Selma | Based on a True Story

When the movie Selma came out, it was a hit, and a critical darling. But there was a significant controversy surrounding it, and that was the historical accuracy. Given that this show’s intent is to analyze history in film, I thought it was about time to tackle that problem head on. After having watched the movie though, I think the fact-checkers have gone too far.
------------------------------------------------------------
more videos:
previous:
• The Death of the Autho...
related:
• Good historical movies...
------------------------------------------------------------
references:
Primary:
Civil rights Act (1964) signing: • Excerpt: Signing of Ci...
1st march: • Selma March
Operation Starlite: • Operation Starlite (do...
2nd march: • The 3 Marches on Selma...
LBJ speech: • Special Message to the... - 25:00
3rd march: • Selma - Montgomery Mar...
grantland.com/features/selma-o...
www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/opi...
www.salon.com/2015/01/13/thats...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_(...
www.latimes.com/entertainment/...
www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2...
www.theguardian.com/film/2015...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/a...
www.thedailybeast.com/articles...
www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/s...
time.com/3658593/selma-lbj-his...
www.politico.com/magazine/stor...
------------------------------------------------------------
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDEOS:
kzbin.info_c...
contribute to my Patreon:
/ cynicalhistorian
LET'S CONNECT:
/ cynicalcypher88
/ cynical_history
-----------------------------------------
Wiki:
Selma is a 2014 British-American[3] historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel,[5][6] Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis. The film stars actors David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Tim Roth as George Wallace, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King and Common as Bevel.
Selma premiered at the American Film Institute Festival on November 11, 2014, began a limited US release on December 25, and expanded into wide theatrical release on January 9, 2015, two months before the 50th anniversary of the march. The film got a re-release on March 20, 2015 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the historical march.
Selma had four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director and Best Actor and won for Best Original Song.[7] It was also nominated for Best Picture and won Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards.
------------------------------------------------------------
Hashtags: #History #Selma #MLK #Review #BasedOnATrueStory #VotingRights #KKK #LBJ #CivilRights

[@nebeskisrb7765]

MLK's speeches are copyrighted? That's the most American thing I heard this week.

[@Wonedge]

Marko Antic King's family likes money. They're very American.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

+phillip martin Remember the "Think Different" ads by Apple back in the 1990's?

[@WildWestSamurai]

King himself actually had a good reason to copyright them: Funding his cause. If newspapers and television reporters wanted to quote his speeches, they had to pay for it. King would then use that money to help the organizations he lead in their fight for civil rights. Activists need funding.

[@lukaseichhorn4774]

So are the plays of noted communist Bertold Brecht...

[@CannedLizard]

Copyrights don't necessarily need to be registered. Just by creating a work (e.g.: giving a speech, writing a play), you have the copyright. So it's not a case of it being a decision (political or otherwise) by King or Brecht to have the copyright; they just do by nature of being the original creators.

[@brentgranger7856]

I took a literacy test in an American history class in college from the state of Louisiana. It was no doubt an attempt to prevent certain people, especially poor and uneducated people, from voting. It required a 100%, and I, a cum laude college graduate, did not get 100% (I missed one question). However, it is very likely that I would've still been allowed to register simply because I'm caucasian and most likely would've voted in the registrar's preference. I'm quite sure that a black person attempting to register to vote even with a 100% would've been told they got something wrong.

[@ThomasTHEONEANDONLY]

Grandfather Clause

[@ThomasTHEONEANDONLY]

@Tim Halloran, he could be referencing the Grandfather Clause.

[@kellyalves756]

... Actually this was the most appealing portrait I’ve seen of LBJ.

[@taliquetaylor2407]

Another huge inaccuracy in the movie that annoyed me. Malcolm X and Coretta Scott King did not meet around the time of the March. Malcolm X was murdered on February 21, 1965 and never met Corretta Scott King. Bloody Sunday was in March and the only recorded meeting between Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King lasted all but a few seconds

[@6thwilbury2331]

"We could have seen a legion of people trying to register to vote, and not just one. But one is all it takes." Especially when that one person is Oprah.

[@Outlaw92ful]

Please do Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom! Or any other Nelson Mandela biopic.

[@meeeka]

Cry Freedom! about Steve Biko. Older film but a good one and a POV that is so different from the more recent ones.

[@drawnseeker]

I just discovered your channel and now i'm hooked on your reviews. I love history and your well researched insight adds another layer to the films as well as the historical events. Keep up the great work.

[@theswan1852]

This is a really good series, dude.

[@landonwood1500]

I really do appreciate the effort you put into these videos. Please keep it up!

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

On 15 February 1965, my mother took two small children, me being the older of the two at not quite 4 years old, said goodbye to her husband, and got on a plane leaving our home in Saigon. That's only 3 weeks before the beginning of Selma and the Gulf of Tonkin. Yes, LBJ had a great deal on his mind while this was going on. As I get older, I gain more and more respect for the needles he tried to thread as president and how often he managed to suceed.

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Habitual criminal masterminded people have the poorest minds in the world! Macabre!

[@sammccullough1255]

I know this isn't a movie, but do you think you can do a Based on a True Story for the musical Hamilton?

[@CynicalHistorian]

Would love to, but I don't have the money to pay for tickets. Which means, I'd only be able to base it on the lyrics. I think that wouldn't be a good enough way to do a review.

[@sammccullough1255]

The Cynical Historian Oh. I understand. There is Dvd recordings of the musical.

[@DICKBUTTPENISDRAGON]

I don't know, the message is mostly in the music, isn't it? From what I understand, the whole play is experience-able on the official soundtrack. There could be an opportunity to do something a little different, perhaps?

[@cinderblitz3390]

I would really be interested in your review of Hamilton if you ever do get to see it.

[@sammccullough1255]

DICKBUTT PENISDRAGON The message is mostly in the music.

[@filmgeneric]

Great use of the random Tyshawn Jones skate clip in the intro

[@leozinhoberaldo]

dude, you use the brazillian poster in 13:51. thumbs from brazil, nice job

[@stephenwright8824]

Neil Jordan. The Oliver Stone of lesser known historical biographies, ie, MICHAEL COLLINS. I know enough about the life of Michael Collins to get annoyed with the "artistic licence" he takes with the plot. For example, Harry Boland did not die in a Dublin street but in a hotel room, killed by a Free State soldier.

[@gnewt75]

Another great complete story of King's life was the mini series starring Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield.

[@Ash-rn9bh]

Pretty ironic that people criticize this movie for villainizing LBJ since the movie actually white washes his legacy on the war in Vietnam.

[@JurijFedorov]

Watching all your videos dude. And they are great. Thank you for this channel. This one is not one of the good ones because of the weird fart noises and stuff like that. But I still will watch the other ones.

[@nicolasconsens7602]

great review but do you think that eventually we will get good historical films that use history as a toll instead of a handicap. Although I wish this would happen there are very few cases. also what do you think on hacksaw ridge?

[@nicolasconsens7602]

*tool

[@CynicalHistorian]

Haven't seen Hacksaw yet. I'd say a lot of movies use history as a tool rather than a hindrance. This one just happens to have caught a lot of flak

[@nicolasconsens7602]

The Cynical Historian thanks for the response and I recommend hacksaw a lot it's great

[@derek96720]

That "I'm not a historian" line is such garbage. It's basically an excuse to put a spin on historical events that don't match reality, just so that the events portrayed better reflect the narrative the director is trying to push.

[@Valpo2004]

I didn't know where else to post this but outlaw king on Netflix seems like a good one to do.

[@CynicalHistorian]

already have

[@talmiz101]

can you please do Das Boot? ? ? please? ? ?

[@MrUndersolo]

I always wondered about that one...

[@Loverrover]

Have you done the movie Boycott, about the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

[@livinglife2562]

Excellent commentary at the end and I agree. If you are going to tell a true story, you should stick to the facts. Otherwise, it's fiction. But since it's 'so close' to the truth, people will start to believe the fiction as truth. That's how facts get lost. Keep it up!

[@StoutProper]

Living Life people believe all kinds of fiction as fact, especially in America. They don't need a movie as an excuse

[@petitnicollas]

The revenant is a "snorefest"? Wow

[@slashbash1347]

Ooh, you have the same copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare as I. Nice.

[@cinderblitz3390]

It is a shame the director undermined her own work like that.

[@Kobolds_in_a_trenchcoat]

I think it hurts the work but if the work is mostly pretty accurate without the undermining quote I'm not sure how much harm it really does.

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Think about the plurality of what's being said!

[@liamtahaney713]

Hidden Figures? Hope requests/suggestions aren't too annoying!!!

[@CynicalHistorian]

not annoying at all, I'm just starting the research phase on it this week

[@liamtahaney713]

The Cynical Historian oh sweet! I thought that movie was really enjoyable, but I do worry about the truth in the details

[@SunflowerSocialist]

I personally liked this movie because it gave a better sense of King’s radicalism. King has been (for lack of a better term) whitewashed into a moderate by schools and the media. This movie gave a really good look into his genuinely radical views on things. I wish it had gone one step further and discussed his opposition to the war in Vietnam and his anticapitalism, but those became more prominent in the years after Selma, so it wouldn’t really fit. I also find it very watchable, so that’s good.

[@montel111]

I gave you a dislike for saying King instead of Dr. King and this referring correctly to the whitewashing in school.

[@noblechief4023]

@@montel111 I call my doctor Mr.Smith and he's a doctor. What's your point?

[@montel111]

@@noblechief4023 ​ Liev Semenov How to Win Friends and Infuence People by Andrew Carnegie says the first thing is to get someone's name correctly. I assume DOCTOR Smith does not want you to "dismiss" his accomplishments either. Fun Fact!! Dr. King graduated high school at 15.

[@montel111]

@@noblechief4023 Not falling for this. lol Take your time and you will figure out my point or maybe not. lol (Not my first rodeo. lol)

[@montel111]

@@noblechief4023 Not my first rodeo. You KNOW my point!!

[@butcher568]

Nowadays LBJ have become somekind of a hero figure in movies especially in the hbo movie with bryan cranston .He might have made some domestic good in his political carrer but the command he autharized in the vietnam war is beyond diabolic.

[@CynicalHistorian]

I actually really liked _All the Way_, and I'm putting together a quicky review right now b/c of it

[@butcher568]

I liked it too but in every movie where there is an LBJ I always feel like they strategically leave the vietnam war out or push it to a bare minimum in the narrative because he had a role in civil right period so he is a more rough around the edges good guy in the end .I just find it fascinating that its almost impolite in history to point out serious flaws if in the current political narrative the other side of the charater is more significent. Like with Hitler you can list the goods he has done against animal cruelty and smoking littering etc but its impolite cuz he is Hitler and I should let people have a simple evil picture ofhim.

[@spinlok3943]

@@butcher568 A sequel to the play was created called "The Great Society" which focuses on Vietnam more. I hope they make a film of that with Bryan Cranston.

[@arrekatarver7482]

Dat hairline 2:24 great vid love your stuff

[@montel111]

3 Major Issues with this review. 1. His name is DOCTOR KING!! (He got his PHD in theology from Boston University in 1955!!) His friends called him DOC!! (Unforgivable error from an historian) 2. Viola Liuzzo There were four not three KKK members in the car that killed her. KKK member Gary Thomas Rowe was paid by the FBI and admitted / testified to planning / performing violent acts for the KKK. (e.g. Freedom Rider attacks and 16th Street Baptist Church bombings that killed the four little girls. You omit this fact despite multiple pieces of evidence that show he did them. 3.The next shot, from the movie, right after the one you showed of Viola Liuzzo states that she was the "only White woman to be killed during the civil rights era." HUH? No common sense fact checking on that? Would you bet me $1000 against my $1 that a "White" woman did not have a child and did not die for her own child during the civil rights era? Of course not!! (My angst is aimed at the director, also.) After binge watching a bunch of your videos. I was so perturbed that I have not let myself watch one of your videos again until I wrote this.

[@CynicalHistorian]

1. I don't use honorifics for the most part. That would be seriously bad practice as a historian. Think about how many historians I speak of without putting Dr. in front of them, or all the sirs/madams/high lord chancellor of who-gives-a-damn. Most historians refer to him as MLK or simply King, it is actually an error on your part to assume otherwise. No one gets special treatment, unless their my own professors, but that's the same reason MLK's friends did so. 2. I don't really care about the number of KKK members who attacked, that is not a narrative-relevant detail. And the movie does not refer to the perpetrators of the bombing, so I did not either. It is an irrelevant detail. 3. I actually did research that, and it is disputable. Greatly depends on what counts as the Civil Rights Movement Try not to assume. I may be purposefully omitting such details. As my drill sergeant often said, "Assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups."

[@montel111]

Thank you for your excellent reply. I would like to add a personal note. I am 52. I learned that Dr. King graduated high school at 15 only a few years ago, (my 40's) in a very embarrassing way. It was at a party where I was the only "chocolate chip in the cooke" and of course the question was directed at me. We were playing a Fact or Crap type game. I got the question wrong. and this was right after I had completed a book on African American history in the United States. I remember thinking to myself, "I would have heard this from somewhere before." Unfortunately, I had not. I know it is not fair, but I, respectfully, hold you to a higher standard based on being a historian and your ability to reach the masses. Since, a portion of history is not taught in schools, your channel is where I am going to find it. I am hanging on to you like a drowning man to his life vest! lol

[@ThePlaceCannel]

great video, I should finally go see Selma lol

[@Jarod-te2bi]

5:34 did that get investigated?

[@CynicalHistorian]

yes. here's a whole wiki on her: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Liuzzo

[@Jarod-te2bi]

@@CynicalHistorian hey thanks dude, I love your channel of hurts so much, I also like that you respect others opinions on this movie, and whether they like it or not then just judging them for liking it.(for example, you stated that even though you don’t love the Elton John biopic Rocketman, you still say it’s a good film and point out what I got a ride and Ron and white people like it, I liked it myself, because I was a great flashy, jukebox, musical done in the great Elton John Way, and showed how complex a human being he was, and how we learned to love them self and braces in a child and who he was I believe this message is really important for many people today. that being said, there’s a cup of films I love to see review if you consider it 1. An American tail, this film, well not based on anything is inspired by lots of the immigrant experience during the 19 century and many of the reasons and tribulations they faced, moving to America and live in America, trying to live the American dream, realizing it’s an illusion and trying to live the American way while also staying true to their selves and culture. 2. Dark waters, this is a film, based on a lawyer, who tacos for the largest corporations in America, near the world of the contamination of the area and water with forever chemicals.(a global crisis that affects billions corporations have gone to far man.) mark Ruffalo is the lead, and I was wondering if you give us from a chance because I love his performance and believe it’s a topic worth talking about. 2, concussion with will Smith, feelings right now for Will Smith aside, I do see his performance this film is really great and considering what the real life doctor is playing on covert and what happened to them and what’s going on with football right now I feel it’s an important thing to talk about. PS these are just my feelings. I will be good ideas for review and also I wanted to state how much I appreciate your channel. You don’t have to do any of them, I just believe you could do them justice.

[@schizoidboy]

Regarding the tapes that were sent to King, some even speculate that Hoover never authorized it. According to one of Hoover's top agents one of the agents in charge of COININTEL was the one who sent the tape to King rather than getting permission from Hoover, hinting this agent was going rogue rather than following orders. This can be debated of course, whether or not the agent was just sticking up for his boss when no one else is still willing. The ironic thing of this program is that it also targeted not just protest groups but also the Klan itself and the only ones these FBI agents ever killed was a Klan bomber and his girlfriend when he was tricked into trying to bomb a synagogue.

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Very informative thank you Agapé

[@montel111]

Stop it. Hoover ran a tight tight ship!!

[@williamcainevoiceacting]

Would you do a video response to Windagoons video on the MLK assassination? He makes a very good argument for the theory the FBI killed MLK but I would love an actual historians perspective on the situation and with how big of a video that was i think a historians response to claims made in the video would be beneficial from a learning perspective for those inclined to believe everything said in the video. It would be awesome

[@sawyernorthrop4078]

12:44 I liked bridge of spies...

[@ottocb22]

Me too

[@TheLucasValone]

noble piece prize??? noble?

[@Mentisia]

Works by employees of the federal government are in the public domain so LBJ's speech isn't copyrighted

[@nomduclavier]

And then the FBI slandered Liuzzo after the fact because one of their informants was involved

[@LeeLee19901]

Please do harriet!

[@SunflowerSocialist]

What’s the story with the guy fawkes mask? Are you an activist or just a comic nerd?

[@CynicalHistorian]

+Brendan Davison comic nerd first. Only wore it twice to protests

[@SunflowerSocialist]

The Cynical Historian At least you get outside your main area of interest. My favorite comic books/graphic novels are a people’s history of the American empire, the battle for Iwo Jima and Red Rosa. My interests are pretty narrow.

[@CynicalHistorian]

my favorite is _Watchmen,_ but _V for Vendetta_ comes in 3rd after _The Killing Joke_

[@SunflowerSocialist]

The Cynical Historian big fan of Alan more I see.

[@fireshack6485]

4:24 shows NY State Police officers. I doubt that they were in Alabama. Otherwise, an informative video.

[@queenapryllm8454]

Man people hated MLK, he only lived to 39, he had heart 60 year old they said. Because he had so much stressed.

[@FlagFlyingHigh3]

You know what bothers me. You wearing that fuzzy bear jacket EVERYWHERE

[@CynicalHistorian]

LOL, that's an Army fleece jacket. It's quite comfortable despite being GI issued

[@FlagFlyingHigh3]

The Cynical Historian I wear that thing with shame either wearing my top over or if it's so unbearably cold I dont mind looking like that haha. But I've seriously enjoyed your content keep it up.

[@alecjordan6100]

*student non-violent ‘coordinating’ committee

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Humanitarians

[@cherylhulting1301]

Thank you. It bothered me that he got that wrong too.

[@jameslooker4791]

You said "the narrative" far too many times to not explain what you mean by "the narrative." Self defining terms is important.

[@luiscastaneda5250]

In my personal opinion I think he means the brutal Government and local Crack down on people of all colors attempting to enforce equal voting laws so some natural born citizens don't have their rights violated by Corrupt politicians 🤔.

[@rustcohle3803]

I don't like the actor who plays dr. king. it's like nobody has the melodic voice dr. king has or can even replicate it. I wonder if he did any research. but whatever, it goes to show dr king has a voice like no other, just like jfk.

[@cherylhulting1301]

Wow. Could not agree less. David Oyelowo, who played Dr. King in "Selma," had also played him in a stage production, did extensive research on his life, listened to hours of MLK's speeches on tape to know the material and to capture King's cadence (which is actually brilliant in the film) and was reportedly very invested in playing MLK in "Selma.". It's a richly layered, empathetic, humane and even occasionally funny performance in which he makes the political and emotional stakes very clear. The Oscar race for Best Actor was tough that year but he still should have won.

[@thomascampudoni6736]

Because of the man 👨, we don't get to hear the right speech smh.

[@cherylhulting1301]

No, because Steven Spielberg bought the rights to the speeches for a movie he wants to make about Dr. King himself. Ava Duvernay explained this in an interview.

[@NoOne-hd2iu]

Your jacket looks like it's made out of a bath towel

[@falk2595]

wHen and wHy ... wHite

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Free-white masons i.e. wiccans...ungodly spirits work with witchcraft, psychics, semitouch also known as the universal 🔮 psychic guild used by stenographers! Credentialed, appointed and coronated by false prophets! On a non-ceasing basis are fattening quack pockets disrespecting minds, they have sadistic personality trait aka mentally diseased!

[@LOLquendoTV]

notif squad!

[@Starlesslemon]

"H-white"

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Real lived experience should be taken as serious as a heartbeat!

[@kathleenmckenzie6261]

I thought bringing in MLK's alleged affairs and the blackmail was very distasteful and unnecessary. Otherwise, it was a good movie.

[@gangstablak08]

lol!

[@MarkMcAllister-ni9sf]

lols, King's speeches are fucking copyrighted???!!! Somebody turned Dr. King's nation healing words...into a hustle. I wonder why blacks still do so bad compared to all other races. Are Jefferson's words copyrighted? Are Lincolns? Fucking hell. You do see I compare MLK to Lincoln and Jefferson...because he might as well be considered a founding father.

[@spartanx9293]

So who else watched this in school

[@firefightergoggie]

A "hit"? Really? I don't know a single person that's even heard of this movie...let alone seen it. Until I seen the thumbnail for this video, I never heard of "Selma".

[@Seek1878]

Hm, its almost like the box office isn't dependent on you... It made $66.8 million at the box office and had high critical ratings.

[@numerical25]

Dude, I want you to paste the sources that showed MLK admitting to his wife that he cheated ? For you to add this to your piece gives you a little less credibility. I've been watching your videos and I enjoy them but putting these inaccuracy only make me hesitant to fact check you more. I am no historian but I have done extensive research on Martin Luther King and J Edgar Hoover. I would advise you to edit that. Considering that J Edgar Hoover was a extremely corrupted man and was a big cause for extreme false accusals of communism amongst famous people. As well as had traits of racism. Don't sit up here and say MLK was a adulterous. The FBI accused MLK of extreme out of character behaviors such as hire prostitutes and even having Orgy Parties and inflicting physical abuse amongst his mistress. Some of the most absurd accusations given with absolutely no proof. To say MLK did 1 would be to say he did them all. And to say he only did one, only undermines the accuracy of the then corrupted FBI under Hoover.

[@Vinstant_Karma87]

I mean...im black and believe it totally. So did...Caesar. Alexander, ...anyone ever..

[@381MEDALLION]

Funny how intelligent people, demand complete accuracy with these movies based on true stories, but they revere a Holy Book that takes great liberties with its historical narratives. If we would apply your standard with, that ancient text we should burn the Bible.

[@moviefan005]

381MEDALLION WTF? Why bring Bible into this?

[@381MEDALLION]

Yes I knew the Bible thumpers would be, offended by the comments about the book, but I did not mean to ruffle feathers. Most biblical scholars would agree with what I wrote, so do some research, and don't drag me over the coals ok. Did u see Selma? What was ur opinion of it?

[@miguelzavaleta1911]

381MEDALLION Wish there was a report button for trolling. I'm okay with the trolling, but you *gotta* put some effort into it, bud. Nobody's biting into this low-quality bait.

[@michaelpreller4025]

Miguel Zavaleta its not trolling if it is factual...

[@michellemykelhouse1590]

Only wiccan bibles!