Amarcord

This should be easy. Choose a scene in the film (any scene!) and analyze it in depth. Be sure to discuss its sociocultural influences, why you chose the scene, and how the scene relates to the film as a whole. Your response should be thoughtful and along the lines of what you'll do in January. Be thorough--at least 3 paragraphs.

La Strada

Roger Ebert, in his Great Films essay on La Strada, states:

"It is Quinn's performance that holds up best, because it is the simplest. Zampano is not much more intelligent than Gelsomina. Life has made him a brute and an outcast, with one dumb trick (breaking a chain by expanding his chest muscles), and a memorized line of patter that was perhaps supplied to him by a circus owner years before. His tragedy is that he loves Gelsomina and does not know it, and that is the central tragedy for many of Fellini's characters: They are always turning away from the warmth and safety of those who understand them, to seek restlessly in the barren world."

Fellini has given us a film about outcasts. How do the roles of these outcasts reflect on each other? Do you see any signs of redemption? Choose a character and examine how that character redeems him or herself and how that character is cinematically presented as an outcast by society. Be mindful of all of Fellini's symbolism! Do this in at least 3 paragraphs.

Female

Did you like this film? What did you like about it? Discuss and describe your favorite five-minute scene.

[This is one of the only times I will ask your opinion about a film.]

Baby Face

Baby Face is often considered the most "pre code" of the pre code films. Discuss what this means in one paragraph and in your second paragraph discuss how the film's themes are presented cinematically through one cinematic element (choose one). Here is a link to the film: https://vimeo.com/channels/642746/131683919.

Chungking Express

Choose a five-minute scene in Chungking Express and think about the themes that Wong Kar Wai embodies in this work (such as isolation) and analyze the scene through this theme and using 1-2 cinematic elements. Minimum 2 paragraphs.

Cave of the Yellow Dog

In Cave of the Yellow Dog, Byambasuren Davaa uses a very specific type of filmmaking to convey her message. Do you feel the documentary style of the film is useful in conveying the message and the plot? Choose a five-minute scene and analyze through one cinematic element (e.g. editing, cinematography, sound, etc.) to support your choice of whether it is effective or not.

Eat Drink Man Woman

Choose your favorite 5 minute scene and analyze it in 2 paragraphs through 2 elements (such as lighting, composition, editing, sound, etc.).