The test will focus on Steven Speilberg's Jaws, Weijun Chen's Please Vote for Me, Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run and the key terms and concepts from chapter 1 of our textbook, Understanding Movies. Also, review everything from the beginning of the course, such as literary, dramatic, and cinematic elements, the definition of RotMI, etc. Be sure to look over your notes, your homework assignments, and all Viewing Guides and handouts.
Along with the general plot, key quotes, and character developments of our films, be sure to focus on these areas in your review:
- In Jaws: Classical cinema; thriller as genre; metonymy; the "Jaws Shot"; triadic composition as motif; long take; cameo; Quint's monologue on the USS Indianapolis. Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
- In Run Lola Run: 5 visual aesthetics, the formalistic aspects of the film's style and story structure, epigraph, birds-eye view shot, split screen, Butterfly Effect, motifs (spirals, clocks, etc.), montage, flash forward, red filter, freeze frame, web of life plot, Lola as hero. Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
- In Please Vote For Me: Documentary Style Spectrum: What are the qualities of a formalistic documentary vs. a realistic one? Similarities in the 3 candidates’ home lives; candidates’ strengths and weaknesses; who wins the election and what factors help that person? Documentary as genre: what's the purpose of a documentary? Be able to cite specific examples of these concepts from the film to prove your point.
- In Chapter 1 - Understanding Movies: film style; various shots; framing; angles; lighting; cut, dissolve; eye-line match; deep focus; rack focus; diegetic and non-diegetic sound; authorial and subjective points of view, etc.
This is only a general guide and possibly not a complete list of everything we learned and everything you should study!
Extra help will be offered after school at 2:35 p.m. on Thursday, 3/19 in room 452.
The approximate test breakdown: 60% multiple choice / 20% mini essay on documentary style / 20% short answers
Good luck!
