Is the Manchurian Candidate (2004) helpful to learning about history?

Question

If so please tell me why, and how helpful books are to learning about history

Answer 1

no, but a good movie. howard zinn's book on history is a good all around one.

Answer 2

I teach history and I think movies are a great way to learn about history.  In college, I took a class called Learning History Through the Movies.  

However, Manchurian Candidate does not teach enough about history to warrant spending time watching it.  It was a pretty good movie  though.

Books are great, but if the book is too thin or too thick you won't be too interested.  I recommend Lies My History Teacher Told Me  by James Loewen (sp?).  Then, choose a book that talks about a particular subject that YOU are interested in.  

Answer 3

The better movie is the first one with Frank Sinatra.

It helps explain the Cold War and the machinations of persons who will try anything to get ahead no matter what it takes or whom it hurts.

Books are definitely the best way to go, although will usually (obviously) take more of your time. They give you SO much more information and are able to go in depth on a subject. I prefer books for this reason.

Also, movies are for entertainment purposes only. They take many liberties with the truth.

It helps to enjoy reading, but, if you're in a time crunch - watch the movie.

Suggestion for the Cold War: "On the Beach" with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. 1959. Stellar and the scariest movie I've ever seen, although you see no blood, gore, bombs or bullets. Give it a shot - if you can find it.