It was on November 11, 1918 that the Armistice ending WWI officially took effect. Fighting ceased on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Celebrated as the war to end all wars, WWI was the first global conflict. Nearly a hundred years and several wars later, I’d like to recommend a few Historybusting gems…
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Synopsis: In August of 1974, self-taught tightrope walker and performance artist Philippe Petit pulled off an insane stunt in New York City. With the help of friends, he somehow dodged security guards and entered the then-newly constructed twin towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. He smuggled in loads of heavy equipment, and under the cover of darkness, rigged a steel cable that ran between the roofs of both buildings. At around 7:15 am on August 7th, Petit performed a death-defying, “quarter of a mile high-wire” act that awed millions and captured worldwide attention.
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If you can imagine “The X-Files” with Richard Gere and Laura Linney in the lead roles, then you have a fairly accurate description of what to expect from “The Mothman” Prophecies. Based on events that occurred in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the United States, this effectively creepy, but meandering piece of work follows the investigation in to a series of paranormal occurrences in the small town by Washington journalist John Klein as he is mysteriously drawn in to the strange things going on to the residents, who are otherwise normal and sane people. The film is very atmospheric, going for spine-tingling chills rather than cattle-prod horror movie scares, and the performances of the two stars are quite strong. However, director Mark Pellington does not quite focus the narrative enough to fully drive home the paranormal aspects to the story, leaving a film that is very watchable, but at the same time, not overtly satisfying by its conclusion. “The Mothman Prophecies” is an interesting film, but is forgettable after you’ve finished it.
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On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Japanese navy conducted a surprise military strike on the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor. The attack consisted of two aerial attack waves totaling 353 aircraft, which were launched from six Japanese aircraft carriers. Japan’s attack was meant to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet and protect Japan’s intended advancement into Malaya and the Dutch East Indies to secure oil, rubber, and other natural resources during WWII. The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships, and damaged four more. The Japanese also destroyed three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer, and 188 aircraft. They killed 2,402 Americans and wounded 1,282 more. Japan’s losses were minimal, consisting of 29 lost aircraft, five lost midget submarines, and 65 killed or wounded servicemen. The attack pushed U.S. public opinion from years of isolationism to the acceptance of Roosevelt’s declaration of war. American President Roosevelt called it “a date which will live in infamy.” In honor of that day, Historybusters would like to recommend the following film: Tora! Tora! Tora! is an amazingly accurate joint American/Japanese production that tells both sides of the conflict. Filmed half in English and half in Japanese with subtitles, it starts a bit slow, but has a great pay off during the award winning battle sequences. All the events actually happened. All the characters are based on real people, and a number of the survivors from both sides served as technical advisors for the film. So forget the recent film Pearl Harbor, which is basically a love story based on fictions characters, and sit down to watch Tora! Tora! Tora! with your kids instead. They will thank you when they get to history class. The film is PG. Looking for other great movies to share with your kids? Visit http://www.navigatinglife.org/historybusters for a list of over 1000 great historical films. Every movie on Historybusters has been hand picked for historical accuracy and entertainment value. Why? Because the best way to learn history is through story. After all, that’s what history truly is—a really wonderful story. Our criteria? If a movie is accurate enough to help someone pass a test, and it’s still enjoyable—you’ll find it here. Lynn Marie Sager teaches history in Los Angeles, CA. In her spare time, she runs the Historybusters Website, dedicated to hooking young people on history one story at a time.
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The American boy band, Jonas Brothers, is not only making headlines because of their music and acting efforts. Recent controversies involving Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas have caused Disney to lose some money to cover up bad publicity swirling around. From the buzz-making Jonas Brothers shirtless pictures to controversial dating rumors left and right, the teen group act has been receiving a lot of jabs from the media, paparazzi and currently, some disappointed fans.
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Prison Break the US TV Series, created by Paul Scheuring and premiered August 2005. The series was originally turned down by the Fox network in 2003. They didn’t know how long a series on a jailbreak could go on for.
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FILM REVIEW: “The Dark Knight” is one of those exceptional films that makes you believe in the full realisation of the magic that can Hollywood deliver on the silver screen. With a few very minor caveats, this film is perfect. It has powerful storytelling, rich characterisation, strong drama and thrills, sensational sequences, all rolled in to a big budget Hollywood entertainment (and all for under a $200 million budget I might add!). It’s hard to believe that such a description would be levelled at a film based on a comic book, and especially one that is as dark thematically as this one is. This is not a film based on smiles, sunshine and pretty rainbows like most Hollywood blockbusters are. This is a gritty, some times harsh crime saga where there are no real happy endings, and in that respect, its success, both critically and commercially, makes for an amazing piece of cinematic history.
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