primitives bashing History Channel

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=277x337

Oh my.

An ancient bonfire; primitives don't discuss history much.

bleedingheart (1000+ posts)       Mon Mar-05-07 09:18 AM
Original message
 
I detest the History Channel and all the "historical" documentaries

I have yet to see a historical piece that is worth watching.

Take the latest "Dark Ages" series on the History Channel.

They spend more money and time on ridiculous battle scenes and on pathetic exotica than they do on the history.

The average person can learn more about history from one National Geographic article than one of those dumb shows.

Is it me?

The Nefertiti series (the supposed tomb discovered)...was bad also...more time spent watching the dipshit archeaologist flit about worrying about whether or not it was really "her"...than enough historical content.

I guess it is me, but I expect more because I am somewhat of a history buff and to see this drivel on TV...it is just infuriating.

For example...they are filming these stupid fake battles in Lithuania (by the way I am half lithuanian)..because apparently there are enough places that "look dark ages enough" in Lithuania..

However if you are going to talk about Charlemagne...why not show footage of Aachen cathedral?

I haven't taken an official history course in well over 15 years, however as I recall...historians have refrained from calling that period the Dark Ages for some time. They break it up into Early, Middle and Late Middle Ages.

madinmaryland  (1000+ posts)        Tue Mar-06-07 11:30 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. That's part of the problem.

They seem to show the same battle scenes over and over, without really saying anything new. There maybe 15 minutes of actual information in the show. It would seem to be more of a docu-drama.

bleedingheart (1000+ posts)       Tue Mar-06-07 11:53 AM
Response to Reply #1
 
2. actually a docu-drama would be more entertaining

the series Rome on HBO is more historical and far more entertaining to watch.

These shows assume that viewers have the attention span of a rodent based on how they are put together and while there are some hamster-like intellects out there, most people do enjoy learning something and can handle more than 15 minutes of content in a two hour presentation.

Lisa  (1000+ posts)        Tue Mar-06-07 10:17 PM
Response to Original message
 
3. I'm braced for another wave of shoddy Roman/Arthurian stuff

It seems to come each year, around Easter. There's plenty of archaeological evidence out there, about what Roman forts, soldiers, weapons, etc. looked like -- heck, there are even commercially-made items which are pretty decent replicas of the real stuff.

http://www.larp.com/legioxx /

And yet there are still "historical" documentaries being churned out with what looks like leftover stage props from the 1950s -- legionaries in black-painted armour, or ring-topped helmets that had been discredited by the 1970s, everywhere but in the "Asterix" comic books.

Then there are the folks who put King Arthur (or the Saxons, or Vikings) in plate armour that's 500 years out of period. Maybe there's some excuse for this happening in B-grade movies (I'd heard that the costume guy for "The 13th Warrior" was at Rob Valentine's shop in Calgary, to pick up some ridged helms, when he got distracted by shiny stuff ... so some of the "Vikings" are wearing peascod breastplates and such). But supposedly-educational programs?

Lithos   (1000+ posts)        Thu Mar-08-07 12:50 AM
Response to Original message
 
4. My wife and I call it the Hitler channel

it's nothing more than visual pablum designed to appeal to the same people who buy coffee table books on history.

pscot  (1000+ posts)        Wed Oct-28-09 03:18 PM
Response to Original message
 
5. Watching TV makes you dumber
 
True fact. Television prevents one from seeing the world as it is. It fills one's head with propaganda, speculation, half-truths, distortions, fantasies and outright lies. 

So.....that's what Pedro Picasso's problem is.

Of course, I've said that about Pedro Picasso for a very long time now.

[The Village Idiot]

Of course TV makes you dumber, because there are NO conservative channels.

[Vagabond]

Of course TV makes you dumber, because there are NO conservative channels.

I dunno, the Military Channel shows some good stuff at times.

[The Village Idiot]

I dunno, the Military Channel shows some good stuff at times.

but its not conservative in the political-cultural sense

[vesta111]

but its not conservative in the political-cultural sense

Funny, Hubby was watching the OLD movie on early morning TV and of all things it was about the Alamo.     Talk about a movie that needs to be shown in all schools from Kindergarden to College.

The main thread was that Americans have the right to live in peace.

Kind of amazed me the script as the actors most long gone spoke the very words of our Constitution and were so politically incorrect in to days world.

In a way they covered all the problems we have today, decided to fight for their rights and their complaints were not that much different then those we have now.

I saw the Alamo years ago before there were tour guides, we just walked in, saw cells and a court yard.  This was 1973 , back then I expected to see the fort on the outside of town. What a surprise to find it between large sky scrapers and busy streets.

All our Hero's Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie,  I had things to do so asked Hubby if Sam Houston was there, he says NO as he didn't have his Army.

Strange how one can run into a movie with a political point about anti-socialism in the late 50-to early 60 era.  Just goes with the times I guess. At that time better dead then red.

Today, the movies have a unrealistic view of whatever.  Not one has any kind of plot that can be in any way called patriotic.

You know what movie I wish I could find to watch again for the 4 Th. time------Battle Cry-
Trying to remember who wrote the book that went back to  highschool history class.

I have to admit I was surprised when the History Chanel had the program --" In Search Of Hitler."  As I had wondered if he had in fact escaped.     I do hope they will rebroadcast that program, it was not a good day for me so I fell asleep.

[crockspot]

I haven't seen the History Channel in a few years, but I used to watch it all the time. I thought the way they presented things was interesting and entertaining, and probably drew more viewers into being interested in history, when they would otherwise be watching Comedy Central or cartoons.

[Carl]

Libs hate history in general because it shows that what they believe can never work.
They have to shut it out or try to rewrite it.

[franksolich]

Libs hate history in general because it shows that what they believe can never work.
They have to shut it out or try to rewrite it.

Damn, you're good, sir.