Unit 1 Discussion Questions

FILM ART: Unit 1 Discussion Questions

Chapter 2

Select a recent film and read at least five critical reviews of that film (you can do a comprehensive search for film reviews at Movie Review Query Engine). What criteria does each reviewer apply to the film? Does each consider any coherence, intensity of effect, complexity, and originality displayed by the film? Compare and contrast how their considerations of these elements affect the positive or negative nature of their reviews. Which reviews are most convincing?

Read the following article on the film Speed (Jan de Bont, 1997). Does this assessment of the film attribute referential, explicit, implicit, and/or symptomatic meanings to the film? Pinpoint and discuss as many of these elements as you can identify.

What is the difference between evaluation and interpretation? How does each approach affect what elements of a film you might discuss? To support your answer, read this plot synopsis of American History X, and discuss some potential interpretive and evaluative remarks that a critic might use in discussing that film.

The website Bijou Café presents a rotating collection of short alternative films. Many of these films illustrate the notion that alternative films can often subvert our expectations of formal patterns in a way that mainstream films usually do not. View one of these films (you may wish to watch a few of them to settle on one you'd like to discuss), and consider how these alternative forms are structured. How does the film surprise you or subvert your expectations? Does it have a consistent form and patterns of repeated and varied motifs, or is it relatively unstructured? Does it rely on forms similar to or different from more conventional films?

The chapter explores The Wizard of Oz according to its form. How did filmmakers transfer a children's novel to one of the most successful and popular films in history? What elements does the film contain that appeal to universal audiences all over the world for almost 80 years? Why does the film continue to be successful today? Was The Wizard of Oz innovative and ahead of its time when it was made? How did it inspire films that came after it?

Chapter 3

Narrative as a Formal System

This chapter examines narrative, or story, form in film. Most common in fictional films, narrative's components are causality, time, and space. Narratives have a plot that is affected by cause and effect relationships and contain exposition, narration, and a conclusion. The number of possible narratives is limitless.

After reading the chapter, you should be able to understand:
A narrative film, which makes use of causality, time, and space may also be governed by other formal principles, such as parallelism. We are exposed to stories every day. Films often rely on our preconceptions of narrative form in order to tell their stories.

Audiences make sense of a narrative by identifying its events and linking them by cause and effect, time, and space. Diegesis encompasses the world of the film and the events within it, while nondiegetic elements are those things that the world of the film is not aware of, such as the soundtrack and the credits. Plot consists of only the story events that are presented, while story implies other diegetic events that we never see.

Narration is the plot's way of distributing story information in order to achieve specific effects. Many factors enter into narration, but the most important ones for our purposes involve the range and depth of story information that the plot presents. Narrative heavily relies on cause and effect. In films, characters are generally the agents of action (creating the cause), which then solicits results (effects). The more important a character is, the more complex traits they have, which affects what causes they will set into motion. A common device is to withhold effects, which heightens tension and ambiguity in films.

Many contemporary films manipulate classical narrative format to create a new type of film that utilizes causality, time, and space but plays games with it. Films such as Pulp Fiction and Groundhog Day use narrative, but manipulate the element of time. There are many different patterns of development that can be used in narratives, each having its own set of expectations.
Fictional cinema has tended to dominate by a single mode of narrative form called classic Hollywood cinema. This conception of narration depends on the assumption that the action will spring primarily from characters and from cause and effect relationships. Unrestricted (omniscient) narration is when the viewer knows more than the characters. Restricted is when the viewer’s understanding is limited to what characters know. Films can have either style of narration and often have a combination of the two.

Citizen Kane follows the classic Hollywood cinema and has been praised for its innovative use of narrative. Ultimately, narration can be defined as the revelation of story information by the plot to the viewer. Whether from the point of view of a character, a nameless voice, or other device, narration is the giving and withholding of information to tell the film’s story.

Presentation entitled Narrative Form and Patterns of Development.
What are the three qualities of narrative? Which one is the most important? How do these qualities work together to create a successful story? What would be the effect of the story were one or more of the elements missing?

What are some conventions of the classic Hollywood cinema? Where do you see these conventions in the film Star Wars? Which ones are the most important to have in a film? Which are the most important to creating a good story?

Power Point presentation on Narrative Form in Film.
Examine slide 12 of the website. Which photos correspond with the options? What effect do each of the climactic elements have on viewers? Which type of conflict is the most tormenting for you as an audience member to experience?

What are some motifs found in Star Wars? How does the use of motif help you to understand the plot and the outcome of the film? What expectations do motifs build about the behaviors of certain characters and situations?

Excerpt from Mark Axelrod's "Aspects of a Screenplay."
Who are some people Mark Axelrod credits with being great screenplay writers? What, in his mind, makes them great screenwriters? What films have you seen with a great script? What was it that was great about the script?

Which of the films Axelrod lists at the end of the article have you seen? Why do you think he considers them to be great films? Which ones did you enjoy? Which ones have you heard good things about? What makes them greatB the script, the acting, directing, design?

Donald Larsson's paper "Every Picture Tells a Story: Agency and Narration in Film."
The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. How does this quote by Donald Larsson affect what you know about film? How is your interpretation of a film affected by your life experiences and your belief system? What is a movie that has touched you? How much do you think your experiences and beliefs affected the ability of the film to speak to you?
What do you think Larsson means by the title of his paper? What message is he trying to get across through his paper? Read through the paper overview and discuss the purpose of Larsson's paper. How does it relate to a film's narrative structure?

Outline of Narrative Conventions in Classical Hollywood Cinema using Bordwell, Thompson as well as Janet Staiger's work as a basis for the outline.
What narrative conventions are primarily used in film? Which ones are important to know to understand any narrative structure? Why do you think a list such as this one is a useful tool for film practitioners? Why is it a useful tool for film viewers? For college students in general?
What is canonic narration? Where is it used in films? What films have you seen that use it? How is it used in plays? In books? How does it differ from omniscient narration? When is omniscient narration most useful?

Discussion of Classical Hollywood Cinema.
What is Classical Hollywood Cinema characterized by? What is an example of a film that uses this structure? What is a film that does not? Why would a filmmaker deviate from the classic structure? What effect does a non-classic structure have on the film? On the viewer?
Is it possible to have elements of the classical structure mixed with elements that are not? Can you think of an example of a film that does this? What sort of variation is there even in films that do follow the classic structure?

Essay for students on Classical Hollywood style.
Do you agree or disagree that classical Hollywood style is character centered cinema? Why does the author think it is? Why do you agree or disagree? Can you provide an example where you feel it is true? What about where it's not true? What do you think the classical Hollywood style is centered around and why?

Even though spectators know films are not real, what is it about them that moves us emotionally? Why are we often trying to imitate film in real life? In what ways have films impacted your life? How does reality impact the things that are shown on film? Does knowing an event on a film really happened affect you more deeply than a fictional film about a similar circumstance?
Chapter 2 Internet Exercises(See related pages)

Film and Meaning. Ian Douglas' discussion of meaning in film and how it is developed.
What is the purpose of Ian Douglas's book? Read through the introduction and discuss which chapters would be helpful to film students? Which chapters would be helpful to film scholars? What sorts of topics are discussed? How do they help contribute to your understanding of how films are made?

Why is it important to find meaning in film? What films have meaning to you? What in the film creates meaning for you? How could Ian Douglas's book help you to become a more educated film viewer? Why is this book helpful to you as a film student?

The production of meaning and spectator response in film.
On page five, the author asks you to think of two or three films you have recently seen and decide who is the narrator and whose point of view is being expressed. How would the meaning of the film change if the narrator was different? How would the films change if they were told from the antagonist's viewpoint? How important is point of view to a film's understanding?
In what ways is Hollywood narrative a genre? Page two of the article discusses this. Read through it and point out what the author's reasons are. Do you agree or disagree that it could be a genre? If it is a genre, what films fall into the genre? Which ones don't? What would be the deciding factor?

Professor Michael Goldbergs essay on ways to "read a film."
What are the basic ways to read a film? What will happen if we can learn the correct way to view a film? If we do not properly read a film, does it mean we will not be able to understand it?
What are some themes/ tropes found in The Wizard of Oz? What is the message of the film? What are some metaphors? How does knowing the themes or the message enhance your viewing experience? How does it help you to better understand the film?


The Art of Watching Film

Chapter 1 Outline

The Art of Watching Films
The Uniqueness of Film
The Challenges of Film Analysis
The Value of Film Analysis
Becoming a Receptive Viewer
The Film-Viewing Environment
Preparing to See a Film
Deepening Our Responses to Films
Questions for Analyzing Your Responses to a Film

Chapter 1 Internet Exercises

1. Visit the Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/), type in the title of a movie of your choice, and read five external reviews of the film. What conclusions does each reviewer draw about its meaning and value? What analysis or examples are provided to support the evaluation? Does the reviewer show any signs of categorical rejection or actor worship? Which review do you think is most effective in expressing the experience and meaning of the film?

2. Check out www.rottentomatoes.com, explore its menu, and view the previews of five recent films. What sort of expectations does each preview create? Does the film seem to have any special qualities that distinguish it from other films of the same genre? Why or why not would you consider seeing the film?

Chapter 2 Outline

Thematic Elements
Theme and Focus
Identifying the Theme
Evaluating the Theme
Questions for Analyzing Theme
Video Exercises
Films for Study

Chapter 2 Internet Exercises

1. In an online essay titled "The Matrix's Core Religious Truth," Kevin Brown contends that, despite its Christian symbolism and its characterization of Neo as an archetypal savior and Christ-figure, the film's central theme is actually Buddhist. Read Brown's essay at http://www.24framespersecond.com/writings/writing.php?writing=matrix_religion. How does Brown deal with opposing points of view? What specific evidence from the film does he provide to support his thesis? Why or why not do you find his argument persuasive?
2. As this chapter in your textbook points out, the action and characters in a film often have a subtle thematic significance beyond the apparent context of the film itself, and this may be even truer of films made for children than films with explicit adult themes. Read this essay on the theme of sexual awakening in Disney's Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid (http://www.un-reel.co.uk/notkids.htm). Do you find the author's analysis of this theme convincing? Do you agree with the contention that children see these two films differently than their parents do? How does the author distinguish the "literal" aspect of Ariel's and Belle's coming-of-age from the implicit adult references?

Chapter 3 Outline

Fictional and Dramatic Elements
Film Analysis and Literary Analysis
The Elements of a Good Story
The Significance of the Title
Dramatic Structure
Conflict
Characterization
Allegory
Symbolism
Irony
Questions for Analyzing Fictional and Dramatic Elements
Video Exercises
Mini-Movie Exercise
DVD Filmmaking Extras
Films for Study

Chapter 3 Internet Exercises

1. In his article "Intelligent Viewing for the Non-Snob" (http://www.24framespersecond.com/writings/writing.php?writing=intelligent01), Erich Schulte discusses four criteria that he argues are crucial for intelligent film appreciation--depth, realism, characters, and themes. Do you concur that these four criteria are essential? Having read Schulte's general remarks on "depth," how would you define and exemplify it? How well does Schulte's contrast between the two characters in Titanic and Goodfellas agree with the discussion of characterization in this chapter of your textbook? What significant fictional or dramatic elements covered in this chapter does Schulte omit in his discussion?

2. Read this brief allegorical interpretation of 2001:A Space Odyssey (http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue09/features/2001/). In the author's description of the film's chronological plot, locate the exposition, complication, climax, and denouement. Does the claim that the film allegorically documents "the force that impels life" seem to you to adequately address the meaning of the film, or can one be more specific? In what significant ways do symbolism and irony play a key role in the film and its vision of human life?

3. In an online essay titled "Cinema: Is It a Book?" (http://www.philobiblon.com/isitabook/cinema/), Emily-Jane Dawson discusses some recent examples of nonlinear film narratives such as Memento and The Usual Suspects. How does Dawson relate these and other films to the process of dreams and memory? In her view, why is the use of voice-over narration especially important in movies that use flashbacks and flash-forwards to violate normal chronological order? (You might want to follow up your reading by exploring the hypertext website "Choose Your Own Adventure," to which this article provides a link.)

American Cinema & Culture

Chapter 2: Objectives

A National Style
After reading this section, you should be able to:

discuss a film as both the work of an individual artist and the product of the world
in which it was created.
describe the ways in which the classical Hollywood narrative style works to present
itself as invisible and natural.

Equilibrium and Disruption
After reading this section, you should be able to:

discuss film narrative as a process of disruption and restoration of equilibrium, giving examples from several films.

Characters and Goals
After reading this section, you should be able to:

discuss film narrative as a process of characters pursuing and achieving goals.
discuss film narrative as a process of characters moving spatially towards destinations or temporally
towards deadlines, giving examples from several films.
discuss the ways in which audiences identify with the "journey" quality of classical Hollywood
narrative.

High Artifice, Invisible Art
After reading this section, you should be able to:

describe the process of "willing suspension of disbelief" on the part of film audiences in relation to
the artificiality of cinema.
discuss Alfred Hitchcock's approach to the issue of cinematic storytelling.
identify the ways in which principles of economy, regularity, symmetry, and order support the
narrative structure of films.

Analyzing Film Narratives: Segmentation
After reading this section, you should be able to:

define and describe "segmentation" as a method of film analysis.
name the three classical dramatic unities, and identify the ways in which these unities can be used
to break films down into segments.

A Circular Pattern: Chaplin's The Gold Rush
After reading this section, you should be able to:

segment a film with regards to its spaces.
discuss the way in which segmenting The Gold Rush by locations and settings aids in analyzing the
film's narrative structure.
identify the way in which The Gold Rush, as an example of classical Hollywood narrative, structures
itself around a central character moving through locations and towards goals.

Journey to a New Place: Some Like It Hot
After reading this section, you should be able to:

contrast the "circular" style of narrative exemplified by The Gold Rush to the "journey to a new place" style of narrative exemplified by Some Like It Hot, both in regards to their locations and the goals of their characters.
discuss the ways in which the format of a journey through space is used to explore other kinds of
journeys in film, using the example of sexuality in Some Like It Hot.
discuss the way in which resolution of narrative tension need not necessarily resolve all the issues
raised by the film.

Incoherence: Mulholland Drive
After reading this section, you should be able to:

discuss the way in which segmentation offers a structural understanding of Mulholland Drive.
describe the difference between interpreting the structure of a film and interpreting the meaning of a film.
discuss the process of watching Mulholland Drive as an "endless process of sense-making.

"Modernist Narration: Citizen Kane
After reading this section, you should be able to:

name several features of Modernist art, with reference to the films Mulholland Drive and Citizen Kane.
discuss the way in which fragmented narrative structures make visible the invisible "machinery" of
the classical Hollywood narrative technique.

Chapter 2 Internet Exercises

Use moviething.com (or a similar site featuring professional and user movie reviews) for these exercises.

Find user reviews of Mulholland Drive. How do the user reviews differ from the analysis in the text?

Read all of the reviews of Mullholland Drive. How do the professional reviews differ from the user reviews?

Find professional reviews of Citizen Kane. Why does this particular film demand so much attention from film critics?