Monumental Myths

Inspired by interviewee James Loewen's Lies Across America, filmmaker Tom Trinley takes an Airstream trailer cross-country to visit misleading or misrepresented historic sites, such as the spurious birth-cabin of Abraham Lincoln, various commemorative statues of Christopher Columbus (we can blame popular 19th-century yarn-spinner Washington Irving for inaccurate tales of the explorer's 1492 voyage), and a New York City statuary depiction of Indians trading Manhattan to the Dutch for a handful of beads. At Mount Rushmore, Trinley does a Michael Moore-like stint, asking embarrassing questions about Ku Klux Klan connections to the landmark until he's asked to leave. Trinley's messages—leaning to the left—are familiar but vital: history is written by the winners and dominant culture (in this case, male, white, Anglo-Saxon); minority groups and the poor are marginalized; and establishment public art foists a simplistic point-of-view that reinforces the status quo. Late historian Howard Zinn is among those appearing in this engaging production, which concludes with an edu-taining recap in hip-hop rhyme. DVD extras include extended interviews, a music video, and a featurette about the Airstream. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Cassady)