Film
American entertainment industry
Jewish Film in America
Why is it that there are so many Jewish comedians/comediennes? How do their routines show engagement with American society, and also their own identity as Jews? A note here, the hiding/effacing of Jewishness is also a viable topic, but when you look at this, try to see why/how it’s done, and is it effective? You could also look at stand-up as a very Jewish delivery, or perhaps more on the issue of incivility – why does Jewish humor often transgress the social boundaries established by others? You could also look at the relationship among
Gladiator
Watch the film Gladiator (dir. Ridley Scott) with Russell Crowe.
Read https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2004/2004.07.40.
For full credit you need to refer to the article and to specific scenes!
Write 2-3 pages answering the following questions:
§ How do major characters such as Maximus, Commodus, and senator Gaius express the values of late imperial Rome?
§ Based on the movie, how would you describe society at the time the film takes place? How “civilized” is it compared to previous periods and regions? Consider men and women and elite and commoners.
Globalization
1. Title of the report should be in the format “Globalization in The Cup (1991), Dir. Khentsye Norbu”
2. In the first paragraph of the movie report, you will give me a summary of the movie. It should be written in a way that a person who has not viewed it, can grasp the basics of the plot and the context.
3. In the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs, you will relate the movie to at least two concepts from the course. You can use the list provided in the media report, and additional concepts from the presentations and readings after the midterm. Make sure to explain why and how the concept is shown in the movie, not just state that it is so. Example, “In The Cup, forced migration due to religious persecution is depicted in the journey of two young boys out of Chinese-controlled territory to a Buddhist monastery in India….
Film Analysis Essay
Guidelines for Film Essay
Pick a film from the list below. For the film you choose, write a clear and concise 1000-word essay addressing the following points: Briefly summarize the most important elements of the plot of the film. How does the film view those aspects of politics that we have discussed in class? Relate the film to specific readings that we have done in class. In your analysis, be sure to make use of specific scenes and specific quotes from the film. You should discuss in some detail, at a minimum, three quotes the film in writing your paper. Be sure to include the word count at the end of the essay. The body of your essay should be 1000 words (not counting bibliography). If you write less than 1000 words, your essay may get a 0.
One-inch margins, 12-pt font.
Lions for Lambs (R): Three parallel storylines unfold to share a common bond and a powerful message. One story tells the journey of two soldiers in Afghanistan, another takes place in the office of a professor at a California University, and the third is a dialogue between a reporter and a Congressman. United Artists, 2007.
All the President’s Men (PG): The story of the infamous media driven investigation of the break-in at the Watergate Hotel, which would eventually lead to the resignation of an American President. Warner Brothers, 1976.
Wag the Dog (R): Media spin doctors demonstrate how influential they have become in this satirical look at modern politics. New Line Cinema, 1997.
The Insider (R): A research chemist turns whistle blower to expose a corporate giant. This true story shows the price one man paid for telling the truth. Blue Lion Entertainment, 1999.
The Distinguished Gentleman (R): A con man uses the likeness of his name to get elected to the US Congress. Once in public office, he must decide between his own interests and those of his constituents. Hollywood Pictures, 1992.
Geography Essay Based
SHORT PAPER ASSIGNMENT:
IMPORTANT: You MUST follow these instructions exactly or you will receive no credit!
READ CAREFULLY:
The paper should be double-spaced, 12pt type, and around four to five pages long. Grammar and spelling mistakes will not be tolerated – proofread carefully and use your spell-check programs.
IMPORTANT: Choose any film not listed on the Excluded Movie List. Almost any movie can be used but it must take place in the United States – it doesn’t necessarily have to filmed in the US (many movies, for example, are filmed in British Columbia) – it just has to take place in the US. As you think about possible choices, think about how geography is produced through the film and how different environments are portrayed and how place and space figure into the plot or whatever is going on in the film. Your paper will describe the geography of your movie through the use of relevant chapters covered over the course of the semester. No outside sources are permitted!
Think geographically about what you have seen in your movie. Spend NO more than a couple sentences summarizing the movie. I will deduct points if you exceed that limit. You should then develop the geographic themes that the movie uses as part of the story. This might include particular spatial interactions between characters and places and/or people – or how geographies are created within your movie. How are the various geographies in the text reflected in the landscapes depicted? How do these geographies help create suspense or amusement or spectacle? Discuss the possible motivations the producers had for choosing the settings that were used in the movie.