In this spoken-word piece, recorded during the 1999 Taos Talking Film Festival, historian Howard Zinn applies his exceptional wit and brilliant analytical skills, scrutinizing and suggesting several movie scripts that Hollywood producers would probably never dare to film due to their unconventional content. Zinn is known for his examination of overlooked history and its application to modern society's trials and tribulations. While you may have thought history was nothing but a terrible drag in school, Zinn employs historical study to create candid reactions in his listeners and readers. Here, he analyzes the intra-class strife that occurs during warfare -- not only between opposing forces, but from within each army as well.
Zinn's attack is simple. By retelling these tales of barbarism and capitalist crassness, he dares Hollywood producers to take on these stories and show moviegoers the other side of history --- one that doesn't have dominating heroes or classy conquerors who spare the indigenous population and treat their own people with dogged respect. Rather, Zinn suggests a scene that shows discontent not only with existing regimes, but the ones desperately fighting for their own power.
"Changing Mt. Rushmore" revolves around Teddy Roosevelt. While his face prominently graces the side of the title’s famous South Dakota monument, Zinn suggests that the American public would think much differently about our former President if they fully comprehended the Ruff Riders’ barbarous actions during the Spanish American War, particularly, the senseless slaughter of innocent Cubans. Zinn's solution is a movie that portrays the social activists of the time and their strong opposition to the war.
While Zinn definitely has strong opinions about Hollywood, he does approve of the recent spate of documentaries. Zinn singles out Michael Moore's renowned Roger & Me and its ability to make a point known to millions of viewers despite being an independent release. Moore's point is heard, despite the fact that he isn't a part of the Hollywood establishment.
In "Ethnic Cleansing", Zinn examines another famous American President, Andrew Jackson. Though Jackson dashed across the American plains, killing Indians and displacing their tribes, people regularly fail to see him as a ruthless killer, instead viewing him as a brave and loyal leader. Zinn suggests that the public is scared of seeing the truth and the grotesque reality, and that at times we ignorantly and blindly celebrate ruthless historical icons.
Overall, Zinn makes a strong case that Hollywood avoids the truth with many of its cinematic topics. Likewise, since money drives the industry and moviegoers prefer to spend their cash on simple stories of astounding actions, they will most likely not pay to see the ugly truth. The movie industry will consequently continue to ignore many of the painfully truthful historical issues that hide under the embellished reputations of certain historical figures. Whether you agree with Zinn depends on your own political leanings. I certainly don't agree with everything that Zinn says here, and quite frankly, some of it even evokes a sense of ultra-leftwing annoyance. Perhaps that's Zinn's ultimate point -- to force a reaction from you. On that front, he most definitely succeeds. I suggest several short sittings in order to properly digest this CD, as listening to the entire presentation all at once can be pretty mind-boggling. Equipped with an open mind and a desire to hear about the "darker side" of history, you will realize that film prefers to show only the heroics of history. The ultimate question is, can Hollywood make money by manufacturing films about the gross reality of American history -- one that shows killers, racists and gross capitalist negligence? Perhaps your local theater will tell...
