The 1960s on Film

The 1960s on Film tells the narrative of the 1960s through the lens of the movie camera, analyzing 10 films that focus on the people, events, and issues of the decade.

Films create both an impression of and - at times for younger audiences - a primary definition of events, people, and issues of an era. The 1960s on Film examines the 1960s as the decade was presented in ten films that focused on that decade. Discussion will focus on both what the films have to say about the era and how close they come to accurately depicting it.

For example, films such as Mississippi Burning and Selma tell the story of racial conflict and hope for reconciliation in the 1960s. Other films such as The Right Stuff and Hidden Figures show the deep fascination America had at that time with the burgeoning space program and NASA, while Easy Rider analyzes the role of rock music and drugs among young people of the decade. The Deer Hunter studies the controversies surrounding the war in Vietnam. The Graduate, Mad Men, JFK, and Thirteen Days also receive significant treatment in this exciting volume.

Provides a window into the 1960s by assessing how films about that decade portrayed people, events, and issues of the era

Shows how movies can teach us about a given era’s history and make that history more engaging through the dramatic arts and storytelling

Provides a new perspective on the well-researched decade of the 1960s, through the lens of the movie camera

Suggests areas of further exploration for students of popular culture