filmrev

Group Project—Film Review Overview
This project requires you to analyze a film. Using our class discussion of the ways in which our language grows out of our environment and tells us something about the world we live in, think carefully about what the language in the film you choose says about the world. For specific questions to ask of your film and a detailed strategy for thinking about what the language in the film says about the world, see Paper 3 tips, http://www2.gasou.edu/facstaff/lamy/pap3tip.html.)

Remember, we are thinking of language in a very broad sense, which includes the words we say, the ways our actions communicate meaning, and the non-verbal language we use (body language, clothing, jewelry, anything that we use a symbol or sign to communicate something-- peace signs and tie die for hippies, shaved head for skinheads, etc.)

With this film review, we are going to add an important component to the thinking we have already done about the relationship between language and world: what does your film tell you about the power relations important to our culture? Some of the obvious kinds of power relations you might encounter are: relations between men and women (gender), between races, and between classes. Be sure to watch your film AT LEAST TWICE!, and at least once with a group of people. Pay especially close attention to how race, class, and gender are represented and the ways in which these representations play upon, manipulate, reinforce and/or undercut stereotypes of class, race, and gender.

The Film Review is a shortish paper, 3-5 pages. Papers are due by March 10th. Complete drafts are due in class March 5th

Steps (See Paper 3 tips for a more detailed list of questions to pose about your film)

Analyze the film, asking yourself:

what is the targeted audience for the film?
what assumptions about the audience does the film make?
what race/class/gender stereotypes does the film draw upon?
how does the film reinforce or subvert these stereotypes?
how does music, narrative, color, scenery, etc., create meaning in the film?
how does the film manipulate the audiences' fears and/or desires?
what does the film suggest about power relations in our dominant culture?

Brainstorm points and interpretations. See: Thought Starters: Asking the Right Questions; Concept Mapping & Examples of Maps; & Purdue's Site for tips and examples.
You may choose to do this as a group paper. If you choose a group paper, you'll need to fill out the group work report
You will take the same peer- review and revision steps with this paper that you have with the others.
You have the option of posting this paper to your web site. If you would like to do this, arrange a 20 minute session with me in my office after your paper is complete and I will help you put it on the web:)

As always, these papers need to be turned in with all of your pre-writing, drafting, and reviews. We are adding two new revision components to this paper: the Peer Review and the Paper Map and the

Peer Review
Paper Map
Ongoing Writing Issues Checklist
Group Work Report (If you are doing a group project)

If you are doing a group project:

Groups should submit all three revision notebooks, with the final copy of this paper as the first item in the top folder and the peer review immediately underneath of that. All other items should be kept individually in each group member's folder (that is, I will look through each folder for each group member's group work report, the draft work for your sections, and your individual writing issues checklist.) Rubber-band the revision notebooks together.