Science and Hollywood merge
Read the article here at New Scientist about science and Hollywood merging to bring science facts to the public. I raise the question that a similar thing has occurred ith history. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16088-new-project-aims-to-unite-science-and-hollywood.html
In one respect this is similar to what historians face in the wake of innaccurate history portrayed in films and TV. Historic movies from the begining alter history to dramatize storylines and work within budgets. What the public sees generally becomes the new history–a distortion of facts–which stays in the historic memory, so much so, it becomes a mythology, one that overrides the historic record.
While showing scientific facts has a purpose, it will no doubt run the gauntlet of obstacles history faces, leading to a population that not only thinks incorrectly about history, but eventually about science.
Disembodied Spirit Weblog 
History in the movies has been a little insane, albeit very creative. Unfortunately, people have a tendency to believe whatever they read or see. Next thing you know, a film “based on fact” suddenly becomes fact, and is passed on and on until it becomes mainstream “fact.”
In my younger years, I was an avid fan of movies from the 30s and 40s. Musicals were usually set in imaginative places, such as a fun and festive Cuba, which never existed. The movie industry is fully capable of providing entertaintment, without sacrficising reality, where it exists.
Thank you for your comments. Lately, I’ve been watching many films from the 30s and 40s and find it interesting how much history exists, without having a historic frame. For instance, the way women were treated in the 30s/40s is apparent each time a referene is made to her getting beaten by her husband. Once Stanwick film, even had the police officer not care if her new husband was going to take her home to beat her. Quite interesting, historically.
I have always envisioned a place where history and film can go together without sacrificing the record. But movies like Braveheart or Elizabeth continue to get made… there is always hope. -Hunter