Guidelines: You are required to write a total of three essays, one essay for each section (A, B, and C). Each essay answer must be a minimum of 600 words. You may write about the same film more than once ONLY if you are writing about different subject matter. You may not write about the same film more than twice. You may only write on films viewed in class. Films viewed outside of class are not eligible for analysis. Please indicate, by number, your answers. *It is very important that you support your analytical points with specific illustrations from course films.
Eligible Films: Casablanca, Double Indemnity, Invictus, The Graduate, When Harry Met Sally, The Silence of the Lambs, LA Confidential, American Beauty, Memento, Match Point, Black Swan, Slumdog Millionaire, Wonder W0man.
SECTION A. Answer one of these questions.
1. Choose one genre of cinema (as outlined in the lectures, not as presented in the textbook): Classical, Modern, or Postmodern. In your essay, show how one or more films characterize this genre. Be sure to define and discuss the fundamental elements of this genre as suggested in the course lectures.
2. Compare and contrast two genres of cinema (Classical, Modern, or Postmodern), illustrating your answer by discussing one or more films. Be sure to define and discuss the fundamental elements of these genres as suggested in the course lectures.
3. Choose at least one important element in film interpretation (issues that might be examined include: cultural perspectives, cinematic, time, narrative trajectory, and forestructure) and illustrate your answer by illustrating it in one or more films.
SECTION B: Select two or more terms/concepts and apply them to one or more class films above.
Diegetic sound / non-diegetic sound / ambient sound / crane shot / Steadicam / framing or reframing / establishing shot/master shot / extreme long shot / extreme close-up / close-up / medium shot / deep-focus cinematography / slow motion or fast motion / chiaroscuro / high-key lighting / low-key lighting / continuity editing or cutting on action / shot/reverse shot / freeze-frame / fade-in or fade-out / wipe / dissolve / montage / long take / voice-over / realism / antirealism / verisimilitude / climax / characterization / flat character / round character / cinematic time / flashback or flash-forward / inciting moment / omniscient point-of-view / single character point-of-view / group point-of-view / parallel editing / jump cuts / split screens
SECTION C: Select two issues from the list below and apply them to one or more class films.
1. Cultural assumptions of society and audiences 2. Character Stereotyping
3. Relationships, including love
4. Issues of identity
5. Images of women
6. Journey motif(s)
7. Themes of nostalgia and loss
8. Comic irony/satire/parody
9. Racial and ethnic portraits
10. American myth
11. Degradation/corruption
13. Portraits of Romance
14. Strategic or critical moment in a film 15. Ethical issues
16. Terror, horror, fear
17. International conflict
18. Uses of violence
19. Issues of obsession
20 Coming of age narrative
