Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver is a film about many things, but overall it is about the theme of isolation and focuses on one particular loner in a big city who can be construed as an antihero. It is a film that draws from many genres: the Western, horror, noir, and was also influenced by the films of the Italians (DeSica, Rosselini, Fellini).

Discuss, in at least two paragraphs, the themes of isolation and/or the antihero and how Scorsese's film is influenced by the different genres and by the Italians.

Due: Friday, November 30. Along with pages 1-6 of your Independent Study!

Amarcord

This should be easy. Choose a scene in the film (any scene!) and analyze it in depth. Be sure to discuss its sociocultural influences, why you chose the scene, and how the scene relates to the film as a whole. Your response should be thoughtful and along the lines of what you'll do next month. Be thorough--at least 3 paragraphs.

Due: Monday, November 19.

La Strada

Roger Ebert, in his Great Films essay on La Strada, says:

"It is Quinn's performance that holds up best, because it is the simplest. Zamano is not much more intelligent than Gelsomina. Life has made him a brute and an outcast, with one dumb trick (breaking a chain by expanding his chest muscles), and a memorized line of patter that was perhaps supplied to him by a circus owner years before. His tragedy is that he loves Gelsomina and does not know it, and that is the central tragedy for many of Fellini's characters: They are always turning away from the warmth and safety of those who understand them, to seek restlessly in the barren world."

Fellini has given us a film about outcasts. How do the roles of these outcasts reflect on each other? Do you see any signs of redemption? Choose a character and examine how that character redeems him or herself and how that character is cinematically presented as an outcast by society. Be mindful of all of Fellini's symbolism! Do this in at least 3 hearty paragraphs.

Due: Monday, October 29

Tying it all together...

Think about the three films we've watched so far in this unit--Let the Right One In, Ringu, and The Shining, and choose 2 to use in your essay. Choose one of these two prompts:

• Examine all aspects of mise-en-scene (lighting, composition, set, properties, etc.). This would include colors as well. Discuss the concept of "monster" through the mise-en-scene in each film. This exercise will help to prepare you for your Independent Study and your Oral Presentation. Examine CLOSELY and offer me many details and examples. Think about what the director is trying to say IMPLICITLY. Tie both films in with each other. Discuss similarities and differences in the mise-en-scene in both films. Please do this in 4 well-developed paragraphs.

OR

• Choose a five minute scene in both films and examine the role of women and how they are portrayed in your selected scenes and in the films as a whole. Be sure to discuss this topic CINEMATICALLY. How does the director show us? Do this in 4 well-developed paragraphs.

DUE: Friday, October 19

Ringu

Remember how to look at a film through a feminist lens? Choose a five-minute scene in Ringu and examine the role of woman and how they are portrayed in your selected scene and the film as a whole. Be sure to discuss this topic CINEMATICALLY. How does the director show us? Do this in 3 well developed paragraphs. You might want to look up essays by such big names as Tania Modleski, Laura Mulvey, and Molly Haskell--extra credit for reference to any of their essays. You must state the title of the essay and use at least one quote. I have some books in the library that could help you with this.

DUE: Monday, October 8

Horror Mise-en-Scene

I want you to think about the mise-en-scene in Let the Right One In. Examine all aspects of mise-en-scene: lighting, composition, set, properties, etc. This would include colors as well. Discuss the concept of "monster" through the mise-en-scene of the film. This exercise will help prepare you for your Independent Study. Examine CLOSELY and offer me many details and examples. Think about what the director is trying to say IMPLICITLY. Please do this in 2 well-developed paragraphs.

Video Contest--Dues Oct. 14

Dr. Kresse just sent this link to me. It's a video contest for anti-bullying. It doesn't look like it would be too hard for any of you to do and the grand prize is $2000. Here's the link.