10 page research paper is required for this course. It will focus on one or more historical aspects of a chosen film. Your paper should follow a purpose/evidence/conclusion structure and include a thesis statement that will guide your writing and research. Take ONE of the general questions below and customize it to your particular film.
What are the distinguishing qualities of the historical period or cinematic movement under consideration and how does this film exemplify them?
What were the major factors (e.g., technological, economic, ideological, cultural, artistic) that contributed to the creation of the film? How did they do so?
How did critics respond to the film when it first appeared, and how has the critical response changed over time?
How does the film reflect or challenge the socio-cultural context out of which it emerged?
What does the film seem to be saying about such issues as race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, age, and/or ability?
How is the film similar to, and different from, other films made by the same director or studio?
If the film was censored or its content altered in any significant way? How and why did this action occur?
If the film features a reasonably well-known star (e.g., Charles Chaplin), how does the film support (or, in some cases, contradict) that actor’s star image?
The paper should be at least ten pages in length (not including the bibliography) and must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Give your paper an original title and please number your pages. You must include a bibliography of at least five scholarly sources (scholarly journals, books, primary sources). Please note that you MUST include citations (APA-style) within the text of your paper. Please do NOT include the film itself, websites and Wikipedia in order to reach the five-source minimum. You are certainly welcome, however, to use these items as starting places for your research. Submit to “Assignments” in Sakai. Essays which fail to meet the minimum requirements will receive a zero (F).
