FS3_SwingingBrits

STUDY GUIDE - Exam questions for this paper ask you to discuss ways in

which you make sense of your chosen close study film. "Making sense",

can be discussed in relation to a context:-

Contexts

This means bringing into play what you know about the film's production

details, relating to social issues or cinema history of the period. You may

also bring in your knowledge of other work by the filmmaker - director (or

auteur). Hitchcock on 39 Steps, for instance:

"I am out to give the public good, healthy, mental shake-ups.

Civilization has become so screening and sheltering that we

cannot experience sufficient thrills at firsthand. Therefore, to

prevent our becoming sluggish and jellified, we have to experience

them artificially."

What do you think this quotation can tell us about:

the filmmaker or

social issues or

cinema history?

Now you can focus your revision for the exam, by deciding which of these

areas best helps you to interpret, understand or make sense of the film's

main features - that is, its messages and values?

These (exterior) elements must be linked to specific sequences

of the film's text.

Social Context - How do representations of character relate to how people in Britain think, dress or behave (in real life and in the film)? Who is the target of any implied criticism? Do they reflect real people - of particular age, class, gender, race, region? Is there a political content? What are the messages and values?

KEY QUESTION: How does a social approach affect, change or

influence your view or enjoyment of the film?

Cinema History - How does this film compare with other British films of its time? For example: What is the genre? What are the different genre elements that contribute to its text? Does it develop an older genre? Is it a hybrid or sub-genre of two or more genres? How does character type relate to other film characters in this type of film (before or since)? How does this film represent Britain at the time or relate to ways of representing class, age, gender etc. in other films or genres? Could you compare or contrast any of these elements with other films?

KEY QUESTION: How does a ‘cinema history’ approach affect,

change or influence your understanding or enjoyment of the film?

Filmmaker - What comparable films has the director made? (see Frears or Hitchcock) Are similar aspects of character, settings or themes found in other films by this director? Which of these aspects of the film are the chief points of comparison? Where does this film fit into his/her work - or in the work of the studio? In what ways does this close study film represent and important ‘moment’ in the director’s work (does it set standards of location/character/theme for example)? Or does it mark a change or development of his/her work?

KEY QUESTION: How does a filmmaker approach affect, change or

influence your understanding or enjoyment of the film?

NOTE that a context may involve discussion of elements like actor/star as carrier of meaning(s) relating to class, age, gender, race, regionality or genre etc.

THE KEY QUESTIONS help you assess which approach is more useful for you. Using this approach, now identify sequences from your film to illustrate your discussion. These sequences can be used as evidence for arguing that audiences make sense of the films through your chosen approach.

CHOOSING SEQUENCES TO REFERENCE IN YOUR ANSWER

Each film is different, but as a rule of thumb, try identifying a sequence from:

a) The Beginning. This might illustrate character or theme

(i.e. approach 3 above).

b) The middle. This might illustrate genre elements

(i.e. approach 2 above)

c) The end. This might illustrate messages and values

(i.e. approach 1 above)

Of course, these approaches are not exclusive to these sequences.

You need to briefly describe the sequence, then explain how details

illustrate the approach you find most useful. Approaches 2 & 3 require

some reference to sequences from other films – but the focus must be

mainly on your Close Study film.