大学英语专业影视欣赏复习资料

Appreciating Cinema

Part One: Categorization of genres

Genre

Social Drama

Romance

Gangster

War film

Science fiction

Fantasy

Western

Disaster

Crime

Epic

Action

Musical

_____________________________________________________________________ Blockbuster

Film noir

Comedy intended to generate laughter

Horror intended to horrify

Thriller intended to thrill

Part Two: The basic stories

There are a limited number of stories that form the basis for all fictional narratives.

·Achilles Example: Superman

·Candide Example: Forrest Gump

·Cinderella Example:Pretty Woman

·Circe Example:Fatal Attraction

·Faust Example:Wall Street

·Orpheus Example: Born on the Fourth of July

·Romeo and Juliet Example: Shakespeare in Love, Ghost ·Tristan The Graduate

·The Wandering Jew Example: The English Patient

Part Three: The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure（经典三幕式直线结构）

The majority of Hollywood films employs the classic three-act linear structure(or a variation of it). The three-act structure implies that the film can be divided into three acts. Act 1 would normally be expected to occupy the first quarter of the film; Act 2 would occupy the next half; and Act 3 would occupy the final quarter.

Each act has a different function. For a typical two—hour Hollywood film, the act divisions would be as follows.

Act Time Function

Act 1 0-30 minutes set-up

Act 2 30-90 minutes development (conflict and confrontation) Act 3 90-120 minutes resolution and denouncement(结局)

Part Four: Alternative Narrative Structures

·Episodic Structure章回式结构

Episodic narratives follow the protagonist through a series of potentially unrelated adventures. As in the

three-act structure, there are definite turning points at which the fortunes of the protagonist turn from good to bad or vice versa; however, unlike the three-act structure, the number of such turning points is not limited. ·Hero’s Journey Structure英雄旅程结构

The hero’s journey narrative forms the underlying narrative structure of many myths and legends; and it is also to be found in many successful Hollywood films. The narrative occurs in a number of stages, which can be simplified as follows:

1.Call to adventure

2.Journey through unfamiliar World

3.Supreme ordeal

4.Reward

5.Return and reintegration into society

Part Five: Subplot

Most Hollywood films have one or more subplots. Subplots are additional stories(secondary plots) that are linked to the main plot and have an influence upon it; they don’t require separate protagonists, but they do require separate actions.

The relationship between the main plot and the subplots

can take any one of four forms. These are: ·Complementary

·Contradictory

·Setup

·Complicating

Part Six: Symbols and Motifs

A symbol is something that stands for or suggests something else, usually on account of a relationship, association, convention or resemblance. A motif is a recurring feature or idea related to the theme of the film; frequently it will be a recurring symbol.

Question:Symbols may have different meanings in China and the West. List some of the differences

Different symbolic values of colors, animals, and number symbols used in the Western cultural tradition alongside their possible meanings and their different symbolic values in the Chinese cultural tradition.

Symbol Meaning in the West Meaning in China Red anger, sexuality, passion good fortune, happiness,

prosperity

White purity death

Green envy, inexperience;the peace; the environment environment

Yellow royal power and authority Owl wisdom bad luck

Lion majesty, strength, bravery

Dragon evil majesty, success, good

fortune

Phoenix rebirth, resurrection good fortune,precious Turtle slowness longevity

Peacock arrogance, vanity good fortune

3the Trinity( God, Christ, the Holy Ghost)

13Bad luck

666 the Devil good luck

8 wealth

4 death

Part Seven: Identifying Theme

In practical terms, how does one identify and interpret the theme of the film? Since theme is a complicated and variable phenomenon and can be expressed in so many forms, it is

impossible to give a step-by-step guide. However, it is still possible to outline some basic approaches:

·The Title of the Film

Films will commonly use titles to point out their themes. ·Names of Characters

Scriptwriters may use the names of their characters to suggest both something about the characters themselves, and also something about the overall theme of the film. ·Symbolism

Symbols, motifs, and symbolic settings may indicate the theme of the film.

·Character Conflict

The theme may emerge from the conflict between characters, especially when the characters are representative of deeper values and attitudes.

·Speeches and Dialogue

Speeches may also indicate the themes of a film. In About a Boy, for example, the protagonist describes his theory of “island living”( i.e.a radically independent lifestyle) in a speech addressed directly to the audience. In fact, this leads directly to the theme:Absolute independence is an undesirable state.

·Subplots

The main plot carries the main burden of the narrative. The subplot, on the other hand, can be used more flexibly to explore the thematic implications of the film.

·Social Context

Themes can emerge from the interaction of a film’s subject matter and its social context.

Take Forrest Gump as example

·Episodic Structure and Repetition(章回式结构和循环)

The narrative structure of Forrest Gump is basically episodic: that is, it is made up of separate, loosely connected situations that occur in the life of the protagonist.What holds together the narrative is not the plot but the figure of Gump himself.

Accompanying this episodic structure is a pattern of repetitions. The scene in which Gump is bullied by boys from his hometown is repeated a little later in his life, as is Jenny’s famous exhortation(告诫 ) to Forrest(Run, Forrest! Run). The act of getting on the school bus to find no one willing to offer a seat is also repeated when Gump sets off for Vietnam. Gump’s meetings with American presidents occur time after time, as do reports of assassinations of prominent figures in recent

history. Perhaps the most profound repetition, though, is the birth of the young Forrest Gump and his own first trip on the school bus: This time the repetition is accompanied by a change for the better, as the young Gump has all the charm of his father with none of the stupidity. The overall effect of these repetitions is to create an sense of circularity---the reassuring feeling that history repeats itself.

Plot and Subplot

Forrest Gump is something of an exception because the story of Gump’s life and the plot of the film are almost identical. That is to say, the main plot is , essentially, nothing more than the story of Gump’s life: Gump is born, goes to school, goes to college, goes to Vietnam, comes home and sets up a shrimping business, meets Jenny again, runs across the country, etc.

The subplot, which deals largely with Jenny’s life story，is radically different. It gives a lot of clues as to what has happened to Jenny during the course of her life, but very little of this is actually shown. We infer that she has caught AIDS , but none of this information is part of the subplot itself. Exercise Use your knowledge of the different kinds of subplot to categorize the Jenny subplot.

The Jenny subplot can be categorized as both: ·Complicating: Jenny is Gump’s love interest, and so is a

driving force in the main plot. ·Contradictory: Jenny’s underlying motivation(intellectual

curiosity) and attitude to life(experimental)

are opposite to those of Gump

Vogler’s Seven Character Archetypes

Christopher Vogler, formerly story analyst at Disney and now

director of Development at Fox 2000 published

a book, The Writer’s Journey: Mythic

Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters,

which has been called “the current industry

bible”.

Vogler argues that there are seven basic character functions:

hero, mentor（导师）, threshhold guardian（关

卡守卫者）, herald（信使）, shapeshift（变化

者）, shadow（影子）, and trickster（骗子，

魔术师）.These characters functions are really

best thought of as character archetypes: that

is , they are mythological types to which

humans respond on a deep instinctive level

because they represent the basic unchanging

features of human experiences.

Hero

Mentor:

Threshhold Guardian

Herald

Shapeshift

Shadow

Trickster

The Devil Wears Prada comedy

genre Comedy

The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 comedy-drama film, a loose screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel of the same name.

Answer the following questions

a) Why does Miranda decide to hire Andrea Sachs, a girl who lacks

style and seems not to fit in there? B/c Andrea is different from the

girls Miranda always hires who are stylish,slender and worship the

magazine, but turn out to be disappointing and stupid.

b) What is Andrea’s attitude towards her job as Miranda’s assistant at

Runway?At first ,she does not take the job seriously. Then she

realizes that if she wants to survive Miranda at Runway, she must

change her attitude..She starts to respect Miranda’s style and puts

forth her best efforts in the jobs.

c) What is the reason for Andrea to leave Miranda and the Runway?

Because Andrea learns that life is made of choices.She does not want

to live the way Miranda lives and then she chooses to pursue her own

lifestyle.

Character Analysis

Miranda Priestly: demanding, a dragon lady, powerful, bossy, merciless,sophisticated, career-obsessed

Andrea Sachs: na?ve, idealistic, smart, perceptive

Fashion runs through the movie as the overriding factor. A fashion magazine and its editor-in-chief provide the movie with the fundamental storyline.

The cardinal rule dominating the fashion realm is “thinness”, which is ingeniously revealed in The Devil Wears Prada. Behind this obsession with one’s body image lies a pervasive problem of anorexia( ie, loss of the wish to eat)-------- one of the main types of eating disorders.

Cast

?Anne Hathaway as Andrea "Andy" Sachs:

?Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly:

?Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton:

?Stanley Tucci as Nigel:

?Simon Baker as Christian Thompson:

?Adrian Grenier as Nate Cooper: Andrea's boyfriend

?Tracie Thoms as Lily: Andrea's close friend, who runs an art gallery.

?Rich Sommer as Doug: A college friend of Andrea

Memorable Lines

1.Fashion is not about utility. An accesory is merely a piece of iconography used to express individual identity.

2.For 72 years, Runway has been more than a magazine. It has been a beacon of elegance and grace. Miranda Priestly is the finest possible guardian of that beacon. Setting a standard that inspires people across the globe. About a Boy

Character Analysis

Will Freeman( a bachelor in his thirties): a loner, a slacker(懒惰的人),selfish,self-centered, shallow, cool, trendy

Marcus(a 12-year-old boy): a misfit(不适应环境的人), weird, gloomy, Fiona(Marcus’ mother): a hippie, depressed, near-hysterical

Answer the following questions

1.What , according to Will, makes it possible for modern people to lead

a comfortable island life?

2.why does Will refuse to be the godfather for Imogen?

3.Why does Will see single mothers as perfect prey?

4.How does Marcus feel after his mother’s suicide attempt?

5.Why does Marcus decide to sing a song in the school auditorium? Answers

1.According to Will, with the right supplies such as TV, CDs, DVDs,

videos, home espresso makers and more importantly, the right attitude, everyone in the modern society can be an attractive island.

2.He thinks he is a careless man and he will drop Imogen on her head(在

头上洒水施洗礼)at her christening and forget all her birthdays. But deep down, he refuses to be Imogen’s godfather because he does not want to take any responsibility.

3.They will think Will is a wonderful guy simply by comparison to the

“bastard father” of their children. What’s more, Will can have brief affairs with them without a commitment. They are easy to dump. 4.He feels worried about his mother and afraid that she will commit

suicide again. He realizes that two in a family is not enough and he needs a bavkup person.

5.Because his mother once tells him that when he sings he brings

sunshine to her and he wants to make his mother feel better by singing.

6. In the movie Will and Marcus are the two unlikely friends who have formed

a close bond. Do you think that two people will develop a close friendship

despite great difference in age?

Memorable lines

1.Setting: At the beginning of the movie, Will expresses his opinion that all men are islands. He believes that this is an island age and explains the reason.

A hundred years ago, for instance, you had to depend on other people. No one had TV or CDs or DVDs or videos or home espresso（蒸馏咖啡）makers. As a matter of fact, they didn’t have anything cool, whereas now, you see, you can make youself a little island paradise. With the right supplies and more importantly, the right attitude, you can be sun-drenched（充满阳光的）, tropical, a maganet for the young Swedish tourists

2.Setting:On the dead duck day Fiona overdoses and is sent to hospital. Will drives Marcus and Suzie home from the hospital at night and he doesn’t want to experience such things again.

The thing is, a person’s life is like a TV show. I was the star of the Will

show. And the Will Show wasn’t an ensemble(合奏，合唱，整体) drama. Guests came and went, but I was the regular. It came down to me and me alone.

3.Setting: At the end of the movie, Will changes his attitude.

Every man is an island. I stand by that. But clearly some men are part of island chains. Below the surface of the ocean they’re actually connected.

Forrest Gump

Questions

1. The movie begins with a feather flying in the air and ends with it, too. What

does this suggest?

2. How did Forrest get his name?

3. How do you understand the following quotations?

Life is a box of chocolates. You never know what you,ve gonna get.

Stupid is as stupid does.

4. Do you think everyone has his own destiny or we’re just floating around

accidentally on a breeze?

5.How do you understand the roles of the two women---Mrs. Gump and

Jenny---in Forrest’s life?

Blind Side drama

Cast

?Quinton Aaron as Michael "Big Mike" Oher

?Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy

?Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy

?Kathy Bates as Miss Sue

?Lily Collins as Collins Tuohy

?Jae Head as Sean "S.J." Tuohy, Jr.

?Ray McKinnon as Coach Cotton

?Kim Dickens as Mrs. Bosw

Memorable lines

1.Don't use the a-word. 毫无疑问

2.I got u back. 我会照顾你的

3.I hear "Mrs. Tuohy" I look over my shoulder for my mother-in-law.

4.--Why do u need a driver's licence when u don't even have a car?

--Something to carry.With my name on it.

5.You should really get to know your players. Michael scored in the 98th percentile in protective instincts. "

6. Don't u dare to lie to me.别想对我撒谎！

7.Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or mistake, but you're not supposed to question adults, or your coach or your teacher, because they make the rules.

8.--So u want me to go to Tennessee?

-- I want u to do whatever u want. It is your decision, Michael. It's ur life.

My Fair Lady

Questions

1.What have you learned from this movie about the

relationship betweenship between pronunciation

and social status? Language and identity?

2.Why did Mr. Higgins want to carry out this

experiment？Why did Eliza agree to be the subject

of this experiment?

3.List some strategies that Mr. Higgins employed in

his teaching.

4.Was Mr. Higgins a good teacher?Why/why not?

5.Why did Eliza decide to leave Mr. Higgins?

The Wizard of Oz

Questions

1.What is the social ideology reflected in

the film?In the film we are exposed to the social

ideology that relates to the values of the 1930’s era and of

small town rural America. Family, home and hard work are

promoted. This was the depression and the ‘yellow brick’

road symbolized gold and we all know what is found at the

end of the rainbow – the pot of gold.

2.What is the cultural meaning of the film?

The cultural theme is that we must work hard, keep the

family together and in the end we will have prosperity. If

we hold firmly onto our values, the family will remain

strong. This was very important during that period of

economic struggle.

3.Give a plot summary of the film.

4.Analyze the character of Dorothy. Provide examples of

her characteristics from the film. Give an analysis of the

Cowardly Lion