Part 1: View a feature film made between 1940 - 1970 you have not seen before that is identified as a particular film type. Make sure you see a pre-1970 film, make sure it's a film you have not seen before, and make sure it is a feature full length film. Comment on the specific film you saw. Pay particular attention to the camerawork (cinematography), the editing (montage), the sound (this can include the music), and the themes of the film. You should comment on the film both as a representative of its genre and as a film.
Part 2: Now that you have commented on the specific film you viewed, see if you can draw some general conclusions about the work of the director and one of the main actors or actresses. For example let us say you watched the 1960 film Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Is Alfred Hitchcock an important filmmaker? What other films did he make? In what genre(s)s? What about the actors? What did Anthony Perkins contribute to the roll of the strange and somewhat crazy "Norman Bates?" Be sure to comment on the overall impression you had of the film, including how you see it as an example of its genre and time period. Remember, this is not a research paper. I am interested in what you have to say, not in what you can learn by reading up on the film or the filmmaker. You can also compare the film you have selected with other films we have discussed in class which fit into a particular genre.
Topic: The purpose of the paper is to allow you to pick your own film and to argue its placement within a particular film type.
Length: 3 to 5 pages which would include "My Criteria."
Approach: To examine films and themes which provide a leading wedge into understanding some of the transformative changes in the film industry, and in the development of formula?
Key distinctions between topic and thesis. A topic designates the subject of the paper. A thesis is an argument expressing a point of view regarding the topic. It is a reasoned response to a question or questions. It should provide a blueprint of sorts guiding the reader through the paper. The thesis statement should be found towards the beginning of the paper usually in the first of second paragraph. The rest of the paper should contribute to supporting and proving your argument.