Film, culture, history
People who have left their country of origin to work in another have great stories to tell. Sometimes, these stories are told on film in a way we can relate to.
We’ll drop the films about short adventurers or expeditions. There’s a difference between a tourist and an expat. Continue reading “Five films about Ex-pats”
Did you know that both Chinatown and Shawshank Redemption were inspired by President Nixon? That’s what the “making of” documentation said. I didn’t get that the first time I watched either of those films, and I wonder if the cinema audience did. Perhaps I should ask some of my older relatives about it.
What I did get, after watching “Avatar” was one older-than-me man saying “that’s about Iraq.” Yes, I “knew” that too. But, the youngest school kids in the audience didn’t have that impression. To them, it was only about blue people.
I don’t know why some people totally loved or others totally hated Avengers Assemble. Continue reading “Why watching movies can teach us history.”
(This is Gargamelo’s first post with Ptara.)
April 1812, Rio de Janeiro, King’s Palace.
The Regent and his two sons – meeting with their state secretary and top ministers – have just received the news that Napoleon’s troops have definitely been expelled from Portugal. That means that there is no longer a valid reason for the court to remain in Brazil.
However, except for the Regents wife, Queen Carlota Joaquina, the royals are in no hurry to return. Continue reading “Dom Joao VI, The damned Prince, King of Contraditions”
Today Ptara is joined by two world class historians who give their take on what started the war of 1812.
They examine the speeches of the British Parliament and the US House of Representatives. From Jefferson’s purchase of Louisiana, up to the repeal of the Orders of Council, the US and Britain had shaky relations. Continue reading “What started the war of 1812? Canadian and American viewpoints”