Stars 'Speak' Out About New Documentary

By Denise Warner Posted Dec 8th 2009 02:00PM

Matt Damon, Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover and others lend their talents to the new History Channel documentary special called 'The People Speak,' based on Howard Zinn's book 'A People's History of America.'

PopEater sat down with a few of the actors and Zinn to discuss 'Speak,' which transformed from a book, to a traveling stage show and now finally into the documentary.

In the feature, actors read historical first person documents from pivotal points in America's history -- like the Declaration of Independence, Mark Twain's personal letters or excerpts from John Steinbeck's 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

Damon believes it's vital that Americans have this information.

"I think it's important for all of us to learn at a young age that there are different perspectives on the same event," Damon explains.

"One of my earliest memories of [A People's History of America'] was taking it to class when I was 10 years old and reading from the Columbus chapter right before Columbus Day and it was shocking when you read [it]," he continues.

"It's incredible what was done and it was never something that was taught. In fact what was taught, well, you hear the names of the three ships that he came on and he came over and he discovered America and we should all take a day off from work because he was such a wonderful guy," he adds.

Zinn, who is also the executive producer, is very happy that this has been turned into a film.

"It's been a very exciting," he says. "As the actors came on board and we heard them read, we realized we had very rich material."

The author stresses the importance of learning the different historical points of view. "How many people learn in school anything about Mark Twain other than he wrote 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn'? They don't learn that Mark Twain was the vice-president of the anti-imperialist league? That he criticized President Theodore Roosevelt about the Phillippines war."

Mortensen tells us he began his 'Speak' journey well before the movie came to be and really enjoyed this work.

"It's always been ... really fun to do," Mortensen describes. "It's been very democratic and fulfilling, even before they did this movie."

Although the 'Lord of the Rings' star has read many of the documents in past performances, he doesn't have a favorite. "That's what so beautiful about it."

What did he learn? "It sounds trite, but it's the truth -- how powerful ordinary people getting together are."

For his part, Glover loves being involved with the historical aspect and relates his experience watching the news of the Montgomery Bus Boycott as a child.

He tells PopEater he was "moved" by the coverage and it sparked his interest. "I want to know, who are these people? I want to be like them. They were making history."

Glover doesn't want to label 'The People Speak' as an "alternative history."

"It takes a lot of courage to try to say, 'OK, this is what has been presented to me and this is what I've been indoctrinated with, this is what I've learned ... let me hear something else and let me understand the other things I hear as it relates to what I didn't hear,'" he says.

'The People Speak' airs this Sunday on the History Channel.

Tags: danny glover, DannyGlover, howard zinn, HowardZinn, matt damon, MattDamon, the people speak, ThePeopleSpeak, Viggo Mortensen, ViggoMortensen

Comments

(10)

Wednesday 09 December

By trnichols

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Why is it that hollywood types always seem to bring up things that happened hundreds of years ago.That's history fine,but they want us to apologize for things we had nothing to do with.Me I don't owe an apology to anyone and neither does anyone else that's under 150 years old!

Tuesday 08 December

By artie

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First we have Blathering Idiots like Sean Penn who can't speak more then 2 sentances without a script. Now we have Matthew, Little Joshie boy, and Voggo, ( All three of them couldn't make one Bogart), telling us about American History? If any of these Over paid, Under Talented whiz kids want to debate the History of the Greatest Country in the History of the world, give them my e-mail. I would love to do it.

By John

Well said!

By marcia

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Try reading " A peoples history in America" by Howard Zinn, then speak about debating the information! I get the idea, you have No idea what the debate has in store for ya. Howard Zinn is an highly intelligent historian and activist, do you have that kind of experience or passion for truth?

By Red Fruit

Hope they include Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day establishment address.

By sjc

With Danny glover and Matt Damon involved it should be called "The Left Wing Fantasy History" or "Nancy Pelosi's Ass Kissing Friends Share Their Vison of A Socialist America"

By ArtMedina

Marcia, Howard Zinn is an intelligent academic, upon this you and I can agree. Your other accolade for him is the one which truly, however, explains all of the work which he has advanced: ACTIVIST. Every nation which has ever existed upon this earth has its good and its bad aspects, and all of their histories reflect this. In the real world, nature is often brutally harsh, life is gritty, and peoples (nations) are both cruel and kind. All nations' histories have played out as great dramas, with both good and bad moments.

My problem with Professor Zinn centers upon his apparent obsession only with the BAD moments in the American Drama, which he pushes forward while nearly ignoring the GOOD moments which equally exist within the American Dramatic Narrative. In this, he shows his true colors as a Leftist Anti-American Activist. As an historian myself, I do not accept any accounts of American History which are 'sugar-coated'; likewise I do not accept any accounts which are 'poison-soaked', such as those advanced by Professor Howard Zinn.

A well-balanced mind recognizes life with all of its wonders, as well as all of its warts, included. Thusly does a well-balanced mind also view all of world history, including the history of the United States of America.

By Hey You

ArtMedina, I couldn't agree with you more...VERY well said!!

By Lynn2

Well said , I agree. Anyone with a lick of sense would realize that Howard Zinn is only exploiting one side of the story.

By bob

Marcia-like Zinn I have passion-but still disagree with him. Passion does not mean he is right.

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