Freedom Riders

- If Hollywood attempted to depict the Freedom Riders in movie form, could it be done authentically with a close rendering of real events to the point where it was more effective for audiences than the documentary, or will the documentary always trump anything Hollywood could do, given that it's the "true" story?


        Freedom Riders, as a documentary, is an undoubtedly educational work. Therefore, for a Hollywood movie to accomplish the same kind of educational effect seems less than reasonable. However, what isn't taken into account is the audience that such a movie would reach. In general, documentaries are less widely enjoyed than blockbuster-style films. Freedom Riders itself is only educational to those who watch it. This seems at first like an obvious statement, but it shines a light on the power of a major industry film. If a blockbuster movie was made, it might leave out some of the details. It may create interactions that never happened, and it may even make up characters who never existed. Despite this, it would serve to educate people who otherwise may not have heard of the freedom riders about their struggle, and it could even open the door for some to do further research. In many ways, a blockbuster depiction documentary could do better than even the original. Besides that it would get their story out to many more people, it would create more interest in the topic, it could better display the tensions and emotions of the setting, and it could be more easily accessible to younger viewers who would want to understand the story. As well, there is no reason that the movie even WOULD be inaccurate. It is perfectly feasible that a movie could be made which would clearly and truthfully render the story of the freedom riders without making up things that never really happened.