Compare and Contrast / Film Analysis Essay



English 101, Fall 2012

Mrs. Matayabas

Poverty and Film:

The Film Analysis Essay

Film is one of the most influential and defining factors of American and Global culture and it is often a vehicle for exploration and insight into our human experience and/or a creative reflection of the different aspects of our culture. As a result, our ability to critically view films and evaluate their meaning(s) has become an important skill for educated citizens on a local, national or global level.

This essay’s broad topic for analysis is poverty and how our popular films influence our views of poverty. Students will choose one film from the list provided below (if you would like to use another film, please get an “okay” from your instructor) and critically view the film using the methods covered in the handout Writing About Film and Film Terms. Next, complete a film worksheet for your film. Remember, more than one viewing of the film may be necessary to fully identify the methods used and to study the director’s techniques. (*All handouts are available on the instructor’s website.)

Task: In a 3-4 page essay, choose to analyze the techniques, themes, images, symbolism, perspective or other effects used by the director(s) to relay messages about poverty. Build your thesis around an idea or message conveyed by your film, then examine the director’s methods or techniques of relaying his/her message(s).

Suggested Films:

The Grapes of Wrath

The Hunger Games

Titanic

The Pursuit of Happyness

Precious

Slumdog Millionaire

Good Will Hunting

Dark Knight Rises

Winter’s Bone

Cinderella Man

Angela’s Ashes

Getting Started: The following questions should help you begin your critical evaluation of your film or documentary, however, a completed Film/Documentary Worksheet (posted on the website) for your film choice is required and due as part of your final essay folder:

Background

Who is the writer of the film? Has the screenplay been adapted from another work?

Who is the director?

When was the film made? Are there “real life” social, economic, or political concerns that make the film’s message particularly relative or impactful?

Film Structure/Form

What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?

How are the opening credits presented? Do they relate to the meaning?

Why does the film start in the way that it does?

Are there any motifs (scenes, images) of dialogue which are repeated? What purpose do they serve?

What three or four sequences are most important in the film? Why?

Is sound used in any vivid ways to enhance the film? (i.e. Enhance drama, heighten tension, disorient the viewer, etc.?)

How does the film use color or light/dark to suggest tone and mood in different scenes?

Are there any striking uses of perspective (seeing through a character’s eyes, camera angle, etc.) How does this relate to the meaning of the scene?

How and when are scenes cut? Are there any patterns in the way the cuts function?

What specific scene constitutes the film’s climax? How does this scene resolve the central issue of the film?

Does the film leave any unresolved issues (“loose ends”) at the end? If so, what does the omission suggest?

Why does the film conclude on this particular image?

Film Theme

What is the message or meaning of the film?

How does this film relate to the issues and questions evoked by your topic?

Does the film present a clear point-of view on your topic? How?

Are there any aspects of theme which are left ambiguous at the end? Why?

How does this film relate to other experiences you may have had, either personally or professionally?

Does the film or book relate to other literary texts you have read?

*Not all of the questions will necessarily apply to all film choices; however, you should be able to answer most of them for your film choice, or adapt them appropriately for the film you have chosen. If you have difficulty with the questions, it is a signal that you may need help identifying the structure and focus of your essay. Do not procrastinate!

Reference Note: Many of the questions above are taken or adapted from Timothy Corrigan’s A Short Guide to Writing About Film and David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson’s Film Art: An Introduction (5th ed.) and Kurt Weiler of New Trier High School in Illinois.

Other essay requirements include:

(1) A minimum of 4 sources are required. One includes your film choice, one will include a film review of your film, and one will include an essay from the instructor assigned readings. The 4th source is up to you; however, it must be from the library databases.

(2) A minimum of two quotes from the film and they must be integrated appropriately into the text of your essay and be relevant to supporting the thesis.

(3) A minimum of one quote from one of the readings assigned from your textbook, One World, Many Cultures or other instructor assigned readings.

(4) Competed Film Worksheet for your film.

(5) Correct MLA style presentation with in-text citations and a works cited page.

(6) The grammar emphasis for this paper is comma splice (*Remember, this and all other grammar emphasis areas covered in class are cumulative and worth 3pts each occurrence.)

Final Essay Folder Checklist:

Final essay

1 Rough Draft (used during the peer review)

2nd Rough Draft if taken to the Writing Center

Completed Peer Review

Completed Film Worksheet

Copies of all written sources used in the essay (note: it is not necessary to provide copies of essays or readings assigned by the instructor.)

Due Date:

December 3rd

Eng 101—Course # 21978, Section # 0018 and

Eng 101—Course # 22047, Section # 0083

December 4th

Eng 101—Course # 21832, Section # 0030 and Eng 101—Course # 21839, Section # 0037

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