Beasts of the Southern Wilddirected by Benh Zeitlin

2012 (Oscar-nominated for best picture)

Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.

nominated for four Academy Awards at the 85th Academy Awards, in the categories

Best Picture, Best Director (Benh Zeitlin), Best Adapted Screenplay (Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin) Best Actress (Quvenzhané Wallis)

Original Music by Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin

Cinematography by Ben Richardson

Film Editing by Crockett Doob and Affonso Gonçalves

 Production Design by Alex DiGerlando

Based on one act play, Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar (and adapted by her and the director for film)

nominated for four Academy Awards at the 85th Academy Awards, in the categories

Best Picture, Best Director (Benh Zeitlin), Best Adapted Screenplay (Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin) Best Actress (Quvenzhané Wallis)

Original Music by Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin

Cinematography by Ben Richardson

Film Editing by Crockett Doob and Affonso Gonçalves

 Production Design by Alex DiGerlando

Based on one act play, Juicy and Delicious by Lucy Alibar (and adapted by her and the director for film)

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Shot on super 16mm film

1.85:1 aspect ratio

93 minutes

Estimated budget: $1.8 million

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury award for Dramatic Feature. Then played at Cannes, Los Angeles Film Festival, and Seattle Int.’l Film Festival

Opened in 4 theatres, July 1, 2012 (opening weekend $170,000)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality.

Shot on super 16mm film

1.85:1 aspect ratio

93 minutes

Estimated budget: $1.8 million

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury award for Dramatic Feature. Then played at Cannes, Los Angeles Film Festival, and Seattle Int.’l Film Festival

Opened in 4 theatres, July 1, 2012 (opening weekend $170,000)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Critical response to the film . . .

The film has received largely positive critical reviews. . . .Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film has received a "Fresh" rating of 86% from 141 reviews (122 positive, 19 negative), with the consensus: Beasts of the Southern Wild is a fantastical, emotionally powerful journey and a strong case of filmmaking that values imagination over money.” . . . Roger Ebert called the film a "remarkable creation... Sometimes miraculous films come into being, made by people you've never heard of, starring unknown faces, blindsiding you with creative genius. Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the year's best films."

. . . . however . . .

Critical response to the film . . .

The film has received largely positive critical reviews. . . .Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film has received a "Fresh" rating of 86% from 141 reviews (122 positive, 19 negative), with the consensus: Beasts of the Southern Wild is a fantastical, emotionally powerful journey and a strong case of filmmaking that values imagination over money.” . . . Roger Ebert called the film a "remarkable creation... Sometimes miraculous films come into being, made by people you've never heard of, starring unknown faces, blindsiding you with creative genius. Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the year's best films."

. . . . however . . .

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Conversely, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune said that Beasts was "the most divisive film of 2012", opining that "The filmmaker comes from a perspective of great empathy and considerable skill. But he's a pile driver as a dramatist. The film's screw-tightening methods are so overbearing, the story, the characters, the little girl's plight have to struggle to breathe or develop anything like an inner life." Author and activist [and Professor at BereaCollege] bell hooks wrote a negative review of the film, saying "the vibrancy in this film is generated by a crude pornography of violence" and calling Hushpuppy "a miniature version of the ‘strong black female matriarch,’ racist and sexist representations have depicted from slavery on into the present day."

Conversely, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune said that Beasts was "the most divisive film of 2012", opining that "The filmmaker comes from a perspective of great empathy and considerable skill. But he's a pile driver as a dramatist. The film's screw-tightening methods are so overbearing, the story, the characters, the little girl's plight have to struggle to breathe or develop anything like an inner life." Author and activist [and Professor at BereaCollege] bell hooks wrote a negative review of the film, saying "the vibrancy in this film is generated by a crude pornography of violence" and calling Hushpuppy "a miniature version of the ‘strong black female matriarch,’ racist and sexist representations have depicted from slavery on into the present day."

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Author, professor, and activist bell hooks goes on to say:

Hushpuppy’s father is the most vocal advocate of a lawless reckless independence. Wink is the representative hard badass black man. His character is a composite of all the racist/sexist hateful stereotypes that mass media projects about black masculinity. In his study of black masculinity From Jim Crow to Jay Z, Miles White . . . explains that black male bodies are consistently used in cinema to represent the “brute who is immune to physical and emotional pain.” Even though he is sick and dying from an unnamed disease that causes him to cough and spit blood he remains the ruthless leader of the pack; his hard badness made evident in matter large and small  (whether orchestrating the bombing of the levy or in violent attacks on his little daughter).

Author, professor, and activist bell hooks goes on to say:

Hushpuppy’s father is the most vocal advocate of a lawless reckless independence. Wink is the representative hard badass black man. His character is a composite of all the racist/sexist hateful stereotypes that mass media projects about black masculinity. In his study of black masculinity From Jim Crow to Jay Z, Miles White . . . explains that black male bodies are consistently used in cinema to represent the “brute who is immune to physical and emotional pain.” Even though he is sick and dying from an unnamed disease that causes him to cough and spit blood he remains the ruthless leader of the pack; his hard badness made evident in matter large and small  (whether orchestrating the bombing of the levy or in violent attacks on his little daughter).

Beasts of the Southern Wild

To be completed in class after the small group discussion. Worth 5 points for signing and turning in and up to another 5 points for quality of answer for each group member.

Write a paragraph response for the following questions. Length of answer is not as important as the thoroughness, quality, and insightfulness of what is written.

1) Looking at the subtext – implicit meanings in the film (which may be ideological or symptomatic, or they may be universal) – what do you think the aurochs were symbolic of? Explain why in one or two sentences. (the aurochs were the large pre-historic creatures breaking out of the ice and heading toward Hushpuppy)

2) We talked about what makes a film fit into the model of Classic Hollywood Cinema. This film does not fit this model. In what ways does it challenge this model the most, in your groups opinion? Explain in two or three sentences.

To be completed in class after the small group discussion. Worth 5 points for signing and turning in and up to another 5 points for quality of answer for each group member.

Write a paragraph response for the following questions. Length of answer is not as important as the thoroughness, quality, and insightfulness of what is written.

1) Looking at the subtext – implicit meanings in the film (which may be ideological or symptomatic, or they may be universal) – what do you think the aurochs were symbolic of? Explain why in one or two sentences. (the aurochs were the large pre-historic creatures breaking out of the ice and heading toward Hushpuppy)

2) We talked about what makes a film fit into the model of Classic Hollywood Cinema. This film does not fit this model. In what ways does it challenge this model the most, in your groups opinion? Explain in two or three sentences.

Beasts of the Southern Wild. . .

Discussion Q

Classic Hollywood Classic Hollywood CinemaCinemaDefined by many, but the scholars Bordwell, Staiger & Thompson give the following:Defined by many, but the scholars Bordwell, Staiger & Thompson give the following:

Set in the presentSet in the present, external world (not this era, necessarily) , external world (not this era, necessarily) and seen from outside the actionand seen from outside the action

Film focuses on one or a few distinct individualsFilm focuses on one or a few distinct individuals

Main characters have a goal or a few goalsMain characters have a goal or a few goals

Main characters confront antagonistsMain characters confront antagonists or series of problems or series of problems

• Emphasis on clear Emphasis on clear cause & effects cause & effects of actions of actions – clear and – clear and unambiguousunambiguous

The film has closure The film has closure – often characters reach their goals– often characters reach their goals (happy ending)(happy ending)

Film usesFilm uses unobtrusive filmmaking techniques unobtrusive filmmaking techniques