1. Good Night and Good Luck

Film notebook 2

1. Good night and good luck

a. While all three films in the unit over politics share commentary over the role of television, the general population, and those who control what’s being broadcasted, there are distinct differences between the first 2 films (A Face in the Crowd and Network) and Good Night and Good Luck. List at least 3 meaningful differences between Good Night and the first two films. Elaborate on the difference, providing commentary over any of the following: the role of the media, the audience, and those on TV. Use evidence from the films to support your response. ½ page b. Which of the 3 films holds the most relevance today? Why? Use evidence from the films to support your response. ½ page. 2. City of god questions

Discuss all 5 questions with someone else or in groups. Choose 1 response to a question from a classmate and write that down. Then choose 2 separate questions to address on your own.

1. How does the film provide sympathetic portrayals of characters such as Lil’ Ze?

2. What does the film suggest about violence and the options of living in the City of God? How is this represented in the film?

3. What is the effect or purpose of dividing the film into parts?

4. What is the role of photography and the news in the film? A few times the camera mimics the gunshots, specifically at the end. How are they similar or different symbolically?

5. Is the newspaper examining the problems, exposing them so that they are addressed, or is it simply exploiting the violence that has afflicted the slums? 3. Adaptation

a. What kind of film does Charlie Kaufman want to avoid making? What is the chief conflict in adapting Orlean’s book into a film?

b. Considering the “meta” aspects of the movie, how does the film’s structure work to support the notion that this is about writing a script for a movie?

c. How does the dual definition of adaptation carry significance in the film?

d. Given what you know about Kaufman’s wishes to avoid stereotypical Hollywood clichés, what do you make of the last 20 minutes of the film? What purpose does this serve? Does this work on more than one level?

e. Compare and contrast this film with Sullivan’s Travels, specifically what each writer/director decides in terms of the kind of movie they make.

4. Days of heaven – see website

5. The House of Small Cubes

a. In what way do these animated features appeal to the child in you? In what way do they appeal to the adult in you? How distinct is the line between those areas of appreciation?