Wall

Abel Gance's "Napoleon", "The Passion of Joan of Arc", "The Gospel According to St. Matthew", "Decameron", "Salvatore Giuliano", "The Mattei Affair", "Saving the Private Ryan", "Schindler's List", "Vincere", "The Age of Innocence", "Titanic", "La Grande Guerra", "The Deer Hunter", "Full Metal Jacket", "La Grande Illusion", "L'Albero degli Zoccoli", "Senso", "Andrey Rublev", "Battleship Potemkin", "Alexander Nevsky", "Ivan the Terrible", "October"... and so on. Nice list, though!

Robert Regan

7Jun10

Drew, it's a good thing that historical accuracy is not necessary. As much as I love Scorsese and Gangs of NY, I wouldn't go there for a history lesson. However, I think he has a real feel for what I think life must have been like in that time and place. So, I guess it does belong on this list. One that is quite accurate is Mountains of the Moon.

Valerie Ann

9Mar10

Cold Mountain. Even the music is largely historically accurate.

Dimitris Psachos

4Mar10

Good Men, Good Women and Angelopoulos' Trilogy of History. ;) Come and See is mandatory WWII and Strike / October mandatory Russian Revolution. Napoleon by Gance, Knights of the Teutonic Order by Ford, Lucian Pintilie, Glauber Rocha and Ann Hui in some parts of their filmography. The Emigrants Series for another U.S. "land of plenty" scope, All Quiet on the Western Front mandatory for WWI and Apocalypse Now! / La 317e Section mandatory for Vietnam.

scorpiorising

4Mar10

How 'bout Hour of the Furnaces? Night and Fog? Hour of the Furnaces is essential viewing :D.

rhino

30Dec09

Maybe American Graffiti, Bobby, and I mean Forrest Gump literally ventures through American History. These aren't necessarilly accurate movies, but personally I'd say they in some ways capture the "spirit" of the times, take that as you will.

Drew Gregory

8Dec09

Thanks for the suggestion! I really need to see that.

Kim Packard

8Dec09

THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN?

House of Leaves

2Dec09

I have to add Das Boot and Stalingrad, though I'm pleased to see Downfall up there. Puppetmaster is fantastic, and you should seek out Chihwaeson--it's not as documentary-like, but offers an excellent look inside a slice of history you may not have been aware of.

Fandorin-san

20Nov09

Drew, you should add "Rome, Open City".

Drew Gregory

16Nov09

Thanks for the suggestions, Apursansar. I have seen Berlin Alexanderplatz though, and I don't know how I forgot it (its one of my top 15!).

apursansar

16Nov09

Since you decided to open this thread for films you haven´t seen yet am I recommending some films already on The Auteurs: The Human Condition A City of Sadness The Puppetmaster Subarnarekha Russian Ark Berlin Alexanderplatz In Search of the Famine Fires on the Plain Distant Thunder

gojira

15Nov09

For your consideration: Z , State of Siege and Missing from Costa-Gavras All Quiet on the Western Front A Night to Remember(superior in every way to that bloated cameron mess,imo)

Alex K

14Nov09

How about *Downfall*, *The Lives of Others*, and *The Conformist*?

Drew Gregory

12Nov09

Zach, That's because I haven't seen any of his "history" films yet. When I do I will be sure to add them!

Zachary Phillip Brailsford

12Nov09

Oh, and you didn't put any Rossellini on there? I'm a bit surprised! Savvy

Zachary Phillip Brailsford

12Nov09

I had forgotten that The Leopard was based on a true story! Man, I should probably see the four on that list that I've missed out on... Savvy

Bonemachine

12Nov09

I like JFK, although no one would ever accuse it of being historically accurate.

Fandorin-san

12Nov09

Der Baader-Meinhof Komplex is very good in that way... Also: Soderbergh's Che and Stone's JFK. Just kidding about the last one ;)

Bonemachine

12Nov09

Drew, I think that is what a filmmaker who tackles a historical subject would hope for, that their film would inspire you to research the topic further. Oh, and btw, this is an excellent list, Battle of Algiers is one of my personal favourites, and I have not seen The Leopard, but it is definitely on my must see list.

Drew Gregory

11Nov09

Bonemachine, Well I'm glad you like it, because not many do! I included it because it taught me about an event I knew little about, which led me to do my own research to further explore the topic. And yes I agree its a great film!

Bonemachine

11Nov09

Although I really love Gangs of New York, its historical accuracy has been called into question by many historians, but it is still a brilliant film.

Drew Gregory

11Nov09

R&B, In a way, yes. However I think the film presents us more with a fictional situation for us to get to know the man Lincoln, more than actually teaching us about him literally. I'll think about it. Apursansar, I have not heard of the Ghatak one, but I have really wanted to see the HHH and Angelopoulos ones. Do you know if there is any sort of DVD set for either trilogy?