Much what how we represent the past in the present is based upon reconstruction of history through various primary and secondary sources. Indeed the various approaches and methodologies within the discipline of history are divided and diverse. Historiophoty which is the representation of history in visual images and filmic discourse is one of these highly debated approaches and historians today still remain divided over the use of use of film as a valuable representation of history versus written history. I will attempt to very briefly touch upon these arguments, and demonstrate why that despite the shortcomings of historiophoty, film as a historical source cannot be ignored in a society that is becoming increasingly media orientated and that there are aspects in the study of history through film which cannot be represented by written history. Throughout the course of this essay, I will mainly be drawing references to Braveheart and Gallipoli. These 2 films are specifically selected because they attempt to re-create actual documented historical events or periods – which provides interesting grounds for comparison between written and film history, thus revisiting the aforementioned debate.

John E. O'Connor, identifies four broad ways in which historians can work through films. He notes that they can “study film as a representation of history, use it for insights into the social and cultural values of the past, examine it as a form of historical evidence, and study the history of the film and television industries” . What he has not mentioned however is also the fact that film likewise provides insights into the social and cultural values of the present as well. Marshal Flaum recognizes that artistic license that often takes place with feature films and documentaries. He however argues that “even the distortions and lies we often find in that celluloid mirror reveal some inescapable truths not only about those who created the falsity, but about those who demanded it and avidly paid for it at the box office” .

White, Hayden. 'Historiography and historiophoty'. American Historical Review, 93 (1988)

Some topics in this essay:
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