World History on Film - B

Are you looking for an engaging and thought-provoking history course for your child? This course explores major civilizations and events that have shaped human history from ancient times to the turn of the 20th century. By leveraging major motion pictures, primary source materials, and resources from the OER Project, students will critically analyze key historical moments, cultural developments, social structures, and political systems that have influenced societies around the world.

This class emphasizes the importance of "usable history." By connecting the dots between people, places, and events into coherent narratives, we help students make sense of the past and prepare for the world they live in today. The power of narratives and the usability of history are concepts embedded in engaging articles and videos featuring experts and educators.

This course is designed to be inclusive and flexible, accommodating students of all abilities. Students have the option to choose whether they want to be graded. We are also happy to work with homeschool students to meet their state's requirements. By blending traditional learning with engaging multimedia and interactive discussions, we aim to provide a transformative educational experience. Enroll your child today and let them embark on this exciting journey through history!

Please Note: Any of the movies in this course may be skipped for any reason without needing to notify the teacher.

Conflicts and war are often topics that come up as they have happened so often in our history. This class contains movies, images, descriptions, and first hand accounts that are upsetting. While the goal is not to upset students but to give an accurate picture of the history of the world parents are encouraged to consider if your child is ready for this material. 

I take great care to balance covering material and not sensationalizing these difficult topics. For example we will discuss the revolutions that took place around the world. If the topic of executions comes up it will be addressed factually stating that some countries did kill their leaders but not discuss this in detail. Then I would redirect the class back to the lesson and move forward from there. 

By using major motion pictures students can be drawn into a specific time period and see what it may have been like during that time. I find that students enjoy having this piece to bring to life what we are studying. I clarify that while these movies may be based on factual events it's still a dramatization and clarify facts from fiction presented in films. Parents are encouraged to watch with students as these films can be great conversation starters.

I use primary source materials (letters, diaries, ledgers, newspapers, pamphlets, ect.) I provide multiple perspectives of the same event with these materials. We discuss how language, morals, and laws have changed over time and we can't apply today's standards to the past. We look at these materials in a historical context. 

I have included the recommendations from Common Sense Media ratings when available. The website this information was taken from is: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, https://teachwithmovies.org, or  https://scientiamag.org/ 


Week									Movie

    2								They Shall Not Grow Old
								Rated R, 2019, 99 MIn.
								Common Sense 16+, Parents 14+

Parents need to know that They Shall Not Grow Old is a documentary by Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson that takes century-old footage of World War I and gives it an upgrade; it's restored, corrected, colored, and given sound effects, spoken voices, and narration. The effect is astonishing, groundbreaking, essential viewing, although the mature material makes it best for older teens and adults. The wartime violence is extreme: Expect to see dead bodies; mangled corpses; bloody, gory wounds; and other shocking, horrifying images. There are also graphic descriptions of dire conditions, and you'll see guns/shooting, shells, and explosions. Narration talks of soldiers visiting brothels; some (fairly tame) cartoon drawings depict this. Men's naked bottoms are shown in a nonsexual context. Soldiers are shown smoking and drinking beer, both of which are also discussed at some length. Language includes "piss," "hell," "damn," and "bastards."

3								The Promise
								Rated PG-13, 2017, 132 Min.
								Common Sense 14+, Parents 13+

Parents need to know that The Promise is an earnest but disturbing wartime drama about the Armenian genocide in Turkey during World War I. Scenes depict graphic atrocities, hangings, beatings, street riots, burning buildings, mass graves full of women and children, execution-style killings, and other brutal, intense images. There's also some drinking (sometimes to excess) and kissing, as well as implied sex (no graphic nudity); language is very infrequent, but there is one use each of "s--t" and "hell." While it's not easy to watch, the movie does show how war can prompt some people to rise to the occasion, demonstrate courage, and work to save innocents. Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Charlotte Le Bon star.

4								The Imitation Game
								Rated PG-13, 2014, 114 MIn.
								Common Sense 13+, Parents 12+

Parents need to know that The Imitation Game is a historical drama that explores the role that cryptologists and mathematicians played in World War II. Expect candid discussions about lives lost during war, accompanied by footage showing bombs falling and soldiers firing guns. A boy is also tormented by school bullies. Leading the team of scientists trying to break the Germans' Enigma code is Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), a closeted homosexual who ends up being vilified for his sexuality. The subject of is handled fairly delicately and is discussed in mostly oblique ways, though characters do call him slurs, like "toff." Ultimately there are strong themes about the power of persistence and the fact that gender doesn't dictate intelligence or competency.

5								Schindler’s List
								Rated R, 1993, 196 MIn.
								Common Sense 15+, Parents 15+

Parents need to know that Schindler's List is a brutal, emotionally devastating three-hour drama that won several Oscars and has a powerful message about the human spirit -- but it pulls absolutely no punches when depicting the Holocaust. There are arbitrary murders and mass killings, Nazi commanders compare Jews to rats, children are killed, and there are scenes of shocking, grisly violence. There's also plenty of smoking and drinking, and several scenes of nakedness. In two of them, a woman is naked from the waist up in bed and in sexual situations. But in the rest, nakedness is used to humiliate and harass Jewish residents of concentration camps. There's full-frontal nudity of Jewish prisoners in the shower, when they are being stripped and examined, etc. There are anti-Semitic epithets as well as words such as "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "damn," and "ass."

6								Bridge of Spies
								Rated PG-13, 2015, 135 Min.
								Common Sense 13+, Parents 11+

Parents need to know that Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies is a tense, taut Cold War thriller inspired by real-life events. Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, an upstanding American insurance lawyer who's assigned to defend a Soviet spy captured in Brooklyn, events that lead to a hostage exchange. Expect occasional swearing (including a couple of "f--k"s during a tense scene, plus "son of a bitch" and "goddamn hell"), a fair amount of era-accurate smoking, celebratory toasting, and some brief, intense violence -- most notably scenes in which a prisoner is harshly interrogated and others in which people are shot while trying to flee East Germany.

7								Cry Freedom
								Rated PG, 1987, 157 Min.
								Common Sense 12+, Parents 8+

Parents need to know Cry Freedom depicts the atrocities committed by South African government authorities during its repressive and inhuman apartheid regime, the country's racist policy that lasted from 1948 to 1994. When the film opened in 1987, it would be another six years before the minority white supremacist government would give way to rule by the black majority, led by imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela. Government police and soldiers massacre unarmed men, women, and children in segregated, impoverished townships. Protest leaders are banned or imprisoned. Language includes "s--t," and "caffer," an ethnic slur used to denigrate blacks. Biko is beaten to death. His bloody body is shown. A man is imprisoned and later falsely reported by the police to have hanged himself. The home of an anti-apartheid editor is shot at by police. A family of black sympathizers are sent child-sized, acid-laced T-shirts by the police. A child's burned face is seen. Briefly shown: A raiding police officer tears off the shirt of a woman. A man beaten into a coma is shown lying face down on the ground, naked. Adults smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol.

8								Thirteen Days
								Rated PG-13, 2000, 145 min.
								Common Sense 14+. Parents 11+

Parents need to know that Thirteen Days, a docudrama about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, is exciting and suspenseful, even though the actual outcome is well known. The film is a recreation of a crucial incident in American history that's suitable for teens and mature tweens, as well as adults. There's frequent swearing used to heighten the emotional impact (i.e., "bastard," "asshole," "s--t," "Jesus Christ," one use of "f--k"). Because the film is set in the 1960s, smoking is a casual part of many of the meetings in the White House. Alcoholic beverages are consumed in several scenes, never to excess. President John F. Kennedy is seen taking a prescription drug on one occasion.


9                                                                              		Hotel Rwanda
								Rated PG-13, 2004, 115 Min.
								Common Sense 15+, Parents 13+

Parents need to know that this movie includes a realistic, though mostly non-graphic, depiction of genocide and compellingly portrays the sense of horror and insanity. Characters drink, smoke, and use some mild language. 



10                                                                                            Argo
								Rated R, 2012, 120 MIn.
								Common Sense 16+, Parents 13+

Parents need to know that Argo is based on the true story of a daring covert rescue mission, carried out by CIA operative Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck, who also directs), during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. A few scenes feature unruly mobs and dead bodies, and there are some extremely tense sequences during the escape, but there's not much actual on-screen violence. Other issues include swearing (there's quite a bit, including "f--k" and "s--t") and several scenes that show people smoking and drinking during social occasions.

11                                               				 Charlie Willson’s War                                                  
 								 Rated R, 2007, 97 Min.
Common Sense 16+, Parents 18+

 Parents need to know that this Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts movie is decidedly adult. For starters, it deals with complex issues connected to political wrangling and Middle Eastern power struggles. And then there's the booze, gunfire, and sexual content (including some nudity), strong language (be ready for lots of "f--k"s)-- it's all here and then some. That said, the movie is also smart, with a main character who's infinitely more interesting than many other people in movies. While it's not perfect, it's still a worthy watch, especially for older teens and adults interested in the political process.  							

12								Dark Waters
								Rated PG-13, 2019, 126 MIn.
								Common Sense 14+, Parents 14+

Parents need to know that Dark Waters is a drama based on a 2016 New York Times Magazine article about huge chemical company DuPont knowingly using toxic substances in its billion-dollar products. Mark Ruffalo plays real-life lawyer Robert Bilott, who's trying to fight for the chemical's victims. The movie is harrowing and unsettling but extremely well made and absolutely worth watching. Expect some disturbing images, including sick and dying cows, diseased cow parts, deformities in humans, the shooting of a cow with a rifle (some blood shown), and a house being set on fire. Language is fairly strong, with a couple uses of "f--k," plus "s--t," "goddamn," and more. Teens skinny-dip in one scene, and a bare bottom is briefly seen. There's social drinking at a party and background cigarette smoking.