Michael & Whitney Landis

About the Author

Michael Landis is an Assistant Professor of History at Tarleton State University and is the author of Northern Men with Southern Loyalties: The Democratic Party and the Sectional Crisis (Cornell, 2014). Whitney Landis is a commissioning editor at The History Press and has an MA in history from The George Washington University. They live with their two dogs in Granbury, Texas. They watch lots of movies.

Author Archive Page

The Finding of Moses. Edwin Long, 1886 (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Ridley Scott’s Exodus: What Happened to the Women?

January 6, 2015By Michael & Whitney Landis

In Exodus: Gods and Kings, producer and director Ridley Scott made many controversial interpretation decisions in his treatment of the story of Moses. Arguably, the most provocative choice was nearly to eliminate women from his narrative.

All-American Salute. John W. Young, Apollo 16 (Photo: NASA)

Interstellar and the Myth of the American Hero

November 18, 2014By Michael & Whitney Landis

Interstellar is about a farmer (played by Matthew McConaughey) who literally tries to save the world. The average-man hero is a central premise of many Hollywood films.