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Historical Film Analysis essay |
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Historical Film Analysis. Custom Historical Film Analysis Essay Writing Service || Historical Film Analysis Essay samples, help
The analysis of documented has been of great importance especially when it comes to understanding history. Most writers and directors have been dedicating their time and resources so as to ensure that there is enough material in store that helps the audience to understand and distinguish real truth from reel truth. This work is meant to analyze the film “Glory”, by first giving a brief overview, identify the history event that it commemorate as well as give its major historical contents. The work will also look at key aspects such as characters, acting, visuals and thematic components among other components that the author uses to build the plot of the story. The film glory tells the story of the 54th brigade of the Massachusetts volunteer infantry during the civil war. This was the time during which the first group of black soldiers was raised so as to help fight in the war. The film is based on the idea of looking for and gaining reverence; while the conqueror wants respect from the troop, the black troops also want to be respected as men. The brigade finally gets the respect and it is proved that there is nothing lesser with black soldiers; they are no more or less than the white soldiers. Thus the film is generally a celebration of the abstruse act of the group courage during the civil war that was fought in the 1862 in which the involved heroes were ignored due to race differences (1). In spite of the fact that this war is being fought on behalf of the blacks, black soldiers that were involved in it were virtually denied all privileges and amenities that their counterparts received. The soldiers were however determined to fight and none of them quits even if he was given the chance. The film is directed by Edward Zwick with the assistance of Freddie Horner as the cinematographer and Kevin Jarre as the screenwriter. The film is based on the American civil war and its main aim is to illustrate how the efforts of the Africa-American soldiers in the war were ignored. Approximately two hundred thousand black-Americans battled for the north and at one instance, the south declared the execution of all blacks who were seen in the union informs. The film thus tells the true recording of the 54th troop of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry which comprised of totally black-Americans most of which are former-slaves (2). The government is however not decided whether it should use blacks as soldiers or not. At first, blacks are recruited in the army so as to be used as manual laborers. After some time the black troop proves to be competent and able just like the whites and as a result, the troop is incorporated in the war in the front line. The film begins with some opening remarks at Antietam, one of the famous battle fields during the civil war. Robert Shaw, the recently elected colonel of the Massachusetts Infantry brigade, leads his troop to an attack on the confederates that is positioned along the Hagerstown in September, 1862. The deputy colonel has just been killed in a battle and Shaw, who is also wounded, passes out to take his place. It is announced that the union president, Lincoln, is planning to free all men in bondage (3). Shaw is appointed the colonel of the black troop while on leave but agrees after a long thought coupled by some hesitations. Shaw then appoints his friend Cabot Forbes to be his assistant command. Many blacks are interested and join in the troop. Those who join include John, Trip and Jupiter. The humiliation of the black soldiers begins when the confederate announces that every black man who will be found with weapons should be enslaved immediately and any black found in the federal uniforms will be hanged within no time. In addition, all white soldiers that would be engaged in training black soldiers would also be killed (4). It is at this moment that Shaw gathers his men and assures them that any application that asks for discharge will be granted. However, none of the men are interested in leaving the camp and they find this as a golden opportunity to fight for the freedom of those enslaved. Shaw is therefore motivated at their determination and commitment that appoints Forbes to train them in preparation for the battle ahead. However, during the training, Forbes tells the men to shoot bottles instead of actual training targets. Shaw notices the inadequacy of the training and tells him to retrain them like really soldiers. It is through this training that the black soldiers harden and become ready for the fight. Even though at first they are assigned manual duties, Shaw appeals to the area commander and eventually his army is granted to fight in the front line. They fight in the James Island against the confederate troop in which they win the battle but the press does not recognize them. Shaw expects that the headlines will give them credit for the victory but instead the news feature on the victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. The next day the troop prepares to go and fight Fort Wagner where they are given the frontline. Shaw and most of his men are killed. All men are buried in a mass grave and the film concludes that half of the black troop was killed in the battle. The film is a documentation of the civil war which started in 1861 when Fort Sumter was attacked. The war however did not commence immediately until in 1862 when President Lincoln declared the freedom of slaves (5). The source of the war is rooted in the bitterness of the North towards the extension of slavery. This led to the intrusion of refugees into the south and eventually the secession of eleven out of fourteen slave states from the federal union. The constitution of the union stated that whites in the south were authorized to own slaves and anyone who challenged this authority would be punished unsympathetically. It is after Lincoln’s proclamation that the south reacted with a threat that any slave seen in uniform or under weapons would be under the hands of the authority governing rebellion (6). The 54th Massachusetts was established by the Massachusetts’ governor, John Andrew soon after Lincoln had declared freedom to the slaves. Approximately 179,000 black Americans joined the union army and all their regiments were segregated until during the Second World War when they were integrated with the white soldiers.Some of the historical contents that are revealed in the film include racial discrimination and the way the whites looked down upon the black soldiers. The subject of racial discrimination is at the forefront of the film. The 54th Massachusetts started with a proud custom in the black unit of the United States army as they matched admirably into the battlefield despite the fact that they did not receive their dues in time as the white soldiers did (7). While the north emphasized on abolishing slavery, racism was still an issue that would take some time to eradicate, a point that the Edward wants to emphasize. Most of the white soldiers believed that black soldiers were incapable of doing anything constructively. In the film, the issue of discrimination is well illustrated and it starts immediately when the confederate announces that all blacks who will be seen in uniform or in any case having a weapon would be hanged or be enslaved respectively (8). This is just but a hint of how the whites used to treat the blacks. Blacks are viewed as people who were very inferior and they could not do anything constrictive (9). Thus, by the confederate announcing that the blacks keep off from uniforms and weapons is a way of eliminating them from the army. The first army to be comprised of entirely blacks was formed during the civil war and the whites could not trust them for a battle. The blacks however prove that they are able to fight when they win the war. Discrimination is also illustrated when the suppliers are cut short to the black troop. People in the black troop are denied some of the essentials and supplements such as food, cloth, shoes etc. Trip is, during one night seen moving out of the camp, so as to go and look for shoes. This is a clear way of telling the audience that the confederate was not committed into providing for the black troop regardless of the fact that it working under the arms of the government (10). It is not only Trip whose shoes are tone; every member of the troop lacks one essential or the other. The living conditions in the camp are very poor and the blacks are forced to share small tents which are congested. Most of the men put on old uniforms or have none at all. Soldiers are seen lining up for their pay only to find out that they are given $10 instead of $13. They have been waiting for this pay for a long time due to the delayed logistics in the system and even after all that long, they realize that their pay is lesser than the whites’. They are then given new uniforms as though to inform them that part of their pay has been used to purchase the uniforms (11). The black troop is also looked down up on as it is considered weak. This is illustrated when Shaw’s troop is assigned to do manual duties such as stopping the slaves from looting the town, and breaking into other peoples’ properties instead of fighting in the front line. As trained soldiers, it is their expectation that they work on the war front but they are considered insufficient, a situation that lands them in the duties of untrained people. After Shaw’s talk with the area commander, his troop is given a chance to fight in the front line. They win the battle but they are not accredited to. The headlines feature on the battles fought at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. Their wining is viewed as a threat to the whites therefore they do not want them to appear in the news least the citizens loose their confidence in the white troop.One of the most emphasized themes in the film is that of brotherhood. Due to the unbearable conditions and external forces acting against them, the 54th Massachusetts troop is exceptionally united (12). This is illustrated when members of the troop pray, sing and inspire each other on the night before the Fort Wagner attack. Their unity and closeness is also depicted when they all decline their pay when they realize that it has been reduced to $10.The film is constructed as an inspirational legend whose stimulation is rooted within the characters and the comportment in which they rise above the obstacles. Trip, who proves to be the angriest of all is forced to live as a team member, while Thomas, the most timid of the team is taught how to become mental tough. Rawlins on the other hand has to accept the fact that he is a leader. The film is meant to accomplish the fact that black soldiers like the white soldiers can be trusted to battle with equal patriotism and tenacity. Edward achieves this by avoiding unnecessary exploitation in favor of effectual character development and strong inscription. The thematic components of the film as perfect as well. The scenes are shot from a wide range of settings; from gloomy, cloudburst to after dark. The visuals are clear and appropriate to the message they depict. For instance, the first scene depicts the blood and stab in the battlefield as frank as possible, when the head of the soldier exploded.In conclusion, the film glory gives the account of the difficulties experienced by the African-American soldiers who served in the army during the civil war. Edward writes the film with borrowed ideas from the letters of Robert Shaw, the commander of the black soldiers and partially from the true happenings of the civil war. Glory details the racial humiliations that the black soldiers are subjected to which include lower rates of payment as compared to their white counterparts, and delayed provisions. Based on true historical contents, the film is of significance since it illustrates how the black soldiers were perceived inferior until when they proved their patriotism when they won the Fort Wagner battle. The key theme of the film is brotherhood as it is illustrated by the 54th Massachusetts members in their collective deeds. The director successfully and mutually uses characters, strong inscription, visuals and thematic to achieve the aim of the film.
Historical Film Analysis. Custom Historical Film Analysis Essay Writing Service || Historical Film Analysis Essay samples, help
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