History & Heritage: Robert Toplin
Wednesday, January 31, 2018Time 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Robert Toplin, American History Professor, Author, Television Producer
Speaking on his book, History by Hollywood
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 | 4:30pm | Auditorium
Just what happens to history when Hollywood filmmakers get their hands on it? According to Robert Brent Toplin, professor of history at the University of North Carloline at Wilmington, the nation’s film capital is one of our most influential interpreters of history, so much so that popular movies dealing with historical themes often have a greater impact on the public’s thinking than books or lectures. In History by Hollywood, Toplin examines how filmmakers have interpreted American history through their films. Focusing on movies that deal with real events and people, Toplin looks at how writers, producers, and directors became involved in making historical films, what influenced their interpretations of the past, and the responses they have made to the controversies their works have excited. Toplin is the author of several books on history, politics and film, and has served as a principal creator of historical dramas that appeared nationally onĀ PBS, the Disney Channel, and Starz.