Thread by @NetflixFilm

You may have read recently that fewer and fewer students are majoring in HISTORY. This is a bummer for so many fields, including film. Here are a few examples in which historians have influenced the direction of a film — and, as a result, us.

*Teacher voice* NEXT SLIDE.

For Lincoln (2012), historian Catherine Clinton advised Steven Spielberg to portray an “deep and intense partnership” between the first lady and the president, rather than something one-sided or divisive. Her broader work has shed light on many other women of the Civil War era.

Dr. @Hannah_Greig’s has consulted on many period pieces including The Duchess (2008). She says the work is all about “trying to make sure everyone on the production can make choices... rather than mistakes.” Ralph Fiennes used to call her cell with urgent questions.

The Highwaymen (2018) is a new angle on well-known history. Historian John Neal Phillips advised filmmakers on Bonnie & Clyde history, which helped them to better choose cars, costumes, and (literally exact!) filming locations.

Jan Jagielski was the primary historical consultant on The Pianist (2008). A Polish Catholic, he was a chemist before becoming a highly-resourced expert on Jewish-Polish history. Upon retirement he explained, “This is my eternal obligation — to be a guardian of memory.”

It was a university scholar gave director Isabel Coixet the idea to uncover the story of Spain’s first same-sex marriage for Elisa & Marcela (2019). Such is a great example of how historians and filmmakers can team up to bring light to stories that might otherwise get lost.

This is all to say...
✓ Historians help films to be more accurate.
✓ Films help historians to unveil historical blind spots.
✓ History is a damn cool major.

Oh, and in the spirit of research…