A Filmmaker's Guide to: Alternate History

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Alternate History

What is it?

Alternate history takes actual history and adapts it in order to fit the narrative of the movie/book it is depicting. This means even changing certain historical facts in order to do so.

Fun fact: I am actually working on an alternate history epic novel myself and so have been for about five years now.

When it comes to literature, there are lots of things you can read on the subject of alternate history. Let us have a look at just some of those books then:

1. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
2. 11.22.63 by Stephen King
3. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
4. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
5. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
6. The Altercation by Kingsley Amis
7. Fatherland by Robert Harris
8. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
9. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
10. Dominion by C.J Sansom

Each of these books are based within a historical time frame and plot but changes the details in order to make a 'what if' story along with an interesting storyline within in.

What about in film?

There are many films that cover alternate history and many of them that do so either ironically or seriously. Here are a list of some you could check out, each of them different to the last:

1. X-Men: Days of Future Past
2. Looper
3. Never Let Me Go
4. Richard III
5. Inglorious Basterds

Alternate History is an interesting genre because it can work in a number of ways. The first way it works in film is where it is done with serious intent. In films like "Never Let Me Go" it is trying to show us what would happen if the future was different. However, in a film like "Inglorious Basterds" we see a world that is alternate history ironically. Something funny and something satirical that everyone can enjoy - watching Hitler get shot in the face.

Another way in which film depicts alternate history is by taking something that was already based on history, like Shakespeare's Richard III, and turning it into a movie set in another time and place, such as the film "Richard III" with Ian McKellan and Robert Downey Jr.

Alternate History films are always difficult to make because you need a good enough part of history that would, if changed in victor, would produce a damning and strange impact over humanity in order to secure a good enough plot line. Therefore, it is very important that you look into various countries and their historical events in order to plan correctly what you wish to do or change about them. Obviously things such as shooting Hitler in the face would’ve greatly changed the outcomes of World War Two and many people would possibly still be alive today, but that is possibly overdone.

Let's have a look at some further reading then on some primary sources.

Further Reading: