The work of documentary director Errol Morris can be approached in a variety of ways as it intersects and engages with many of the major themes of film and television scholarship - genre, authorship, and historical representation. But while his films and television episodes expose debates within film and documentary studies, they also call up major elements of postmodern debates within the historical discipline. Morris makes historical documentaries that do not simply render a (hi)story visually; he also attempts to draw viewers' attention to the conventions and construction of both visual media and of history. His work reveals both his keen awareness of postmodern historical debates, and a willingness to play, to confront basic assumptions, question boundaries, and to contribute to those debates. In 'Errol Morris and the Art of History', I argue that Morris is a visual historian; his films and television episodes draw as much from his understanding of historiographical debates as they do from his knowledge and artistic approach to visual media. All of Morris' work challenges the notion of objectivity in both documentary filmmaking and history; he attempts to illuminate the limits and conventions of visual depictions of history; he uses strategies to denaturalise historical and narrative construction, the naturalising tendencies of visual media, and the conventions of documentary practice; and he attempts to promote increased critical reflection. This thesis closely examines Morris' documentary films and television episodes to consider the structure and strategies that characterise his work, and situate it within contemporary film and historical debates. I explore Morris' methods and approach to documentary and history, showing how his work relates to postmodern history debates, to written and visual representations of history, and to documentary history and theory, including more recent factual forms like reality television.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Stephen Heathorn. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 326-338) and filmography (leaves 339-370).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-73)

Thesis (MFA)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2009. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Theo Lipfert. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-30).

Thesis (M.A.)--Texas State University--San Marcos, 2009. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-147). Also available on microfilm.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--York University, 2009. Graduate Programme in Film and Video. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR52780

Thesis (M.A.)--Northern Illinois University, 2005.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--University of North Texas, May, 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.