FILM STUDIES

Get out your questions about the three social commentary films: Life is Beautiful, Everything is Illuminated, and Hotel Rwanda.

REMINDERS These are the semester notes which I

will be collecting TOMORROW: Film Elements notes Citizen Kane notes Sunset Boulevard notes Heroes Epic Journey notes Elements of Comedy notes Hotel Rwanda notes

FINAL EXAM

Now that you are aware of how similar these movies are and which scenes reveal these similarities, let’s take a look at your final exam!

Let’s read the prompt for your final essay!

FINAL EXAMWhat are you being asked to do? Find a common theme about genocide that

applies to all three movies While your theme should be written in “theme

statement” format (instead of _______, we should____”), you want to PROVE the second part of the theme as you write your essay (the “we should” part)

Find one scene in each movie which effectively communicates this message

Find two specific ways in which the scene communicates this message (verbally and visually)

Clearly explain how these specific scene details actually communicate this message (based on your knowledge of the purpose for lighting, camera angles, camera proximity, texture, sound, dialogue, etc.)

FINAL EXAM Your final exam will be an in-class exam

that will be written over two days. You are welcome to use any notes, outlines

and rough drafts that you wish. If you do not finish in the two days given,

you will have to come in on your own time (before school, after school, at lunch or during 6th period) to finish.

FINAL EXAM Introduction paragraph

Hook: Grab the reader’s attention by a statement, question or scenario that gets your reader thinking about genocide.

Explain: Explain why you gave your statement question or scenario (what relevance does it have in the real world?).

Bridge: Connect your hook to your thesis (here, you may want to mention something about movies).

Thesis: State exactly what you will prove in this essay Review what the prompt asks you to do and create a

statement that addresses this.

FINAL EXAM Body paragraphs (one body paragraph for a scene

in each film) Topic sentence: Briefly summarize what happens in one

scene in the film Explain/expand: Mention how this creates the

message/theme about genocide. Evidence: Describe one film element that you noticed

about this scene that helped created this message. Explain: Explain what this film element reveals (i.e.: if

the lighting is important in creating the message, explain why. If the close-up shot of a character’s face is important, explain why. If a cluttered mise-en-scene is important, explain why)

Evidence: Give a second film element about this scene that you noticed which helped create this message.

Explain: Explain what this film element reveals about the message being sent.

Wrap-up: Explain very clearly how both film elements work towards creating the message.

FINAL EXAM Conclusion paragraph

Restate thesis: Review your thesis by restating it in different words.

Review ideas in essay: Summarize the main ideas that were outlined in your essay (mention specific film techniques in the movie which you discussed as the evidence in your body paragraphs).

Apply to the outside world: Discuss why the information provided in your essay is important for the real world.

Final statement: Give a final statement about the topic of your essay that leaves a powerful impact on the readers.

FINAL EXAM Now, turn over the prompt and start

brainstorming. First, ask yourself what the common message/theme about

genocide is in all three movies. Next, find one scene in each film which very clearly helps to

communicate this message. Summarize each scene. Next, find at least two film elements (lighting, camera

angle, camera proximity, framing, cluttered/empty shots, sound, or dialogue) which help to communicate this message (verbally or visually)

Make sure that you are able to CLEARLY explain HOW each detail in each scene helps to work towards the message.

FINAL EXAMLet’s say the message in Royal Tenenbaums was “Don’t struggle with loneliness; instead, take joy in the people in your life who you love

and who care about you.” You could discuss a scene from the movie as

evidence of this theme in this way:

One specific scene in The Royal Tenenbaums which presents the message

of the importance in taking joy in people who care about us is the scene in which

Richie Tenenbaum is speaking to his father, Royal, on the roof of their house.

Richie had gone through a severe depression, but later, decided to be honest

about his love for Margot. In this scene on the roof, he discusses his love for

Margot with his father and tries to take heart in his openness about who he

loves. While most of the film is shot in low-key lighting, this scene is shot in

extremely high key lighting. High key lighting usually symbolizes joy. Since this

shot is filmed with such obvious use of lighting, the director is trying to suggest

that Richie is finally finding joy in talking with ones whom he loves and talking

about the one he loves. Later in this scene, Richie’s childhood pet bird, Mordecai, comes back after years of being gone. As Richie reunites with

this bird, we come to realize that the bird represents Richie’s father Royal

since both were gone for a very long period of time. Richie’s reconnection with the

bird highlights the importance of surrounding oneself with those who bring

joy toones life. Through the use of high key lighting and the symbolic

reuniting ofRichie and the bird, we are able to see the suggestion of the importance

of taking joy in those whom one loves and in finding comfort in being with those

who love oneself.