"Shortbus"
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This 3 page paper discusses some of the issues raised in the new film "Shortbus." Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: HVShrtBu.rtf

"Singin' In The Rain": Establishing A Genre Movie
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9 pages in length. Love abounds when Don (Gene Kelly) expresses his love for Cathy (Debbie Reynolds) in the deserted stage room while singing "You Were Meant For Me" in the 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain. Understanding how the scene's theatrical presence seems to exemplify the workings of a genre movie encourages one to refer extensively to the specific textual characteristics such as lighting, framing, editing, camera work, as well as indicating how textual features may be related to broader questions such as ideology, generic conventions, visual style and narrative structure. Experiencing this particular scene is much more than merely watching two actors complete their routine; rather, everything about that stage -- from the lighting to the sets to the scenery -- plays an enormous role in the overall genre appeal. Without appropriate appearances to effectuate the scene's depth, there would exist little cohesion with regard to musical characterization so prevalent to all four genres that this film represents: Classic, Comedy, Music and Romance. Bibliography lists 5 sources. TLCsingn.wps
Filename: TLCsingn.wps

"Sling Blade"
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3 pages in length. Brilliantly characterized by Billy Bob Thornton, Karl Childers' mild mental retardation sets his life on an unexpected - and undesirable - course straight to prison. The inability to decipher what he saw when he came upon his mother and her lover, Karl's thought process runs amuck and he ultimately kills them both, costing him twenty-five years of his life behind bars. He learns a great deal in these more than two dozen years that help to guide him once regaining his freedom, however, the extent to which he has the capacity to absorb the same complex thought processes as those without mental handicaps is limited, and this limitation affords him only a simple - if not realistic - perspective of what goes on around him. No bibliography.
Filename: TLCSlingBlade.rtf

"Smoke Signals" and "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven"
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This 7 page report compares Sherman Alexie's 1993 book with the 1998 movie "Smoke Signals" directed by Chris Eyre tht it inspired. Both comment on the contemporary Native American experience and consider stereotypes about Indians. Both offer the outsider a glimpse of life in a truly "outsider" culture.
Filename: BWsignal

"Splendor in the Grass"
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An 8 page paper which discusses the movie "Splendor in the Grass" and further illustrates the works of Elia Kazan, who directed the movie, and William Inge, who wrote the screenplay. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Filename: RAsplendor.wps

"Star Wars" - Crossover Development
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12 pages in length. Reaching the heights of merchandising and crossover development that other entertainment franchises only aspire to in their dreams, George Lucas's "Star Wars" enterprise has long tipped the moneymaking scale when it comes to spinning off his science fiction saga into a multitude of other factions. Bibliography lists 14 sources.
Filename: TLCStarWars.rtf

"Story of an Hour," "Araby," and "Casino"
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A 5 page paper which discusses similarities in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour," James Joyce's "Araby," and the film "Casino." The similarity focused upon is that which illustrates the realization of a truth, often a painfully accepted truth. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: RAchpnhr.rtf

"Tap"
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A 3 page paper which examines the film "Tap" starring Gregory Hines as it relates to tap dancing. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Filename: RAtap.rtf

"Teta I La Luna" – Catalan Identity
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5 pages in length. At first glance, one might not readily associate Bigas Luna's Teta I La Luna with Catalan cultural identity, however, the comedy goes well beyond its farcical façade to address Catalonia's long, arduous progression from past to present. That Luna's leading character – a young boy upset by the attention and suckling his new baby brother gets from his mother – seeks out other women upon which he can suckle illustrates through metaphor how Catalan's identity has long been associated with other cultural and social relationships; the boy's inability to stand on his own two feet and instead revert back to infantile behavior indicates the difficulty Catalans have had letting go of their oppressive past. Clearly, fortifying Catalan identity is much like breaking the bond between inherent to mother and child: It is not something accomplished with one abrupt effort but rather requires a weaning process the same as breast suckling. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: TLCCatalan.rtf

"The Asphalt Jungle" and "Citizen Kane" as Classics of Film Noir
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This 6 page paper discusses two films that are classics of the film noir genre, Citizen Kane and The Asphalt Jungle, with regard to the way architecture and the city are used as elements in the films. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: HVAspKne.rtf

"The Basketball Diaries" - Reaction
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4 pages in length. Director Scott Kalvert's interpretation of Jim Carroll's book entitled The Basketball Diaries illustrates how drugs are all too often employed as a pinch hitter when life gets too hard to handle. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance of a promising Catholic school basketball player who - through a chain of temptation and bad choices - finds his life spiraling down at a pace faster than he can contemplate; heroin becomes the only thing that allows him to cope - or at least he believes this to be true in his distorted thought process, a pseudo-reality embraced by myriad adolescents caught in the grips of teen angst. At the core of this film is the obligatory lesson that drugs are not the panacea for what ails. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: TLCBBallD.rtf

"The Battle Of Algiers" And "Schindler's List": Philosophical And Aesthetic Comparison
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5 pages in length. Gillo Pontecorvo's 1965 movie entitled The Battle of Algiers has long been considered a Third World filmatic experience, failing to compete with Steven Spielberg's Hollywood treatment of Schindler's List. The obvious documentary-type style of Pontecorvo's creation detracts from the overall emotional strength that the director was obviously seeking to achieve. Spielberg, on the other hand, utilized the depth and breadth of geography and environmental factors as a means by which to evoke his desired objective. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: TLCalger.wps

"The Blood Knot": Identity
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A 22 page paper which discusses different aspects of identity as is found in Athol Fugard's play, "The Blood Knot." Homi K. Bhabha's theories, regarding colonial mimicry, are also discussed as they apply to Fugard's play. Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.
Filename: RAbloodk.wps

"The Damned"
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A 5 page paper which discusses the political aspects of "The Damned," a film directed by Luchino Visconti and produced in 1969. The address of political turmoil can be seen, in its most obvious form, through the presence of the Nazis, but the political climate and underlying issues of concern also address the social political aspects of homosexuality. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: RAdamned.wps

"The Exorcist"
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5 pages in length. The altered state of consciousness the main character experiences in the film is that of a possession trance clearly characterized by a number of telltale indicators, not the least of which includes being able to speak in a foreign tongue without having previous ability to do so. Regan performs myriad physical contortions, is able to move furniture without touching it, talks in different languages and voices, as well as displays instantaneous scratches and marks upon her body that appear without benefit of any mutilating tool; to suggest this trance is motivated by anything other than possession is to blatantly ignore the historical prevalence of such a reality. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: TLCExorcist.rtf

"The Greatest Othello?" -- Laurence Olivier's 1965 Film
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This 4 page report discusses Sir Laurence Olivier's 1965 film version of Shakespeare's "Othello." The film is something of a hybrid in that it is actually a filming of the stage production by the National Theatre of Great Britain. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: BWothLO.rtf

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" 1923
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This 4 page paper discusses the silent film classic with Lon Chaney as the title character. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: HVHunchB.rtf

"The Iceman Cometh," "Waiting For Godot" And "Death Of A Salesman": Time And Attitude
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6 pages in length. The writer discusses the aspects of time and attitude as they relate to the three plays. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: TLCicemn.wps

"The Last Emperor" - Psychological Elements
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4 pages in length. While The Last Emperor is replete with cultural and visual splendor that serves to illustrate the complexities inherent to Chinese heritage and the unchallenged dedication therein, it is just as overflowing with psychological underpinnings that demonstrate the overwhelming compromises people are forced to make in the name of tradition. Examining Pu Yi and the struggles he faces in the midst of emotional deprivation finds the psychological theories of Winnicott's transitional object and Freud's ego standing out as two of the most significant throughout the story. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: TLClastemp.rtf

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow": Short Story and Film
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A 5 page paper which compares the short story, by Washington Irving, and the film version, directed by Tim Burton, of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: RAdepp.rtf

"The Man of Mode" by Sir George Etherege
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A 5 page paper which describes differences between specific characters in "The Man of Mode" by Sir George Etherege. The characters discussed are Lady Loveit, Bellinda, and Lady Harriet, and Dorimant, Sir Fopling and Medley. No additional sources cited.
Filename: RAetherg.wps

"The Man Who Would Be King" and "The Heart of Darkness"
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A 3 page paper which compares the film "The Man Who Would Be King" with the novel "The Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: RAkngdrk.rtf

"The Matrix" and the Elements of a Classic Plot Chart
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This 3 page report discusses the movie, The Matrix(1999), and whether or not the film's plot satisfied the elements of a plot chart, and the characters were developed enough to be believable. The paper is a personal opinion piece more than a critique or technical film analysis. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: BWplomat.rtf

"The Matrix": Racial Implications
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30 pages in length. The very essence of science fiction as a film genre is to stupefy audiences as to what reality might be like if the director's imaginative world ever truly existed. Indeed, one can readily argue that Star Wars, Independence Day and myriad other science fiction movies left audiences incredulous with the thought that somewhere, sometime, the world as we know it may reflect the director's vision. A particular draw to science fiction is the manner by which it allowably crosses the stringent boundaries of conventional thinking, delving deeply into what can often only exist in the recesses of one's imagination. The Matrix exemplifies one of those films where everything is viewed as an illogical twist of reality, compelling the audience to imagine reality as directors Andy and Larry Wachowski had imagined it. Most startling of all, wrapped up within a tale of technology gone awry, is the incarnation of racial transition; instead of being society's scapegoat, the black community is reflected as strong and brave, while the white race is portrayed as evil. Clearly, the directors' intention was to illustrate racial strife as just one of many social ills plaguing contemporary society. Bibliography lists 26 sources.
Filename: TLCmatrx.wps

"The Patriot" – Uniform Accuracy
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6 pages in length. Authenticity is a primary factor to a period film if it is to reflect the flavor, value and truthfulness of its subject. "The Patriot" is one movie where costumes reflect the entire ambiance of reality; while costume designer Deborah Scott worked with the Smithsonian Institute to ensure the authenticity of soldier uniforms and townspeople garb, there was nonetheless some rather glaring imprecision when it came to following the example left behind by history. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: TLCPatriot.rtf

"The Siege" – Post September 11, National Security And Terrorism
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5 pages in length. Examining the impact 1998's The Siege had upon portrayal and predictions of post-September 11th American society, one finds a startling parallel between reality and fiction. The quest to gather up Arab-Americans as being somehow related to the recent terrorist incident smacks of the gross infringement upon civil liberties that ensued immediately following the real life attacks on 911. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: TLCSiege.rtf

"The Stepford Wives" Then And Now: Opposites
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6 pages in length. While the two versions of The Stepford Wives share a common storyline, there are fundamental differences between the films great enough to qualify them as opposites. The psychological, feminist and patriarchal underpinnings all remain intact, however, it is the gender switch and genetic references that serve to differentiate the 2004 remake from its 1975 original. Whereas Joanna succumbs to the manipulative, mind controlling authority and ultimately becomes a Stepford robot wife in the first version, her 2004 character performs her own manipulation by pretending to have been transformed in order to escape that very thing. This aspect of the film illustrates how the focus is no longer on the weak female as it was thirty years ago but rather spotlights the strength that women have developed as a gender over the past three decades. Moreover, the additional genetic component of the latter film puts into greater perspective the potential consequences associated with artificial engineering and man's constant need to tinker with concepts that are far beyond his thorough understanding. Bibliography lists 11 sources.
Filename: TLCStepford.rtf

"The Tempest": Film and Text
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A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts the film and the text version of "The Tempest." The film version discussed is Paul Mazursky's. No additional sources cited.
Filename: RAtempst.wps

"The Wall" and Conflict Theory
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A 6 page paper which examines the Pink Floyd film "The Wall" from a perspective concerning conflict theory. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: RApinkwl.rtf

"Thin Red Line"/A Moral View
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An 8 page paper that looks at the movie "The Thin Red Line" and evaluates it according to several moral theories, including utilitarianism and Kantianism. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: khredlne.wps

"Traditionalists and Revivalists in Jazz" by Chip Deffaa
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A 12 page book review which considers the book's chronicle of 14 important performers who are frequently overlooked in popular jazz texts. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: TGtrarev.wps

"Triumph Of The Will" And "Anne Frank Remembered": Compare/Contrast
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6 pages in length. The distinction between narrative and fiction is that narrative is derived from reality, whereas fiction is born of someone's imagination. That is not to say that either one presents a better form of documentary than the other, but rather to recognize that one's foundations is based in truth, while the other comes from the imaginative process. An example of a narrative documentary, "Triumph of the Will" might be construed as any one of various historical accounts where the information possesses a factual background, while "Anne Frank Remembered" represents a narrative where there is no assault upon the subject's integrity. War, nature, biographies -- these all represent a narrative in that they document reality, yet based upon the criteria found in Dai Vaughn's "For Documentary: Twelve Essays," Riefenstahl's account bears a significant obstacle in capturing absolute truth when compared with Blair's personal chronicle of Anne Frank's struggle against Nazi invasion. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: TLCTriWl.rtf

"What About Bob?"
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A 3 page paper discussing the ethics of the behavior of mental health professionals as portrayed in this 1992 Bill Murray comedy. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Filename: KSfilmReWhBob.rtf

"What Dreams May Come": Mythical Component
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6 pages in length. The writer discusses the mythical element of the movie "What Dreams May Come," as well as associates such with Freud and ancient mythology. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: TLCdreem.wps

"While You Were Sleeping" vs. "The Importance of Being Earnest"
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A 10 page paper which examines the films "While You Were Sleeping" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" in terms of comedic impact. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: RAsleepn.rtf

"White Palace"
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A 6 page paper which discusses the film "White Palace," arguing that it does fit within its genre, that being Romance/Drama, but that it does not present itself as a serious film worthy of noting for a variety of reasons. Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.
Filename: RApalace.wps

"Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge
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A 5 page paper which examines mankind's need for adventure in life as it relates to various films and John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart." Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: RAeldrdg.rtf

"X-Men" - Relationship To the Study Of History
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6 pages in length. With the not-so-subtle reference to Nazi Germany and the omnipotent power of Hitler, the 2003 release of X-Men illustrates how the study of history is one that perpetually itself; inasmuch as the focus of attention is upon General William Stryker's myopic objective to eradicate the entire mutant population out of a perceived fear, the film serves to mirror the detrimental influence a single individual can have with regard to manipulating the minds of an otherwise civilized society. Bibliography lists 12 sources.
Filename: TLCXMEN.rtf

"Zan Boko"
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This 3 page report discusses the 1988 movie Zan Boko. Director and writer Gaston Kaboré explores the impact of modern society on the lives and development of a traditional African people and their lifestyle. He also considers the ways in which an agrarian, subsistence society is forced into becoming an industrialized, commodity economy and an oral culture into a mass media culture. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: BWzanbok.rtf

12 Angry Men
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3 page discussion of the classic 50's film '12 Angry Men'; an examination of the American system of trial by jury and the role that stereotypes and prejudices can ultimately play in the system. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: 12Angrym.rtf