White Heat

In at least 3 hearty paragraphs, discuss White Heat, as well as the characteristics of the gangster genre and its role as an art form. In your discussion, bring in another gangster film if you've seen one on your own (The Godfather, Goodfellas, etc.). Your discussion should be in relation to this Robert Warshow article about the gangster as an individual. I want to see 2 quotes from the article in your discussion. Use your film textbook for more information on the gangster genre.

Bicycle Thieves

Analyze a scene from Bicycle Thieves. Be sure to read the handouts I've given you. 

Choose a 5 minute scene and analyze it completely. Remember that you need to mention why you chose the scene and this scene's relation to the film as a whole. In addition, pay close attention to: mise-en-scene, lighting, camera angles, shot types, etc. Here is a list of items to pay attention to when you write your 750 words (minimum) (and when you do your oral presentation):

• How well do I understand how meaning is constructed through the use of film language in this extract?
• How well do I understand the extract's relationship to the film as a whole?
• How well do I understand the influences of the film's genre?
• How well can I place the film and this extract in a broader socio-cultural context?
• How insightful is my analysis of the director's intention?
• How coherent, incisive, insightful, and detailed is my evaluative interpretation of this extract?

Here is a list of "vocab" you should use:

• narrative
• direction
• cinematography
• mise-en-scene
• lighting (which is often, but not always, considered part of mise-en-scene)
• camera movement
• editing
• sound (diegetic and non-diegetic)

Be sure your paper is AT LEAST 750 words. Watch the clip a number of times. Let your ideas flow. Spend time with this. If you don't, your presentation next year will suffer. It will be difficult if you don't practice. If you do what I ask, that will be an easy assessment for you!