The analytical essay should evaluate in 6-8 pages a film of your choice that WE HAVE NOT watched for our class, identifying its specific strengths and weaknesses, using identified formal criteria (film components we’ve discussed over the semester), and focusing on its cultural significance. Imagine that your audience is someone who knows the vocabulary of film-making but perhaps hasn’t seen your selected film.
Please note, this is not a “review,” so do not evaluate your film with a thumbs-up or five stars or anything of that nature; you can also discuss the ending (no worries about “spoiling”). If you want to include your review you can do so in your final paragraph. Your paper should more so focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the way the film elements work in telling the story.
Read several published reviews (from reputable critics in newspaper or magazine—not from random websites) and definitely, at least once, quote and respond to something with which disagree with.
You must include a paragraph or so about the director, discussing how this film fits into their body of work.
Overall, this is an evaluative/analytical essay that should demonstrate your ability to apply critical criteria to a film and synthesize a sophisticated, specific response.
Document all of your sources in a Works Cited list (and include a Works Consulted list if you read but do not quote from a source). Follow MLA guidelines, please (and use a header, as on your response papers, not a title page).
For Full Credit Your paper must:
- Include a discussion of how mise en scene, editing, sound, and cinematography function in your film with specific multiple examples from each. (10 points)
- Have one paragraph focusing on director. (2 points)
- Have one paragraph about the film reviews (start your research on your film’s IMDB PAGE). (Links to an external site.)(2 points)
- Have one paragraph on how it fits into the larger culture of the time OR the genre it comes from. (2 points)
- Include names of characters and actors when appropriate. Don’t interchange them.
- Write the full 6-8 pages (1 point)
- Be well written and show you understand how to properly evaluate your film in light of what you’ve learned this semester. Include the full name of the director and film in your opening paragraph. The first time you mention your full character names follow it with name of actor in paranthesis, etc, Peter Warne (Clark Gable). For the rest of the paper you can call the character by their last name (if provided). Proofread and edit you paper. It should be mostly error free, have a title, use MLA Formatting. (3 points)
- All above equals 20 points
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