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Film
and History You
may, in lieu of writing one of the examination essays, study and write
on a film with a historical theme. Not all films are eligible for this
assignment, so be certain your target movie is acceptable. First,
be certain it addresses the periods we are studying in this class. Films
on prominent personalities or events from the period are preferred, but
film versions of books and stories from the era may be considered as
well. Unfortunately films on Non-Western subjects are harder to find for
this period. [Some films are pre-approved: Intolerance, The
Mahabharata, Siddhartha, Socrates, Alexander the Great, Trojan Woman,
Spartacus, Cleopatra, The Ten Commandments, Sign of the
Cross Mohammed, Messenger of God, Ivanhoe, Braveheart, The Crusades,
Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the Terrible I or II, The Lion in Winte, The
Adventures of Marco Polo, Samsho the Bailiff, Kwaidan, The Agony and the
Ecstasy, Christopher Columbus, The Conquest of Paradise.] Second,
be certain you can locate a video copy of it or can arrange to see it at
least twice. You'll need to watch it carefully, taking detailed notes. Third,
track down at least two detailed reviews of the film from publications
such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Time,
Newsweek, and the New Yorker. There are also compilations
of reviews you may consult. The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
offers details on films and links to reviews. If the film is based on a
book or short story, you should take a look at it as well. Fourth,
prepare the following three part report on the film and how it
represents the past and what it suggests about the time in which it was
made. Your
report should be about six
double-spaced typed (or word processed) pages long (1500 words). A
title page is required, but do not use any fancy report covers. Your
report should be as error free and as smoothly written as you can make
it. Refer to the essay writing handout and the syllabus for writing
tips. You are welcome to discuss your report with me during conference
hours. Your
report is due at the start of class one week before the midterm or final
exams. Part 1
of your report should be no more than one page in length. You should
provide basic information about the film, including the title, year
released, approximate length (in minutes), and names of the producing
studio/distributor, producer, director, writer, and principal actors.
This information is usually included in the film credits (and on the
video box and in film reviews). Include a brief summary (about 100
words) of the film's plot. Try to answer the basic questions: who, what,
where, when, why, and how. Part 2
should be no more than one page in length. Analyze the reviews of the
film. Discuss what the reviewers were looking for and what they thought
they found. What did reviewers find interesting, praise-worthy, or
deficient? What do the reviews suggest about the values of the time the
film was made? What do the reviews suggest about how the depicted period
was thought of? Do you think reviewers today would have different
opinions? Why? [Include complete
citations for the reviews and attach
photocopies of each review.] Part 3
should be two or three pages in length. Analyze the film, pushing beyond
surface content and focusing on the following questions: What messages did
the filmmakers intend? What values and ideas do these messages reinforce
or challenge? How accurately are the period, place, people, and events
depicted? If there are inaccuracies or incongruities, why might they
have been included? Is it possible that the film is simply set in the
past and is really about contemporary issues? [In comparing the film to
other sources, such as your textbooks, be
sure to include a citation for the source(s).] Citations There are many excellent writing guides and guides to preparing citations. Some are included in the general reference section of the internet guide. My favorite writing guides are the classic Strunk and White, The Elements of Style and a newer book, Bird by Bird. Gordon's The Well-Tempered Sentence is a humorous look at punctuation. Many publishers have solid handbooks which offer writing, citation, and editing advice. Three good ones are Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual; Ebbitt and Ebbitt, Writer's Guide and Index to English; and Lunsford and Connors, The St. Martin's Handbook. The Chicago Manual of Style is another standard reference. Many of these resources and many others are available in our library. For assignments in this class choose one of the following citation styles: In-text citations (author's last name, page no.)
Or Footnote or endnote Foot/endnote No. Author's last name, first name, (year), page number.
or Foot/endnote no. Author's first name last name, Title, (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year)
Include a list of works cited at the end of your report. Use either of these styles. Author's last name, first name. Year. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher. example: Miller, John. 1993. Butler's Battle. Los Angeles: Paramount Press. or Author's last name, first name. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. example: Miller, John. Butler's Battle. Los Angeles: Paramount Press, 1993. Newspaper or magazine articles: Author's last name, first name. "Name of article." Name of Magazine, date of publication: page numbers.
Citing internet sources: Author's last name, first name. "Name of article/chart." Name of site. URL (universal resource locator). Date.
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