Author
Lorena Russell
Last edited 20 Feb 2005
Email lrussell@unca.edu
|
Unit 3: Film Analysis People who work in the humanities explore how our culture expresses itself through books, art, music, magazines, etc. In this unit, we are going to interpret one form of cultural expression, films. While this will require some initial research for you to acquire the terms you will need to talk critically about a film, the bulk of your work will be interpreting the film itself. You will begin this unit by picking a film that you want to work with. Remember, you will need to watch the film several times, so try to pick one that is readily available on DVD or cassette, and one that won’t bore you the second or third time around. I’ll offer a list of potential films that will lend themselves to critical analysis.Please choose your film from this list. This assignment works best if you avoid film you “really love.” You will write a short (1 page) summary of the film for your first feeder. For your second feeder, you are to write a 2-3 page paper in which you will develop a "tool" with which you are able to interpret your film, i.e. you are to research a subject of your choosing that you will be able to apply to your film in order to draw some interpretation, to "make a point" about your film. For your final project, you will write a 5-6 page interpretation of your movie in terms of the subject you have chosen and researched. You are welcomed to work individually or in collaboration with other students in our class. Just be sure to clearly acknowledge all sources and writers in your paper. Assignment 3a Due 11/12 You are to choose a film, watch it, and write a one page paper that gives a brief summary of the film and a short description of what subject or focus you might want to research for your second feeder (see the assignment for 3b and 3c). This is not a review (i.e. don’t offer your opinion of the film’s artistic virtues or drawbacks). Use the guidelines for identifying themes in film to help you focus your reading. Assignment 3b Draft due 11/14 For your final project, you need to have some way of talking about your film. Therefore, this feeder requires you to research a subject that you can use as a tool to apply to your film so you can draw an effective interpretation and analysis. For example, you could research a specific aspect of film production (i.e. cinematography, lighting, costuming, sound, music, etc.), and base your interpretation on a technical aspect of film making (For example, in Alien3, how does the camera work contribute to feelings of claustrophobia and enhance the experience of the Gothic threat the film proposes? Or, in The Fisher King, how does the camera produce two worlds, one of madness and one of sanity, and how does the camera show the characters’ movement back and forth between those two worlds? Or in Die Hard, how does the camera produce Bruce Willis as a hero of the "will," and not of the body?). Or, you could research the historical background of the time period in which your film was produced, both in terms of film history, political and social history, or both (for example, what is the relationship between Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s revision of the western genre and the historical events of the late sixties?). Or you could research historical events upon which your film is based, and make an interpretation based on your findings (For example, what is the significance of the differences between the historical events surrounding Kennedy’s assassination and the historical events portrayed in Oliver Stone’s JFK?). Or you could research a specific theoretical perspective, such as Marxism, feminism, African-American theory, deconstruction, queer theory, postcolonial theory, etc. and apply it to your film (for example, in its production of the all-powerful "Company," what is Alien saying about the dehumanizing effects of multinational capital? Or, what is Thelma and Louise saying about the nature of resistance to gender norms in the progression of its title characters?). You have a fair amount of freedom here, so you should pick a subject that interests you (and will be appropriate for your film). In your research, consult at least two academic sources to learn more about your subject. I’ll put several items on reserve that should be useful. In a 2-3 page paper, describe what you’ve learned. Cite your sources using MLA format. Unit III Project Draft due 11/23 You are to write a 5-7 page paper on your movie, developing the insights you gained in your second feeder. In this paper you are to interpret your film (make a point about your film) based on your research from the second feeder. You will only need to use the sources that you found for your second feeder, although you are free to use any more sources you wish. Use MLA format for citation. THIS IS NOT A REVIEW. You are to discuss your paper from a scholarly perspective, so do not focus on plot summary or entertainment value. This is a paper for academics by an academic, so use appropriate authority and formality. |
|
Author
Lorena Russell |