The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
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The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022

presents
The Thirteenth Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge
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| Challenge starts at dusk May 27, 2022 and ends at sunrise July 5 |
| LIST THREAD |
| 2021 discussion thread |
| 2021 list thread |
| 2020 discussion thread |
| 2020 list thread |
(lotsa stuff in between)2010 Discussion | 2010 Lists
2011 Discussion | 2011 Lists
2012 Discussion | 2012 Lists
2013 Discussion | 2013 Lists
This is the 13th annual historical appreciation thread. Thirteen years means we're history ourselves!
The challenge runs from Memorial Day weekend through Independence Day.
Years ago, this challenge had its roots in the war and Westerns genres, so we continue to celebrate those today.
In a nutshell, here are the basics:
- 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...
- Toward the end 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...?
Travis was the original host, and his BA was earned in history, but even he hasn't seen every movie ever made and he doesn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of every historical figure, event and period. Regarding specific films, the suggestion--and this goes for any questions--is 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, the general 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.
Post your list in the list thread. Be as creative or as basic with your list as you want.
Last edited by davidh777; 05-21-22 at 02:41 AM.
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Trevor (05-14-22)
#3
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I have one correction: The inaugural host was caligulathegod. I contributed some input during the development stage, but I only hosted the second through fifth. I don't know how active I'll be. My Make-Your-Own Challenge theme this year was a 1980s daisy chain. I'm enjoying that and I'm considering keeping it going even after this month ends. There are plenty of war movies made during that decade. Not a whole lot of westerns. Letterboxd only shows 184. Of those, only 31 are streaming across Criterion Channel; Disney+; FILMRISE; Freevee; HBO Max; Hulu; Kino Now; Netflix; Paramount+; Peacock; Plex; Shout! Factory; Roku Channel; Tubi; Vudu Free; and YouTube Free combined. That includes such tangential/ineligible movies as Alien Outlaw, Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire, and Timestalkers. If I keep the daisy chain going, it will almost certainly require watching movies that aren't eligible for this challenge and only listing the ones that are.
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davidh777 (05-19-22)
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I've done this all 12 years. This 13 th year challenge, I will participate but not sure about how many titles I can do. Could be very low or pretty decent. But I'll try.
#5
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Is there any interest in having a checklist? We had one when I hosted, but it was dropped the next year and hasn't returned so maybe I'm alone in this. I usually find those helpful for guiding my viewing. It gets me to explore more areas than I might on my own.
#7
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Same here - I stopped using the checklists a few years back when I realized they were counter productive to me clearing out my "unopened" shelves and tended to cause me to purchase new stuff solely to satisfy a checklist item.
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
As this is the historical appreciation challenge, I appreciate the clarification regarding the history of the challenge and its original host! 
I did some poking around when putting together the discussion thread, and it looks like the last time we used a checklist was 2017. I'd be glad to reinstate the checklist if people find it helpful, and if some disregard it, that's fine too. It's no skin off my nose to put it in the thread and let people do what they want with it.
This was the most recent one I found:

I did some poking around when putting together the discussion thread, and it looks like the last time we used a checklist was 2017. I'd be glad to reinstate the checklist if people find it helpful, and if some disregard it, that's fine too. It's no skin off my nose to put it in the thread and let people do what they want with it.
This was the most recent one I found:
CHECKLIST
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
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
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Doc Moonlight (05-27-22)
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
The list thread has been posted!
#10
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I have to wait four days til I can watch 'Prehistoric Planet' on Apple TV+ !!! I can't wait THAT long
#11
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I’m still waiting for my new glasses to come, but I may at least be able to stream some things on my phone.
#12
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
After about three weeks of waiting, I finally got my glasses today. Just in time. Tomorrow I'll start gathering up some DVDs to watch.
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BobO'Link (05-27-22)
#13
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Are we including fictionalized movies based on real stories, like Goodfellas and Talk Radio?
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022

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Gobear (05-27-22)
#16
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I *always* forget this one starts before the 1st of the month! Well... at least this year what I'm watching for the MYO challenge just happens to qualify here! Woo Hoo!

#18
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Kicked off the Challenge with an episode of the great ME TV series "Toon In With Me" that paid tribute to the cartoons of WWII: Bugs, Daffy, Private Snafu, and more. Followed up with Don Siegel's terrific Hell Is For Heroes (1960), a low tense low budget WWII film with a terrific cast : Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Harry Guardino, Fess Parker, Bobby Darin, and Bob Newhart.
#19
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I'd like to suggest we update the checklist item "Watch a film that takes place during five different centuries prior to the 20th Century (Note Century of setting):" to the 21st Century.
#20
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
I started last night with Robin of Sherwood , which I discovered was legally posted on YouTube by YouTube. I had fond memories of the show, having watched it when I was growing up in the 80s.
#21
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
MeTV changed their carrier station here in DC so it's no longer available on Verizon FIOS. No Bill and Toonie, no Svengoolie.
#22
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Being Memorial Day weekend, I was all set to settle down and watch my copy of the original Midway that I had gotten for Christmas a few years ago. Apparently that wasn't in the cards though. Even though the case said Region 1 on it, when I put it in my PS4, I got an incorrect region error. So, since my Warriors 50 movie peplum set was sitting nearby, I settled on Colossus And The Amazon Queen instead.
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Just finished watching Hostiles. A movie that I had went to the theatre to see when it was first released. A movie like this reminds me of why I still participate in these movie challenges every year. Because it forces me to watch movies that I may not have time to see...or forget about. Even though I had seen this before, It has been so long since the last time that I saw it that it's almost like viewing it for the first time. I felt satisfied after watching this. Because that is what I'm here to do.
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Doc Moonlight (05-31-22)
#24
Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022
Earlier today I watched an episode of Little House On The Prairie on UPTV. That show is actually quite close to my heart because I am actually related to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Sometime this month I may bring out my New Beginning set that I bought quite a few years ago.
#25
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Re: The 13th Annual Historical Appreciation Challenge *Discussion Thread* May 27-July 5, 2022