Selma: Crash Course Film Criticism #3

Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the greatest non-violent protests in U.S. history. Ava DuVernay directs this historical drama that captured hearts and minds but also made us ask some questions about historical accuracy in film. In today's episode of Crash Course Film Criticism, Michael takes us on a journey through the film Selma.

Check out all 15 films we'll be talking about below!!!

***Film Selection***
Citizen Kane
Aliens
Where Are My Children?
Selma
In the Mood For Love
Do the Right Thing
Lost In Translation
Apocalypse Now
Pan's Labyrinth
The Limey
Three Colors: Blue
The Eagle Huntress
Moonlight
Beasts of No Nation
2001: A Space Odyssey

***

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[Prizzlesticks]

To be fair about the way Bloody Sunday is presented, the march takes place during daylight, and all the scenes of viewers reactions are shown to be night outside. So that five hour delay IS accounted for in the visuals.
I really liked the breakdown of this film. I didn't realize there was a film critique Crash Course series, so I'm happy to have stumbled upon it and for this to be the first I've watched. I won't lie, I wanted to Selma immediately when it came out, but no one wanted to go with me. So I hit up the dollar store for some contraband snacks and saw it alone. I have no regrets. It was worth every dollar I spent, every curious look I got for daring to see a movie solo, every silently smothered sob I choked back to avoid ugly crying at the theater.

[baseupp]

Actually the first movie that was based on the march was called Selma Lord Selma and it came out in 1999

[Khulania]

I love a good movie. At the same time I know it is also important to read books on those events as movies can only depict so much in a short amount of time.

[hotdrippyglass]

This is probably one of the best synopsis of a very important moment and movie in American history. I want to Thank You and the Team for doing this one so very well. YOU are making a difference in this world.

[anttibjorklund]

You had a mighty *bravehearted* cough there....

[allisas]

ugh I forgot how good Selma was. it's really interesting to see it from different angles like this

[Ngamotu]

4:03 But sometimes you can intentionally stray so far outside of the historical record that accuracy no longer becomes a concern, e.g. Inglourious Basterds.

[eugenecjones]

This was best critical analysis of a film I have ever seen. Not just the film concepts were explained, but the inclusion of production elements and their effects on the story were well explained.

[sel]

I saw this in my YouTube notification, and I was like “why’s my name in the title?” I noticed later that it’s the movie Selma lmao

[av.keshavshastry]

Amazing video! The bomb scene really inspired me to ask this. How about a series on photography? It would be really excellent and helpful too!

[alexbaral]

The timing was perfect for me- I just watched Selma last night to find this great video a day later! And it's just been published, too. I loved your point about the critical approaches that can be chosen to criticize a film. Naturally, checking the movie's historical accurateness seems to make sense. But - and I study history - this is not what the movies are supposed to do. They can't teach you history, ever. This video makes that point clearly, so thanks for that :) . Movies can teach us how historical events are perceived, interpreted, dealt with, turned into art and so on. They always do that from the time of their origin. So this movie is a wonderful source, not for what happened in Selma, but how the director, actors and people involved treated the event. And the positive effect is that people might get on to do some more research as well..

Thanks a lot for the video!

[ShawnRavenfire]

I think people get more concerned over historical accuracy when it's an event that most people are familiar with. We all know about Martin Luther King, but I'm sure a lot of people (outside of Scotland) weren't familiar with William Wallace when Braveheart came out.

[LPArabia]

I just watched the whole Film: History, Production, and Criticism series in one go :D Great stuff. Thank you guys!

[pickamatt]

Great perspective! Always so important to capture the emotions of a period, not just the facts.

[jonathaneby]

I think it’s an unfair criticism to say that the Edmond Pettus bridge scene cross cut with the reactions falsely portrays the time in which the events took place. Many (but especially the scene with the couple on the couch) take place at night. I think the main factor that leads to this temporal disconnect is the way we perceive the scene through the edit.

[BrorealeK]

As an Alabama resident, I'm ashamed to say I still haven't watched Selma. After all the discussion and praise it received, too. It's easy to complain about this state being stale and unchanging in its politics, but just a couple generations ago many amazing things happened that changed America forever. It's Alabama history that still doesn't get the spotlight it deserves.

[sammorton]

Well if you look, some of the people watching the Bloody Sunday violence have lamps on and blinds shut so it must be night time, and I’m guessing DuVernay intercut these two different times in the day to show people’s reactions to the things we’re seeing, as if it’s on the news later rather than live.
And that actually feeds into what you were saying about private lives and public lives: All these people (including LBJ) at home at night, in private, having this violence and terror thrust into their lives.
Maybe a comment on how people only cared when it affected them personally in some way, Idk.

[hewiggins]

We also need to remember Steven Spielberg owns 100% of the rights to Dr. King's speeches (which is a whole new topic) AND Ava Devernay had to rewrite/construct all of the speeches King gave in the movie.

[biancabarnett]

Beautifully stated. The most non-biased perspective available.

[callummctavish]

ummm, wasn't it kinda obvious that broadcast wasn't live, given the viewers seem to be at night time while the events were happening during the day? I know there are different time zone in USA but damn, not that much time different lol.