This week we are putting together  film/history comparisons.  I’ve asked my students to compare what they see on screen from a historical film to what they see in their historical research.  I have more than a few writing about the Holocaust: Schindler’s List, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Pianist.  They’ve watched their movies; now they are reading about the Nazi invasion of Poland, the ghettos, and death camps.  Others are writing about The Titanic; they detail hand-cuffed Jack neck-deep in waterwhileat the same time they analyze the step-by-step process of how the ship went down.

Milk, 42, Marie Antoinette, Cesar Chavez, Geronimo….

Me, I’m writing about Frida.  I’m looking closely at her tragic trolley accident, her art, and her sexuality.  Here I try to relate a sensual dance scene from the film to one of her most famous paintings.