Comparing Films About The Christopher Columbus Movie Review

Comparing Films About The Christopher Columbus - Movie Review Example This restraint is not felt by those individuals seeking new stories or new ways of telling old stories through the bright lights of Hollywood as a means of gaining consumer dollars. Approaches to historical subjects vary widely depending upon the motivations of the filmmakers in the creation of their film. This can be seen most clearly when comparing those films, typically classified as documentaries, that aim to educate rather than entertain and those films, appropriately labelled entertainment, whose primary function is to entertain an audience and bring box office dollars into the producer’s pockets. While each may contain significant similarities as the entertainment film is based upon fact or the documentary strives to keep its audience’s attention, there remain significant differences between the two types of film. Comparing A&E’s biography of Christopher Columbus with the 1992 Hollywood production entitled â€Å"Christopher Columbus: The Discovery†, significant differences can be found in style, reporting of sources, adherence to and limitation by verifiable facts, overall presentation and inclusion of created elements. Because of their different target audience, each type of film approaches their subject in its own unique style. The documentary presents its facts as snippets of individual interviews held with a panel of ‘experts’, presenting both the information and the credentials at one and the same time. The storyline is based upon a step by step relation of facts regarding Christopher Columbus’ life supported by a similarly open and straightforward style. Lighting is kept bright, allowing little or nothing to hide in the shadows. Tricks of the camera are kept to a minimum as well, typically focused from a stationary spot within the expert’s office or panning slowly across a picture or sketch.