Test on Fri., 5/21

The test will focus on Wes Anderson's Rushmore, Federico Fellini's La Strada, and Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest. You should also know the terms from chapter 3 of our textbook, Understanding Movies. Also, review all critical terms that we learned earlier in the course, from cinematic terms (such as "long shot") to other terms such as "mise en scene."

Look over your notes, your homework assignments, and all Viewing Guides and handouts.

Along with the general plot and character developments of the following films, be sure to focus on these areas in your review:

• In Rushmore: Montage; deadpan humor; the structure of comedy; slow motion photography; theme: the nature of friendships.  Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• In La Strada: The classic tale of Beauty & the Beast; Nino Rota, Federico Fellini; a Fellini moment; Italian Neorealism; the circus as metaphor; the Franciscan element of compassion for all living beings; St. Francis of Assissi; the didactic tone of the "Parable of the Pebble"; sympathy for Zampano?; Martin Scorcese's DVD special features interview; the metaphor of "the road." Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• In North By Northwest: Director's cameo; femme fatale; MacGuffin; final cut privileges; title credits; montage; characterization & compression; visual irony; phallic symbol; visual foreshadowing; aural cue; character subtext; "stealing a shot"; film subtexts; "Becoming George Kaplan"; "The Matchless Eve Kendall"; "Murder scenes shot lovingly & love scenes shot murderously"; epiphany & character arc; how tension & suspense are created in "The Crop Dusting Scene." Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
• Key Terms: Jump cut; deep/shallow focus; swish pan; pull back; 24 fps; fast motion; freeze frame; steadicam; persistence of vision. 

This is only a general guide and not a complete list of everything we learned and everything you should study!

Extra help will be offered after school on Thursday, 5/20 in room 452 at 2:45.

Good luck!

Blog Comment DUE Wed. 5/12 @ 9:00 p.m.

Develop one of the questions from last week's discussion of the film (see the back of Viewing Guide 6/6) into a full paragraph (5-7 sentences minimum) and leave it here as a COMMENT.

1. Thinking "Big Picture" or overall theme, complete this sentence: "North By Northwest is a film about..." Then, explain.
2. Describe the most vivid visual moment from the film. Why is it memorable?
3. Describe the most vivid aural moment from the film. Why is it memorable?
4. What's one question you still have about the film? (Attempt a possible answer to your question as part of your comment.)