“That should be a movie.”
“They need to make a move about that.”
“This book would make a great movie.”
“That ought to be a film.”
I’m sure we all heard these phrases growing up.
For me, the reasoning behind these statements became clear at a young age due to the power of media to inspire interest in a subject. After seeing Young Indiana Jones ride with Pancho Villa, I took down the encyclopedia and began learning more about The Mexican Revolution. Watching Daisy Miller die of “Roman Fever” piqued my interest in malaria. Anne of Green Gables, The Mouse That Roared, and Sergeant York influenced family trips to Prince Edward Island, Liechtenstein, and Tennessee. And the 1993 epic Gettysburg, its prequel Gods and Generals, and the games they inspired are to blame for my lifelong obsession with the War Between the States.
Looking beyond my own experience, the influence of media becomes even more evident. Steven Spielberg’s films have inspired aquaphobia, college majors in archaeology, the study of the Holocaust with hopes that it never happens again, and a greater appreciation for our World War II veterans. Mel Gibson’s Braveheart is credited with reigniting Scotland’s nationalist spirit, and his The Passion of the Christ started the wave of faith-based movies that is still going strong. Dances with Wolves, Field of Dreams, and Steel Magnolias brought tourists to the Midwest. The Promise received hate from trolls who denied the Armenian Genocide and hoped to hurt the film at the box office. Even the 1942 Walt Disney classic Bambi made a dent in the hunting industry.
Rightly or wrongly, intentionally or unintentionally, film has been and always will be a mode of influencing people and public opinion.
This is why as a student of history I always find myself picturing the action described in a historical book playing out as though on a screen. This has been a habit since childhood. Listening to books on tape or family members read aloud books like The Family Nobody Wanted, The Sugar Creek Gang, Misty of Chincoteague, or Old Squires Farm, I would envision the story as a movie scene (blocking the characters if you will). No doubt the “failure” of directors throughout cinema history to fit the adaptations of books to my preconceived vision is to blame for the frequent complaint, “The book was better.” Yet I still find myself wishing that overlooked or forgotten stories from history would be movies so that more people could hear, remember, and honor them.
This point was driven home to me one day while listening to an audiobook after the loss of a friend. Roger T. Rufus was a Heinz 57 stray who, just like the beginning of any classic dog story, followed me home when I was 13. He would be in my life for the next 15 years, passing away one cool autumn day. Around the same time, I was listening to The Dog Who Could Fly: The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side by Damien Lewis (not the actor from Band of Brothers), from Atria Books. In the introduction, the author explained that the story of Robert Bozdech and Ant had once been picked up by 20th Century Fox to be turned into a film, but Cold War politics and the safety of Bozdech’s connections in Soviet-held Czechoslovakia prevented said project. The story touched my heart so much, and the fact that the Soviets are no longer a problem (we hope), that I wanted to write the executives at the studio and tell them it was time to bring the story to the big screen. So, I started to do a small review in the form of a movie pitch on my Instagram, but I soon realized what I had would be better as a longer YouTube video.
Thus, began my journey of finding stories that should be movies and raising public awareness of them so that Hollywood would see that their adaptations had a viable audience. Along the way, I have found many. Stories from the forgotten battles of World War II that deserve to be remembered (The Rapido and New Guinea). The heroes of the Forgotten War, Korea, who should be honored (Fox and George Company). Louisiana stories that would generate interest and tourism in my home state (The Wayfaring Stranger, Cane River, The Lost German Slave Girl). Stories that could promote peace today by reminding us that Confederates 150 years ago were still human beings capable of goodness (Cleburne, Jim Limber). Stories that remember Native American history (Red Cloud, 38 Nooses). Stories that honor those who serve (No Ordinary Heroes, Adam Brown). Stories that motivate (The Saints winning the Superbowl, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Thunder Dog). Stories that encourage the soul (Athanasius, William Cowper). Stories that inspire and touch the heart (The Candy Bombers, An Invisible Thread).
With this blog, I hope to reach even more people with these and more stories. Thank you for joining me on this journey of combining two of m my passions, history and film. I hope my posts stimulate your thoughts, motivate your spirit, inspire your soul, and touch your heart. Thank you and I hope to see you at the theater when these books That Should Be A Movie are movies.
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