Leaders.
How Frank Miller’s ‘Superheroisms’ Distort the Reality of 300
Nearly 20 years on, classical historian Stephen Hodkinson assesses Frank Miller’s influence over the 2007 blockbuster ‘300.’ From the film’s basis on his 1998 graphic novel, to his role as executive producer, how does Miller’s interpretation of The battle of Thermopylae and Sparta compare to the historical truth?
Houston, We Have a Prop Department
Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 put the story in front of millions who had forgotten it. The cast was stellar, the drama was real but the film’s greatest trick wasn’t spectacle. It was making a 25-year-old disaster feel urgent again. Some missions need telling twice to be understood.
Why Is It So Hard For Hollywood To Accurately Portray The Battle of Thermopylae?
The Battle of Thermopylae is often regarded as the defining moment of the Greco-Persian War, and has inspired Hollywood interpretations 300 and The 300 Spartans. Criticised for their inaccuracies, Ancient Greek expert Stephen Hodkinson explains why Thermopylae is so difficult to portray accurately in film.
The Death of Stalin: How paranoia and antisemitism killed off one of history’s most infamous dictators.
“The Death of Stalin” focuses on the last days of Joseph Stalin and the race to succeed him as the leader of the Soviet Union. Although the movie covers much of the aftermath of Stalin’s death, it leaves out many of the factors that contributed to his death.
From royal etiquette to shaping scenes: How the historical advisor of The King’s Speech helped inform the Oscar-winning depiction of King George VI
The King’s Speech follows the true story of King George VI and his fight to overcome a stammer with the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue. Hugo Vickers, the film’s historical advisor, discusses his time on set and how he helped shape the intricacies of the acclaimed film.
“Villains aren’t born, they’re made”: Kevin Macdonald on The Last King of Scotland, 20 years on
Twenty years after The Last King of Scotland, director Kevin Macdonald reflects on filming in Uganda, Forest Whitaker’s Oscar-winning turn as Idi Amin, and the colonialism at the story’s heart. His opinion on if Uganda’s history is repeating itself. And the film and if it could be made today
Romancing the Scaffold: How ‘Lady Jane’ Swapped Tudor Politics for Hollywood Love
Forty years after its release, Trevor Nunn’s Lady Jane remains the definitive cinematic portrait of England’s overlooked nine-day queen. But while David Edgar’s romantic script captivated audiences , historians argue the film trades complex Tudor gender politics for a Hollywood love match , forever cementing a monstrous historical error in public memory.
The Dark Side of Winston Churchill: What The Films Don’t Tell You
Winston Churchill is a celebrated icon of World War II, the films Darkest Hour (2017) and Churchill (2017) reflecting his greatest political and military successes. But what about his biggest failure, the Bengal Famine of 1943? Head of the Churchill Archives elaborates on why cinema avoids the dark side of Churchill’s legacy.
The Rivalry That Inspired the Mary Queen of Scots Film
The relationship between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I of England takes centre-stage in the 2018 film Mary Queen of Scots. Historian Dr. Elizabeth Norton explores their real-life political and religious tensions, key turning points in their relationship and how they compare to the big-screen production.
The Real Reason Churchill Had Two Biopics in 2017
Nine-years ago two different Churchill films hit the big-screen. Darkest Hour and Churchill both follow the war-time policies of Winston Churchill, and the ways the ‘Bulldog warrior’ coped amidst insurmountable pressure. Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, Allen Packwood OBE, discusses the true reason that the two biopics were released in the same year.
The Face of Evil: The Dangerous Paradox of Putting Hitler on Screen
There’s arguably no face in the world more recognisable than that of Adolf Hitler. It is a face that has inspired terror and that has represented malignant evil. He is a figure that many would deem too daunting to put on screen, and that filmmakers have struggled with for years.
The “Transfer Of Hope”: How Sean Penn Became Harvey Milk
Thirty years after Harvey Milk’s tragic assassination, a Hollywood production set out to rebuild his revolution on the very pavements he once walked. Milk’s friend Danny Nicoletta and actor Lucas Grabeel look back on the reality of Castro Cameras, its recreation and the figures omitted from the final cut.