CFV 370 – American Cinema
Grand Valley State University
Fall 2008
Jennifer Proctor
FINAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
25 points (25% of final grade)
For this research and writing assignment, you will choose 2 - 3 films from the American horror, science fiction or action genres (or combination thereof), and write a 6 - 8 page essay in which you analyze these films’ representations of identity in the context of theories we have studied in class. To further understand how representation is shaped in these films, you will also research the production history of the film to bolster your argument.
The films you choose must not have been shown in class.
You may choose your own topic, but to get you started, you could:
- Look at films in a particular genre from different eras (e.g. horror in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s) to see how representation has changed
- Examine how identity has changed (or stayed the same) over the course of a franchise’s development (e.g. Indiana Jones, Aliens)
- Investigate similarities and differences in representation of a particular category across genres (e.g. race in 1990s action, sci-fi, and horror films)
- Compare the merchandise or advertising generated for a particular franchise to the characters in the film as a means for investigating representation
- Deconstruct the representation of a character as s/he appears in a foreign original film and its American remake
Research requirements:
- Your paper must integrate at least THREE readings covered in class, as they pertain to your particular topic. You may research additional theoretical material to bolster your argument, but readings from class must be applied to your topic.
- Your research must include at least THREE print sources on production background/cultural history outside of course readings. What happened during the making of the film that might have affected the representation of characters, or what was happening culturally or in the film industry that might help us better understand the film or your argument?
- Use standard MLA format for in-text citations and bibliography (a guide is available here: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c08_o.html).
- Be sure to assess the credibility of your sources; so no personal websites or Wikipedia allowed except in unusual circumstances. Direct quotes should be integrated into the paper as evidence for your claims.
Timeline:
Wednesday, October 22nd: Topic proposal due (5 points).
Turn in proposal of the topic for your paper (1 full page, double spaced). In this proposal, state your selected films and the topic of representation you will discuss. Which theory (or theories) will you apply from what we’ve covered in the course? What argument will you make about identity in this paper? Imagine you have to convince a reader that this is a topic worthy of pursuit, and convince us as to why. What will a reader get out of your paper? Also give an indication of a preliminary thesis statement.
An important consideration here is: What question are you asking? What question(s) will your research help answer? What questions is your paper going to seek to answer?
This proposal should also include a preliminary list of the course readings you will use in your paper (listed in MLA “Works Cited” format).
PROPOSAL TOPIC MUST BE APPROVED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS STAGE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Wednesday, November 5th: Annotated bibliography due (5 points, 2 – 3 pages)
For this phase of the assignment, turn in a complete bibliography of the three (or more) outside sources you will use, including a short summary of the content of each and a description of how they are useful to your paper topic. What questions do they answer?
Monday, November 17th: Rough draft due (OPTIONAL)
If you would like feedback on a rough draft of your paper, turn in a hard copy by this date.
Monday, November 24th: Final draft due (15 points)
Hard copy: 6 - 8 pages, double-spaced, 12 point font, 1-inch margins, with title page, MLA citations, and bibliography attached. STAPLED.