Shadow of confusion
Films include: Love and Friendship, When Harry met Sally, and Some like it hot
- The critical essay contains key plot features/similarities of each film;
- Shows a selection of themes and key features that will form the framework of your critical reflection;
- Has 5 paragraphs each containing a clear topic sentence that underpins the theme you address;
- Is based on the films linked to the theme you selected comparing findings and giving examples;
- Can be categorized as an argumentative/illustrative essay.
Starting up
When writing your introduction:
Find a technique for getting the reader's attention. Make sure the reader is interested in your essay from the moment they read your first paragraph. Techniques for getting attention can be found in the exercise in week 3. You can end your paragraph by asking a question or providing a statement about the themes/issues addressed in the films.
After your first paragraph, you can continue by giving information within each paragraph about the films and in what way they are connected by looking at the specific genre or genre mix, referring to
1. ideological or cultural theme e.g. racial tension, courage under fire, loyalty among friends, utopian or dystopian vision
2. audio visual signifiers (settings, costume, editing, music, objects, etc.)
3. narrative pattern or plot type
4. the repertoire of conventions and /or expectations
When summarizing content or plot (body paragraphs)
First of all make sure that each body paragraph starts out with a clear topic sentence and ends with a conclusion sentence.
Analyze the narrative structure of the pattern that you identified in the introduction: what is the cause-effect chain? What are the temporal (time) and spatial (space) dimensions?
Give short summaries of the plots. What happens? Where are the similarities? Remember to use the present tenses. Try not to ramble or make you accounts so long that the reader has difficulty in following the events. Is the range restricted or unrestricted? Is the depth objective or subjective?
When describing qualities of the films in terms of technique and content (body paragraphs)
Build your description on details from the audio/visual signifiers given in your introduction. Use adjectives and adverbs to emphasize your points. Give examples. Who starred in the film? Was the acting convincing? Were the characters convincing? Is the back-story of the plot and/or characters believable, is it complete or are there elements missing? Are the characters one- dimensional or well-rounded?
Consider aspects that support your view of these types of film and of how successfully these qualities are portrayed compared to one another. Think of aspects such as, but not restricted to the:
o logic and believability of plot (information on the seven basic plots can be found in the appendix),
o quality of acting,
o quality of sets and costumes,
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- interest level of dialogue,
- level of excitement or interest of story,
- quality of the musical score, the shots, directing and editing, etc.
These descriptions can be positive or negative or a combination of both. Don't forget to make comparisons between the films.
When writing your conclusion (final paragraph)
Close with a direct comment on the work, and tie it together to the statement/question raised in the opening paragraph in the critical film essay. For example, connect your comments on the film's various qualities and aspects in relation to each other. And finally, you can make a decision which of the films addressed and executed the themes discussed in your analysis best.
One final note on when applying imagery in your essay:
Descriptive detail and using imagery does not mean a truckload of adjectives. Descriptive detail helps to re-create an event or paint a scene. The writing need not be fancy. Plain crisp language works best:
"Pancho's new house was on the outskirts of town on a half-acre of scorched dirt stubble with desert weed and brush, and an old wooden barn in the back, a big misshapen tamarisk tree in front. It was a squat, ugly, flat-roofed building make of chunks of rock set in concrete trowelled over chicken wire. The rock was the colour of dried blood."
(Kessler&McDonald, 2012)