Category: ARTH Understanding Movies

To participate in this week’s Discussion, you will need to
watch two films: BlackKklansman (Spike Lee. 2018) and Do
the Right Thing (1989)
Film One:
BlackKklansman (Spike Lee.
2018)
Certain filmmakers have managed to
make films both entertaining and thoughtful. Many of these films have become
classic cinema and their directors are acknowledged as artists. One current
filmmaker that falls into that category is Spike Lee. Over his career, starting
with She’s Gotta Have It, Lee has made critically acclaimed
films that address the issue of racism in today’s America with great films such
as Do The Right Thing and Malcom X. His
film BlackKklansman continues that tradition. Watch the film
and consider how the film uses the past to reflect on today.
After watching BlackKklansman and
thinking about how it reflects on our culture and society, watch one of the
classic films and think about how it reflects elements of American Culture and
if and how it is relevant to modern viewers. 
Film Two: Do the Right
Thing (1989)
Over the last hundred years there is a
consensus of great films, spread across many genres. Watch one of these films,
keeping in mind the elements of a great film. Do you think the film you watched
is “great?”  Why or why not? Think about how it reflects the American
Culture of its time and if and how it is relevant to modern viewers. This
should start your critical thinking about films; considering the direction,
acting, screenplay, post-production – all the elements we will examine fuller
later in the course.
Discuss the similarities and
differences between BlackKklansman and Do the Right Thing (1989)Into
what genres would you place the films? 
Do the
films adhere to or subvert genre conventions? How does this affect the
viewer’s expectations and experience?
How would
you describe the tone of the film? Consider: 
The Emotional
Quality: the emotions that dominate the films.
The Atmosphere:
Describe the atmosphere or mood the films create. Are they light-hearted,
tense, dark, dreamy, or somber?
The Visual
Style: Consider the visual elements. Are the films visually bright
and colorful, or are they more muted and subdued? Do they have a gritty,
realistic look, or are they stylized and fantastical?
Dialogue: Consider the
dialogue in the films. Is it witty and humorous, serious, and
philosophical, or filled with tension and conflict?
Soundtrack: Reflect on the films’
soundtracks and music. Does the music contribute to the tone? Is it
melodic, suspenseful, or dissonant?
Narrative
Style: Think
about the way the stories are told. Are they straightforward and linear,
or do they use non-linear storytelling techniques that affect the tone?
Themes: Consider the underlying
themes of the films. Do they contribute to the overall tone? For example,
a film exploring themes of hope and redemption may have an uplifting
tone.
Are the two
films relevant to modern views? Is so, how, and if not, why not?