Playwriting & Film Studies: Metropolis: Day 2

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Metropolis: Day 2

Please watch and take notes as you notice key aspects of the film Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang. Your film analysis (an essay examining a particular thesis or claim) can focus on one of the following film theories:

Historical approach: research the film's history specifically. Find out who made the film, why they made the film, how they made the film, what reaction viewers had to the film, what happened to the film, and other historical aspects of what shaped the film or how the film shaped other films that came after it...[for examples of this sort of essay, refer to the handouts we have been reading for this class.]
National cinema: research the political and aesthetic climate of German cinema at the time of the film as a way to understand and draw meaning from the film. This might include how our culture today might interpret the film in contrast to when it was first made or viewed.
Auteur theory: research the director (or the writer or an actor) of the film. Examine where the film falls in the historical context of the artist's body of work. How did the film affect or shape the artist's career? Look for commonalities or underlying themes or approaches to dominant works in the artist's canon of work in an attempt to illuminate the artistry and effect of the film.
Formalist theory: Research and examine the stylistic and formal elements of the film. You might focus on the editing or lighting or acting or cinematography or special techniques found in the film.
Ideological film theory: I suggest viewing the film through the Marxist critical lens or Feminist critical lens--i.e., economic class structures or gender roles. All ideological film theories try to examine how the film upholds or breaks new ground regarding its focus--in other words examining the cultural meaning and representation of aspects of the film.

You will need to create your own thesis. "My paper topic will examine....in order to explain..." for example.

Your paper should be at least 750-1,000 words in length (3-5 pages double spaced) and include a works cited page in MLA format. Please note: This paper will mostly be written outside of class and will be due at the end of next week. See previous posts and handouts for help.