darrow at the Scopes Trial, the producers gave them pseudo-
nyms.  So that permitted greater latitude and laxity (and freedom from
lawsuits) the way I see it.  And as far as I know, none of the above-named
films had websites on teaching history like "The New World" did.  What is
especially galling is that the press has made so much of the linguistic
research that "rediscovered"/"reconstructed" Powhatan Algonquian.  Well,
I think that was much ado about nothing, given the unitelligibility of the
dialogue and the fact that the little that was spoken by Powhatan characters
could be found in Strachey's published word list in a matter of minutes.

Having worked on a couple of films, I know the compromises and mistakes
that occur even with an accurate, thorough script.  During the filming of
"Jamestown: Beware the People of the Sunrise" in 1981, we borrowed an
actual 1600 wheelock pistol for Capt John Smith to threaten Opechancanough
with, exactly as portrayed in the GENERALL HISTORIE.  But our very artsy
director farted around so long with filming falling leaves, that the gun had
to
go back to its owner before we could do the shot.  When that scene was
finally filmed, Smith had to hold a KNIFE against Opechancanough's throat!

Finally, there is a very perceptive essay by Thomas Fleming, historian, bio-
grapher, AND novelist, comparing/contrasting history and fiction.  Much of
it indirectly addresses some of our discussions of film.  It can be found at:

http://hnn.us/articles/20879.html

Best Wishes,

Fred Fausz
St. Louis

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