The two films depict the Black Death of the 14th century in Tuscany and the Spanish Flu of 1918 in Britain in very different ways. While Cataclysm takes a broad approach to exploring how the Black Death affected the entire society, The Flu that Killed 50 Million focuses more on the individual impacts of the epidemic. Cataclysm uses historical accounts, including first-hand accounts of the time, to recreate the events and atmosphere of the time, whereas The Flu that Killed 50 Million focuses on a more intimate story and uses more modern techniques, such as interviews and archival footage, to depict the real-world consequences of the Spanish flu.
Both films have different objectives and tell different stories, but they both share a common goal:
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In Cataclysm, we see a more traditional response to the Black Death in central Italy, with the Church playing a more dominant role. This is in stark contrast to the Spanish Flu, which had a much more modern and scientific response in Britain, with the government and medical experts leading research and treatments. This difference in approach is reflected in the two films, with Cataclysm relying more heavily on first-hand accounts and traditional imagery to portray the Black Death, and The Flu that Killed 50 Million relying more heavily on modern techniques such as interviews, archival footage and current medical understanding of the Spanish Flu to tell its …show more content…
Cataclysm provides a unique perspective of the Black Death by taking viewers to a rural Italian village, and allowing them to witness how this epidemic changed the lives of the people living there. This is especially effective in capturing the sense of collective tragedy that the pandemic brought to the region, as it highlights the devastating effects of the disease on the lives of the people and their livelihoods. The Flu That Killed 50 Million, meanwhile, gives a much more intimate look into the effect of the Spanish Flu on individuals, as it follows two characters and their struggles in the face of the pandemic. This more intimate tale is more effective in highlighting the individual struggles of living through a pandemic, and how even in the face of such tragedy, resilience is