I watched "The Last Samurai" last night. I am sure a lot of Japanophiles ripped this apart when it came out for various historical and cultural inaccuracies, starting with the fact that it was filmed in New Zealand.
However, I think we have to give credit to Hollywood for at least attempting to educate audiences about American and Japanese history. Yes, it's simplified (and frequently exaggerated) historical detail to a Tom Cruise action movie/melodrama, but it's the only such exposure to this period of Japanese history that tens of millions of people will ever receive. And the core historical premise -- that there was a struggle between reformists and traditionalists in Meiji Japan -- has some truth to it, even if it didn't involve an American Civil War veteran joining Japanese samurai rebels in the mountains. I also like to think that it planted the seeds of interest in Japanese culture and/or the study of history in a few hundred young minds scattered across the globe.
I am not the first person to recognize the power of movies to educate people about history; Professor Don Ostrowski of the Extension School organizes after-class movie showings of dramas and documentaries that help illustrate whatever topic his World History lectures concentrate on in a particular week. Find out more about his classes here.
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