Write about two of the following or bring up your own topics:
1. The relationship between Belle and her father, Belle and Avenant, Belle and the Beast
2. The father picks a rose which provokes the Beast's fury - comment.
3. The opposition between the world of the family and that of the Beast.
4. The opposition between Avenant and the Beast
5. The Beast's anxiety when he finds Belle after hunting
6. The metaphoric worth of the tears transformed into diamonds and the pearl necklace that becomes an old burnt rope
7. The symbolic worth of these objects: the arrow, the rose, the mirror, the glove, the golden key, the horse (Magnificent), the Pavillon of Diana
8. The ending: Avenant's fate, the Beast's transformation, Belle's state of being.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Buñuel's "Belle de Jour" - Day One
We will spend all this week discussing the film - I'll try to limit the discussion Tuesday to the first half and Thursday to the rest of the film.
Please answer at least two questions or come up with your own for the discussion:
1. The beginning of the film is quite shocking - why? What does the opening have to say about sexuality, especially feminine sexuality? How does it challenge societal norms? Why?
2. Do a character study of Severine - her character traits, motivation, thoughts, actions, appearance, dress, marriage, etc. Focus on specific scenes from the film in your discussion.
3. Do a character study of Jean - what does the film reveal about him and why?
4. Discuss the world of Madame Anais, epsecially from the first moments we see Severine in it.
5. Choose one or two scenes from the film for your own analysis.
Please answer at least two questions or come up with your own for the discussion:
1. The beginning of the film is quite shocking - why? What does the opening have to say about sexuality, especially feminine sexuality? How does it challenge societal norms? Why?
2. Do a character study of Severine - her character traits, motivation, thoughts, actions, appearance, dress, marriage, etc. Focus on specific scenes from the film in your discussion.
3. Do a character study of Jean - what does the film reveal about him and why?
4. Discuss the world of Madame Anais, epsecially from the first moments we see Severine in it.
5. Choose one or two scenes from the film for your own analysis.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Stephen Frear's "Dangerous Liaisons" (the film)
Please answer at least two questions:
1. How does the opening sequence of the film create an atmosphere that introduces us to these characters and this world? Pay close attention to details the director uses (symbols, themes, character, decor, etc.).
2. The novel is entirely letters, whereas here in the film these letters at times are relegated to a secondary (or even absent) status. Do you think the film is able to succeed as well in presenting the plots and intrigue as the letters are? Does the film add anything to the story? Detract? Think of specific scenes from the novel and how the director has chosen to translate them to the screen.
3. Do a character analysis or scene analysis from the film - pay attention again to details the director uses.
4. A large part of our class discussion concerning the novel has - in addition to the sex - the roles of men and women in society. How does the film translate some of these themes? Analyze one or two specific scenes in your answer.
5. Analyze the film's ending - especially the closing scenes with Madame de Merteuil (the book has a somewhat different ending for her). Or - do you think the ending of a film contains a power (a different power) the novel doesn't have or presents in a different manner? (I'm thinking especially of the closing shots just before the fade out to credits). How might this retroactively comment upon the film as a whole?
1. How does the opening sequence of the film create an atmosphere that introduces us to these characters and this world? Pay close attention to details the director uses (symbols, themes, character, decor, etc.).
2. The novel is entirely letters, whereas here in the film these letters at times are relegated to a secondary (or even absent) status. Do you think the film is able to succeed as well in presenting the plots and intrigue as the letters are? Does the film add anything to the story? Detract? Think of specific scenes from the novel and how the director has chosen to translate them to the screen.
3. Do a character analysis or scene analysis from the film - pay attention again to details the director uses.
4. A large part of our class discussion concerning the novel has - in addition to the sex - the roles of men and women in society. How does the film translate some of these themes? Analyze one or two specific scenes in your answer.
5. Analyze the film's ending - especially the closing scenes with Madame de Merteuil (the book has a somewhat different ending for her). Or - do you think the ending of a film contains a power (a different power) the novel doesn't have or presents in a different manner? (I'm thinking especially of the closing shots just before the fade out to credits). How might this retroactively comment upon the film as a whole?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)