Your assignment is to write a 5-7 page research paper on either (a) an important film director, (b) a major Hollywood actor or actress, (c) a specific film, or (d) a specific film genre.
(a) You should select a director who was active during the time period covered by this course (let’s say 1900-1950, to start although you will not be held to this era – just to give you a little extra leeway. Here are a number of possibilities for you to consider: Mack Sennett, King Vidor, John Ford, William Wyler, Billy Wilder, Oscar Micheaux, Alfred Hitchcock, and Frank Capra. There are many other possibilities. In your term paper, give me the basic details of the director’s life and career. Identify some of the director’s most important films. What honors and awards did the director receive? Provide a sampling of critical opinion about the director’s work. View at least one film by your director and comment on it. Don’t summarize any plots.
(b) Similar to the above time era, you should select an actor or actress who was active between those periods. Here are a number of possibilities for you to consider: Lillian Gish, Tom Mix, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd, Fatty Arbuckle, Paul Robeson, Clara Bow, Theda Bara, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Boga, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, and John Wayne. There are many other possibilities. In your term paper, give me the basic details of the actor’s life and career. Identify some of the actor’s most important films. What honors and awards did the actor receive? Provide a sampling of critical opinion about the actor’s work. View at least one film by your actor and comment on it. Don’t summarize any plots.
(c) Select one film (not necessarily feature length) which was released between 1900 and 1950 or beyond. This may be either a film you’re familiar with or one you haven’t seen before. In your term paper, you should present information about the making of the movie, about its success at the box office, about awards it was nominated for and/or received. Also present a sampling of the critical reaction to the film, from both the time of its release and today. Finally, you should watch the film and react to it. Do not summarize the plot. Assume that I’ve already seen the film.
(d) The word genre means “type” or “kind.” The major film genres include the comedy, the love story, the musical, the gangster film, the detective film, film noir, the Western, science fiction, and horror. For your term paper, you should present a description of the genre you select and a historical look at important films, directors and actors/actresses who have worked in it. What awards have films fitting that genre been nominated for and won? You should limit yourself to the 1900-1950 time frames. View a film representative of your chosen genre and comment on it, but don’t do a plot summary. As an upper-level college student, I expect you to be writing at college level. I expect papers to be free of spelling and grammar mistakes. The following are additional criteria for the term paper assignment: · You must get my approval of your term-paper subject beforehand and no two students will be permitted to research and write about the same subject. First come, first served, so I suggest that you make up your mind what you’d like to write about and discuss it with me (in person, or by email) as soon as possible. · Remember that this assignment is a research project. You may use either MLA or APA style, whichever you prefer. Either way, you should provide footnotes and a bibliography or list of works cited. Please consult at least 5 reputable, published sources when researching your paper, and include these sources in your bibliography. Use a 12-point font.
