Movie Review VIDEO ASSIGNMENT s1

CHW 3M World History to the 16th Century Culminating Activity Historical Movie Review CHW 3M Mr. Jason

The Challenge: Hollywood has created countless motion pictures following ancient and medieval historical themes. While many, such as Ben Hur and Gladiator, have won Oscars for their costumes and sets, others, such as Alexander the Great (2004), have been much criticized for inaccuracies and the perpetuation of unfounded myths.

1. Your challenge is to review a movie (approved by the teacher by March 3rd, 2013), and assess the historical accuracy of the film, as well as the entertainment value. The assignment requires research of the historical facts on suggested areas of focus such as costuming, and several suitable movies set in ancient and medieval times are suggested.

2. Your task is to write a review, which i) summarizes the plot (informative, but concise), ii) details and reviews/discusses the historical accuracy, iii)details the entertainment value (acting, costumes, music etc) and, iv) provides a ranking for the film, with suggestion for improvement. Students, after viewing the film, are to select 3-5 areas to focus on (see list below) to discuss the historical accuracy of the movie, based on research gathered from the text and other sources (you must include a bibliography of your sources). (TOPIC SELECTION DUE DATE: MARCH 11TH, 2013)

3. Prepare an annotated bibliography of 5 to 7 sources. The bibliography must use CHICAGO style format, the annotations must clearly explain the value of the source to the task. WIKIPEDIA IS NOT PERMITTED AS A SOURCE, NOR ARE FILM REVIEWS OF YOUR SELECTED FILM. (ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE DATE: MARCH 25TH, 2013)

4. Prepare research notes which focus on your three selected topics. (RESEARCH NOTES DUE DATE: APRIL 8TH, 2012)

The notes must:  Be drawn from our to five of the sources in your bibliography  Be in point form  Indicate the source and the page numbers  Reflect a solid understanding of the material.

Based upon research gathered and your viewing of the movie, write a film review of 1200-1500 words that clearly assess the historical accuracy and where appropriate, the entertainment aspects (acting, music, etc) of your film. Your review should also suggest revisions that could be made to the film, historically, and/or in terms of entertainment.

To summarize, your movie review must include: i) a plot summary ii) a historical accuracy assessment (3-5 areas of focus) iii) the entertainment value iv) a ranking of the film and possible revisions to improve the film v) an introduction and conclusion There are many areas of focus that can be used for assessing the historical accuracy of the movie. Below is a list (though not an exhaustive list), of suggestions. The movie review should assess the historical accuracy (whether correct or incorrect) of approximately 3-5 areas.

Areas of Focus Weapons/Military Strategy Values and Beliefs Historical Events/Facts Role of Men, Women and Children Costumes Geographical Features Characters Government Structure/Politics Setting Modes of Transportation Architecture Technological Innovations Class Structure Medicine

Your research paper is to be written in a formal, academic style. Therefore, no “I” or “me” or “you” should be anywhere in your essay! Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, language and paragraphing errors will be strongly censured. Your essay must be written in your own words. Information must not be simply 'lifted' or copied from your sources. Summarize and paraphrase the ideas and identify the sources even if you have modified the wording. Give the sources of quotations. How to Watch Historical Videos

From time to time during any course you will be shown a video on a particular theme or subject. Using videos for teaching and learning has both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages are fairly obvious. In the case of documentaries you are able to see contemporary footage of past events and faraway places, and you can hear the accounts of participants who were actually present. In addition, you can learn from the analysis of historians associated with the production. In terms of major motion pictures, they can be very entertaining and when historically accurate and accompanied by additional or supplementary information it can be a very effective tool of learning (especially to visual learners).

However, one disadvantage is that you can too easily become passive when watching a video. There is a tendency to treat it as entertainment, and not as a learning tool (of course it could be both). In addition, it is sometimes difficult to take notes. It is therefore necessary to keep a number of points in mind when watching videos.

Treat the video as a lecture. Listen carefully and note the most important facts and interpretations, the same as you would in a lecture.

If you are watching a feature film (drama) pay attention to the mood created, and the artistic techniques used to create the mood or emotions. As well as, any historical facts it describes (or claim to describes).

In either case think about what the director is saying to you and how the message is presented. The choice of dramatic skills and film making technology will have a big impact on how the message is understood by the viewer.

Make notes of important passages of narration or dialogue that are central to the film.

Pay attention to the ways that the director uses the images in the film- after all, the most basic parts of the film are the images. Look for particular camera angles, sets, lighting, editing techniques, gestures, movements, facial expressions, and s on.

In advance of each video, the teacher will usually suggest important questions that you should consider while watching, and later, while thinking about what you have seen.

Be Aware of Bias and Perspective

Sources Cited: Modified and copied in parts from Twentieth Century World History Course. Professor Rockel, University of Toronto. Student Hand-Out

Historical Movie Review: Research and Written Review Rubric

Level Four Level Three Level Two Level One MARK (8-10) (7-8) (6-7) (5-6) *comparing 4 *comparing 3 *comparing 2 *comparing 1 aspect aspects of the film to aspects of the film to aspects of the film to of the film to the the historical the historical the historical historical research research research research *citing limited Comparing *citing ample *citing sufficient *citing some historical evidence in Historical historical evidence in historical evidence in historical evidence in making the Research and the making the making the making the comparisons _____ Film comparisons comparisons comparisons *occasionally 20 *always providing a *usually providing a *sometimes providing a (Thinking and clear summary of clear summary of providing a clear summary of Inquiry) relationship between relationship between summary of relationship between the film and actual the film and actual relationship between the film and actual (X 2) history history the film and actual history history *Plot Summary * Plot Summary * Plot Summary * Plot Summary is provides a thorough provides a provides explanation lacking in but concise considerably good of story but some explanation and is explanation of the explanation but may questions still too short/long story be too long or short remain, and *The review *The actual review *The review usually summary is too infrequently makes communicates makes logical long/short logical conclusions or information and conclusions or * The review generalizations Summary and ideas with a high generalizations sometimes makes *Intro established Entertainment, degree of clarity, and*Intro establishes thelogical conclusions orthe point of view, _____ Intro and with confidence point of view, and generalizations and set the historical 20 Conclusion *Intro clearly sets the historical *Intro established scene for the film establishes the point scene for the film the point of view *has a conclusion (Application) of view, and sets the *has a clear *Conclusion restates which restates the historical scene for conclusion which the point of view point of view the film restates the point of and summarizes the *has a clear and view and evidence presented effective conclusion summarizes the which restates the evidence presented point of view and summarizes

* Presentation has no* Presentation has no* Presentation has * Work has four or Written misspellings or more than two three misspellings more spelling errors Conventions _____ grammatical errors. misspellings and/or and/or grammatical and/or grammatical (Communication) 10 grammatical errors. errors. errors.

The bibliography The bibliography The bibliography The bibliography Bibliography applies all or almost applies most of the applies some of the applies some of the all of the skills skills involved in the skills involved in the skills involved in the involved in the inquiry process by: inquiry process by: inquiry process by: (Communication) inquiry process by: *including at least 2 including at least one*including at least ______*including at least sources source one source *seldom 5 ( X 0.5 ) three sources *usually using proper*sometimes using using proper *always using proper bibliographic format proper bibliographic bibliographic format bibliographic format format

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