Films, like books, are great ways for us to learn life lessons – to learn not to judge people on first impressions, we only need to watch Forrest Gump. Similarly, if we want to know that great adversaries can be conquered, we don’t need to go through tough trials ourselves. We can sit back, relax, and watch others go through them in 127 Hours or The King’s Speech. Still, we should all be aware that some films reflect only the fantasy of the truth. One such film that may concern some of the freshers who have just started at Oxford is the popular adaptation of The History Boys.
The History Boys is written by Oxford graduate Alan Bennett and stars now-famous but then relatively unknown faces such as Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey, and James Corden, along with old theatre favourite Richard Griffiths. The film’s plot follows a group of 6th form boys as they study for the Oxford entrance exam, and the relationships that they have with the various teachers trying to help them succeed. The script is both witty and intelligent, but may leave some viewers nervous: all these boys are able to speak French and quote great poets before they even set foot in any of the Oxford libraries.
Bennett is not the only writer guilty of romanticising Oxford to a point where it is hardly recognisable. The 2008 film Brideshead Revisited, based on the book by Evelyn Waugh, is another example of how stereotypes of Oxford have changed the way people perceive the university. This film is based around students in Hertford College and portrays Oxford as the playground for the rich and aristocratic, where they can spend time drinking and talking instead of doing any work.
The Oxford that is so often portrayed in mainstream culture is nothing more than a myth – don’t worry, freshers, the average Oxford student is more like something out of The Inbetweeners.
Films, like books, are great ways for us to learn life lessons – to learn not to judge people on first impressions, we only need to watch Forrest Gump. Similarly, if we want to know that great adversaries can be conquered, we don’t need to go through tough trials ourselves. We can sit back, relax, and watch others go through them in 127 Hours or The King’s Speech. Still, we should all be aware that some films reflect only the fantasy of the truth. One such film that may concern some of the freshers who have just started at Oxford is the popular adaptation of The History Boys.
The History Boys is written by Oxford graduate Alan Bennett and stars now-famous but then relatively unknown faces such as Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey, and James Corden, along with old theatre favourite Richard Griffiths. The film’s plot follows a group of 6th form boys as they study for the Oxford entrance exam, and the relationships that they have with the various teachers trying to help them succeed. The script is both witty and intelligent, but may leave some viewers nervous: all these boys are able to speak French and quote great poets before they even set foot in any of the Oxford libraries.
Bennett is not the only writer guilty of romanticising Oxford to a point where it is hardly recognisable. The 2008 film Brideshead Revisited, based on the book by Evelyn Waugh, is another example of how stereotypes of Oxford have changed the way people perceive the university. This film is based around students in Hertford College and portrays Oxford as the playground for the rich and aristocratic, where they can spend time drinking and talking instead of doing any work.The Oxford that is so often portrayed in mainstream culture is nothing more than a myth – don’t worry, freshers, the average Oxford student is more like something out of The Inbetweeners.
