Let’s clear some things up—despite the fact that the Titanic was not carrying an Egyptian mummy, and though there was not a man disguised as a woman to get on the lifeboat meant for the women, the producers still did a commendable job interpreting this tragic event from over 100 years ago with The Titanic. Although their interpretations are sometimes a reach when compared to the reality of the original events, these films and shows benefit viewers in numerous ways far beyond just entertainment.
Movies like The Titanic may be one of the only sources of information that people choose to intake on their own account, and so these documentary films, or docufilms, are very beneficial and substantially impact the significance of content. Docufilms are films that are based on non-fiction events and mostly follow the original occurrences of events but put into the perspectives of a more modern interpretation. This can be a very effective way to learn for a lot of students, especially since these films are on the rise currently.
A good example of the production type can be seen in the docu-film Testament: The Story of Moses. This film had many different historical and theological backgrounds. The series featured the Protestant, Islamic, and Jewish interviews and opinions of the playing segments of the series. In this film, part of the show would present the historically collected factors of the story and then the crew would leave the depiction to the guests, to allow the audience the opportunity to engage with all ideas. This leaves a lasting impression on the audience as they receive a full range of opinions and perspectives, no matter the viewers’ personal stance.
Not only are these films refreshingly entertaining but they are also surprisingly quite educational. Truthfully, a child is more likely to remember and learn more from a film like Pocahontas, which documents the history of the Americas, rather than a 2,000-page HMH textbook. Many are more likely to remember things they find entertaining as opposed to something they find monotonous. Simply put, films are just more…fun.
CHS students strongly believe in this statement as well. For example, Fiona Wu, a junior at CHS, shares her views on the topic.
“I think that documentary films engage students a lot more [than traditional learning styles] and enable students to better understand how certain concepts can take place in the real life world,” Wu said.
Wu represents a body of students at CHS when she articulates the importance that these films provide. Docufilms benefit all viewers by providing educational content for all to enjoy while also helping students advance further in school. They are underrated, and need more support for all that they provide.
