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The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

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The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Old 05-01-15, 04:54 PM
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The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Its that time folks. Time for the Historical Appreciation Challenge. I took it over since Travis bowed out.

In a nutshell, here are the basics:
This challenge will run from dusk on 31 May until dawn on 1 July 2015.
Movies and TV content specifically about a historical figure, event or period are eligible.
Tangential content (i.e., fantasy, time travel, movies merely set in a generic "past" where the time period is not emphasized as important) is to be excluded, except...
The final night of the challenge, from dusk on 30 June until dawn on 1 July, you may watch Time Travel films to count double with your Sci-Fi/Fantasy Challenge list. However, the setting(s) must have already taken place, so you can't watch a movie set in the future that travels to a different point in the future.

Is TV Content Allowed?
Certainly! Just make sure that it's as consistent with the spirit of the challenge as the movies you might watch. We used to allow anything on The History Channel carte blanche but with the proliferation of reality TV shows there, try to remember that no matter how dangerous driving a semi across ice is, it isn't "historical"...yet!

Counting
Many of the films at the heart of this challenge have considerable run times, so even though there's always a sort of de facto goal of hitting 100 movies watched, it's not really expected here. We'd much rather you take this opportunity to finally see Lawrence of Arabia than to squeeze in two shorter films.

Since there are no prizes for this challenge, feel free to count using whichever method best suits you. The standard is that 2 TV broadcast hours or short films is equivalent to 1 movie. Some members prefer to count each episode or short as a single entry. Others tally their cumulative viewing time. Whatever floats your boat. It's your list!

Why Aren't Documentaries on the Checklist?
It's up to each participant to decide what mix of dramatizations and documentaries best suits him or her. If you want to watch documentaries exclusively, you're welcome to do that. If you don't want to watch any, that's fine, too. Some checkmarks will be easier to attain with docs, though!

Hey, What About...?
Regarding specific films, I would suggest--and this goes for any questions--that you ask about a specific film in the discussion thread and see what feedback you get from others who have seen it. If you don't get anything helpful, my rule of thumb is that if you feel that you have a sufficient reason to believe that it's an appropriate selection then go ahead and watch it. If it turns out not to really fit the nature of this challenge, still count it as a viewing but please share your thoughts with us.

CHECKLIST

Spoiler:
GENERAL
WHEN
Watch a film that takes place during five different centuries prior to the 20th Century (Note Century of setting):
--- Movie 1 (Century)
--- Movie 2 (Century)
--- Movie 3 (Century)
--- Movie 4 (Century)
--- Movie 5 (Century)

WHERE
Watch 5 movies about historical events of different countries (Note Country of setting).
--- Movie 1 (Country)
--- Movie 2 (Country)
--- Movie 3 (Country)
--- Movie 4 (Country)
--- Movie 5 (Country)

WHO _/10
Watch at least five of the ten following subcategories:

FOLKLORE & FAITH
--- Film about prehistory
--- Film about the mythology of Antiquity (i.e., Greek gods, dramatization of Homeric poems, etc.)
--- Film about religious history (based on either recorded historical events or fables arising from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc.)
--- Film about a folk hero
--- Film about either the Humanities (fine arts) or Sports figure/event

HEY, THEY WERE THERE, TOO!: A LOOK AT MARGINALIZED PEOPLES
(Focus on prominent figures from history and/or depictions of their minority group's oppression, etc.)
--- Film about Women's History
--- Film about Race Relations
--- Film about the LGBTQ Community
--- Film about Religious Minority
--- Film about Immigrants

TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY
--- Watch at least two movies about the same person/event where each movie is from a different perspective (1/2)
--- Watch at least two movies about the same person/event where each movie is from a different perspective (2/2)

WAR _/10
Watch at least five of the following ten War subcategories:

--- Anti-War film
--- Military Comedy
--- Prisoner of War/Escape film
--- Resistance Movement/Civilians film
--- Submarine film
--- War Spy
--- War film that was produced *during* that war
--- Film about war criminals
--- Film about veterans after the war (framing a "flashback" film doesn't count, so no Saving Private Ryan for this one)
--- Wartime propaganda film OR a film produced by the military

WESTERN _/10
Watch at least five of these ten Western subcategories:

--- The Union Pacific story. (The plot concerns construction of a railroad, a telegraph line, or some other type of modern technology or transportation.) Wagon train stories probably fall into this category.
--- The ranch story. (The plot concerns threats to the ranch from rustlers or large landowners attempting to force out the proper owners.)
--- The empire story. (The plot might involve building up a ranch empire or an oil empire from scratch, a classic rags-to-riches plot.)
--- The revenge story. (The plot often involves an elaborate chase and pursuit, but it may also include elements of the classic mystery story.)
--- The cavalry and Indian story. (The plot revolves around taming the wilderness for white settlers.)
--- The outlaw story. (The outlaw gangs dominate the action.)
--- The marshal story. (The lawman and his challenges drive the plot.)
--- "Export Western" - a Western not actually set in America. There have been numerous Westerns set in Australia, for instance. Samurai films could count for this, too, given the relationship between the two genres.
--- Western movie with a direct connection to a TV show, since Westerns were part of TV's golden age before the Space Generation
--- Neo-Western (i.e., a Western set in more contemporary times, to demonstrate the genre is still alive)

ZEITGEIST WILD CARDS
Because an argument can be made that some movies which fall outside the "obvious" scope of our challenge really are consistent with its spirit, you're permitted to watch and check off up to three optional movies of your choice.
--- Zeitgeist Wild Card #1
--- Zeitgeist Wild Card #2
--- Zeitgeist Wild Card #3



The checklist is from last year, so any one has any suggestions for a change, just let me know.


Here is a link of Historical films, courtesy of Caligulathegod:

http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html

Last edited by shadokitty; 05-14-15 at 12:48 PM.
Old 05-01-15, 05:23 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I'm starting off with the last season of Downton Abbey and then I'll figure out where to go from there.
Old 05-01-15, 06:02 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I'm probably going to do mostly documentaries.
Old 05-01-15, 07:55 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I have a bunch of Historical, Biblical, and War films I plan to get in this year. I'm thinking of starting with They Died with their Boots On as it's one of the oldest unwatched films in the pile (yes, I've seen it before but it's been decades...).
Old 05-01-15, 08:09 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

This will also give me an excuse to watch Midway, that I got for Christmas. I've seen it on TV, but haven't watched the DVD yet. I was saving it for this challenge. I may also revisit Gettysburg and Gods and Generals.
Old 05-06-15, 06:05 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

If anyone gets Reelz, I just discovered a good show that would also be eligible for the challenge, Cold Case Files. It's a documentary series that follows cold case detectives as they try to solve cases.
Old 05-06-15, 08:31 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Thanks shado. No clue what to theme my content towards, but hopefully I'll open a few packages.
Old 05-06-15, 08:33 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Trevor
Thanks shado. No clue what to theme my content towards, but hopefully I'll open a few packages.
No problem. I didn't want to see this challenge disappear, so was glad to take it over.
Old 05-06-15, 08:43 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by shadokitty
No problem. I didn't want to see this challenge disappear, so was glad to take it over.
As long as I'm alive, no Challenge will disappear. They may be mediocrely run shells of their glorious past, but they'll at least exist.

That said, I'd much rather other people take turns running them and am thankful for you and others when you work on them.

I'm not going to be watching much for the next year or three, but I still love reading the threads and looking at people's lists.
Old 05-08-15, 12:14 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I'm in again this year. But don't know how much i'll be able to do because of work. Might be a very low total. But i'm willing to participate and do what I can.
Old 05-08-15, 02:01 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by JOE29
I'm in again this year. But don't know how much i'll be able to do because of work. Might be a very low total. But i'm willing to participate and do what I can.
Anyone can watch as little or as much as they want
Old 05-08-15, 04:48 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I found this link in the very first Historical Challenge. Has a fairly exhaustive list of Historical films on every possible Historical period or event.

http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html
Old 05-08-15, 05:12 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by caligulathegod
I found this link in the very first Historical Challenge. Has a fairly exhaustive list of Historical films on every possible Historical period or event.

http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html
Thanks for the link Caligula. I'll add it to the first post tomorrow.
Old 05-08-15, 05:35 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by caligulathegod
I found this link in the very first Historical Challenge. Has a fairly exhaustive list of Historical films on every possible Historical period or event.

http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html
That's one heck of a list! How did we miss using/adding it each year?
Old 05-08-15, 06:37 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Not sure. It was originally Mister Peepers/The Man with the Golden Doujinshi who posted it. Not sure where he got it from.
Old 05-08-15, 08:42 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I was probably looking for a list of genres for historical films on google.
Old 05-11-15, 01:49 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I apologize for not putting the link in the first post yet. I will get it done in the next couple of days. Lately, I haven't been motivated to even get on my laptop, just using my phone to access the forum.
Old 05-11-15, 02:11 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by caligulathegod
I found this link in the very first Historical Challenge. Has a fairly exhaustive list of Historical films on every possible Historical period or event.

http://www.vernonjohns.org/snuffy1186/movies.html
Interesting list. But not complete. I went through all the Japan subject listings and found lots of important films, both Japanese and American, missing from the lists.

It is a good resource, though.

Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 05-11-15 at 07:35 PM.
Old 05-11-15, 03:37 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Try shooting him an email and let him know.

Or we could maintain our own list, using that as a basis.
Old 05-14-15, 12:49 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

I updated the first post with Caligula's link. Sorry it took so long, but I haven't even been accessing the forums from my laptop lately.
Old 05-18-15, 02:56 AM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Just thought I'd post a heads up for anyone with either a DVR, or History Channel on Demand. Starting on Memorial Day, there is a good looking mini series about the rise of Texas, called Texas Rising.
Old 05-18-15, 11:41 AM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

^I can't make up my mind about that one. Mainly because the more recent History Channel series of that type are more sensationalistic than informative. But as you said, it looks good which is why I'm on the fence...
Old 05-18-15, 09:52 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by shadokitty
Just thought I'd post a heads up for anyone with either a DVR, or History Channel on Demand. Starting on Memorial Day, there is a good looking mini series about the rise of Texas, called Texas Rising.
Yes, can't wait for this one. It looks good. Plus I just saw the book Texas Rising in the store today. I might pick that up sometime soon as well.
Old 05-19-15, 09:59 AM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by BobO'Link
^I can't make up my mind about that one. Mainly because the more recent History Channel series of that type are more sensationalistic than informative. But as you said, it looks good which is why I'm on the fence...
I hear ya. I remember watching National Geographic shows as a kid. What they used to do one segment on, as part of a show, they now stretch out an entire show to stupid lengths just to show something. I'm looking at you Man vs Monster. I didn't need to sit through that entire episode to know that you were going to find a vampire bat and not a giant bat monster from the moment the show started.
Old 05-19-15, 03:40 PM
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Re: The 6th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge Discussion Thread

It wont be historically accurate. They've taken a few liberties including folklore in it. Its first and foremost entertainment.

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