The Historical Documentary

Films which are rooted with strong connections in history are particularly intriguing to me. Creating a fictionalized account of historical truths is as interesting as it is informative, regardless if the reenactments are true to fact or not. Either way, they tell something important about the filmmaker and the era of the film. Taking Watkins' Punishment Park, for example, a fictionalized narrative is composed out of real world events set during a time of nationwide protests. The film draws strength from actual accounts of citizens who were, in one way or another, inhibited from expressing their beliefs. This film brings attention to realities that many wish to keep under the covers. One contrast to this film context is The House on 92nd Street, which attempts to promote the good instead of revealing the injustice. In this case, the audience is presumably aware of the condition (World War II/nuclear age) and should feel a sense of comfort in the 'resolution' of the problem. In these two examples, different approaches are taken to inform an ignorant audience on a specific agenda. However, 92nd street ends up the clear winner in box office. Surely Punishment Park revealed shocking realities, but Hollywood was not willing to accept the inevitable repercussions(federal/legal) of such a film release. And on the opposite end, the government backs up 92nd Street, a propagandistic World War II era film who's 'realities' are not particularly rooted in the real facts. Regardless, this type of film history teaches us about the filmmakers, their agenda, a nation's agenda, and what the audience is 'willing' to accept as fact.