The Editor's Reflections and Reports

Special Editor's Introduction | Editor's Corner We of Film & history have been busy since the last issue of thejournal and here are some of the highlights of the past few months The Editor's Reflections and Reports Peter C. Rollins Conference News for November 2004 The "War in Film, TV, and History" conference, planned for November of 2004—yes, 2004— is still in the formative stages. Some of the most recent information is available on the Film & History web site, to include favored airline details, hotel information for the Dolce Convention Center, and partial academic area information. (See side bar for tentative areas.) The Dolce Convention Center is linked to our web site and prospective participants are invited tostroll War in Film (electronically) on a guided tour ofthe Center. (This tour is an impressive experience unto itself, a real example of technology at work.) While most scholars will have a current research and writing priority on the academic table, many may be inspired by the suggested topics; the calendar certainly does allow time for the preparation of a fresh research project. For example, I think I have a "new" way of interpreting the film Stalag 17 (Dir. Billy Wilder, 1953), a view which puts the prison camp film into a new context—not of the war, but of the post-war period of affluence and consumption. It is my beliefthat such an interpretation will explain the "problems" which scholars have had with the film and will confirm that the production does an excellent and accurate job of analyzing a major concern of Americans after WWII. With the DVD for Stalag 17'in hand, I have plenty of time to research messages of the production and evaluate its The Dolce Center reception by reviewers and scholars and then to insert my solution to the interpretive puzzle. It is very possible that others out there in the land of Film & History studies have similar projects in mind; now is the time to sit down and begin research. By next fall, you will have a genuine contribution on war in film, TV, and history to share at our Dallas meeting! We have just learned that our featured speaker is Adrian Cronauer, the real one! Adrian Cronauer is the colorful radio personality (now a lawyer and humanitarian activist) whose life was the basis for the Robin Williams film entitled GoodMorning Vietnam (Barry Levinson, 1987). Mr. Cronauer will discuss his original script for the film, the transformations introduced by Hollywood screenwriters, and the final version as it appeared on the screen. There will be a special screening of the film prior to his talk at the luncheon; this conjunction of a major production with a living person should provide a wonderful opportunity for participants. (Mr. Cronauer often visits university campuses and this event will give some idea of his excellent presentation skills—which combine seriAdrian Cronauer ousness and humor.) Our conference is scheduled for November 11-14, 2004—more than a year from now. The meeting will take place at the Dolce Conference center, a short (complimentary ) van ride from the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport. Like our last conferences—in 2000 on "The Presidency in Film"; in 2002 on "The West in Film"—this meeting will offer traditional academic panels, but will include a luncheon with our prominent speaker plus a few special events. We plan to offer key films in the evenings . The individual room cost of $79 is pretty special and will help those with limited budgets—that is, all university graduate students and professors. Check the Film & History web site for breaking news. The staff has urged me to iterate that the conference is not limited to American films concerning war, but war films from anywhere on the terraqueous globe and from any time period. As we tell our students concerning their questions in class, if you have a topic which interests you, it is highly likely that others will share your concerns and will profit from your work. FurtherVoI . 33.2 (2003)|1 Rollins I Regular Feature more, it is also worth mentioning that we will publish an entire year oíFilm & History on the topic, but the two issues...