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!

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, time, etc.) and analyze the scene through this theme and using 1-2 cinematic elements. Minimum 2 paragraphs.

Beijing Bicycle

Wang Xiaoshuai's film Beijing Bicycle is ultimately a film about the effects of "modernization" in China. I'd like you to read this essay and discuss the film's narrative and what you feel is the implied meaning of the film as a whole. Choose one scene and analyze the scene fully and cinematically and tell me why you chose the scene and what is the scene's relationship to the film as a whole.

The Story of Qiu Ju

Think about the presentation of Qiu Ju and Meizi in the film. In one paragraph, discuss how both of these women are represented cinematically. In your next paragraph discuss how the countryside and the city are represented cinematically. In your last paragraph, tell me what you learned and what you liked best about the film.

Let the Right One In

Think about the mise-en-scene in Let the Right One In. Examine all aspects of mise-en-scene: lighting, composition, set, properties, etc. This would include color as well. Discuss the concept of "monster" through the mise-en-scene of the film. Choose another "vampire" film (including Nosferatu, if you're not a vampire movie lover) and compare and contrast the concept of "monster" through various elements of mise-en-scene.

Choose one five minute scene from each movie to discuss.

Ringu

Remember how to look at a film through a feminist lens? Choose a five-minute scene in Ringu and examine the role of women and how they are portrayed in your selected scene and in the film as a whole. How does the director show us? Be sure to discuss this topic CINEMATICALLY. Back up all of your statements with evidence from the film. Your response should be 3 well-developed paragraphs. You must reference one of the big names (from feminist film criticism) such as Tania Modleski, Laura Mulvey, and Molly Haskell. You must state the title of the essay and use at least one quote. I have plenty of books in the library to help you with this.

Cat People

Read Roger Ebert's Great Movies essay on Cat People, answer his question: Does this movie still work today? Explain your answer with details from the film.

In a second paragraph, what are some techniques Jacques Tourneur uses to develop suspense? Describe with evidence from the film.