You will compare three different films, from three different eras. The first film will be produced during or before 1959, the second between 1960 and 2010, and the final film you analyze will have been produced in the last five years. You can choose any film you’d like in these eras, as long as it is an American film.
For each film, you must address the following:
What genre is it? Could it belong to multiple genres?
Was it created in the Hollywood system, or was it produced independently? What effect does this have on the look and feel of the film?
How does the film depict gender, sexuality, race and/or ethnicity? Is this reflective of the era in which it was made?
How do the film’s star and/or director influence the film? Is this in line with their other projects?
As you compare the three films you’ve selected, consider the following questions:
What similarities are there?
Do their genres overlap?
Are they all independent or part of the Hollywood “machine”?
Do they depict gender, sexuality, race and/or ethnicity in a similar way?
What about the directors and lead actors?
Are the film’s visions similar? How do they differ?
As you choose your films, keep these questions in mind as this may help you choose films that have a common thread.
Length: approximately 7-8 pages, double spaced, 12 point font (not including your Works Cited page which should be on a separate page from your essay text)
Include at least 3 terms from the course Glossary (found in the Course Menu)
Include at least 2 quotes from the Belton text
Remember that you do not need to re-tell the entire story of a film; instead, focus on the analysis you have chosen to explore.
Include at least 3 scholarly sources and 2 additional sources (again, the Online Resources is a good place to start for these)
