Section C: US Cinema Comparative Study

ROBERT MULLIGAN, 1962 JOEL SCHUMACHER, 1996

Two films must be chosen from a specific genre or dealing with a specific theme. The

two films should enable sufficient comparison and contrast to be made

What does this section of the exam paper assess?

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of film as an audio-visual form of creative expression together with its contexts of production and reception and of the diversity in filmmaking across different historical periods

• Be able to understand and discuss how film communicates and create links to circumstances surrounding the film production and observe differences according to the time when the film was made

What does this section of the exam paper assess?

• Apply knowledge and understanding, including some of the common critical approaches that characterise the subject, when exploring and analysing films

• Be able to understand and discuss the structure and style of film and how that gives meaning, also to be able to understand and discuss the ideological messages being communicated

Section C: US Cinema Comparative Study

• Candidates are required to answer one question from a choice of two. Candidates are required to compare and contrast two films either from the same genre or dealing with a specific theme. Both questions will have an emphasis on the relationship between aspects of the films' narrative in relation to generic characteristics. The first question will be based primarily on narrative study. The second will be based on contextual study. Issues of representation will be common to both questions.

US Cinema Comparative Study

1. Compare the ways in which key themes in your chosen American films are presented.

2. With reference to your chosen American films, compare the extent to which their messages and values reflect the times in which they were made

3. How important is place in contributing to key themes in the American films you have studied for this topic?

4. Discuss similarities and differences in the representation of masculinity in your chosen American films.

5. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic depend on well established narrative and/or genre conventions?

6. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic express similar messages and values to one another?

7. Compare the ways in which narrative is used to create dramatic conflict in the American films you have studied for this topic

8. How far do your chosen American films portray themes and ideas in similar ways?

TWO QUESTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM• Narrative Study• Contextual Study

Issues of representation will be common to both questions

PAST EXAM QUESTIONS• When looking at these questions it’s apparent that your knowledge of the

films must cover:

• Key themes/ Messages and Values• Narrative and Genre Conventions• Contextual Knowledge (place and time)• Representation

Start comparing

1. Who are the main protagonists in each film? Compare and contrast them

2. What other characters are important in the film?3. What key themes do you think both films share? E.g. Justice & The Law4. TKAM was set in the 1930s what was happening in America at this time?5. Films often reflect the time they were made – TKAM was made in 1962

what was happening in America at this time?6. Two big criminal cases in the 1990s involved O.J. Simpson and Rodney

King – find out about these cases and propose how links can be made to ATTK

7. Where are the films set? Why is this important to what occurs in the narrative of each film?

8. How are the themes you have listed communicated to you?9. How do the themes help to communicate massages values?

Robert Mulligan, 1962 Joel Schumacher, 1996

When watching the films keep in mind the questions you have written down and also write

down ‘timeline notes’