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COM 321, Documentary Form in Film & Television, Spring 2012 Take

COM 321, Documentary Form in Film & Television, Spring 2012 Take

1 COM 321, Documentary Form in Film & Television, Spring 2012

Take-home Essay Exam Due--10:00 am, Thur., May 10 (at the beginning of the required COM 321 Documentary Premiere Screening session)

Worth–40 pts. (20% of your course grade). Two items are worth a maximum of 15 pts. each, and one is worth a maximum of 10 pts. You must respond to all three essay questions (each involves some choices on your part).

Begin your answer to each question on a new sheet of paper, headed by your student ID number and the item letter/number only. Write a maximum of five typed (double-spaced) pages total across all three questions.

For all questions, be sure to demonstrate knowledge you gained in class, via lecture, handouts, viewing, and discussion. Unless otherwise noted, this will serve as the primary source of evaluation for your answer.

1. (maximum 15 pts.): Select five of the following individuals, and indicate: (a) How would Barnouw categorize their work? (Entries with a star (*) are actually mentioned in the Barnouw book.) (b) What do you personally like or dislike about each of the filmmakers’ work? (SELECT FIVE) a. Joris Ivens* b. Jean Rouch* c. the Maysles brothers* d. Christopher Guest e. D. A. Pennebaker* f. Frederick Wiseman* g. Marlon Riggs* h. Michael Rubbo* i. George C. Stoney* j. Les Blank* k. Agnes Varda l. Kevin Brownlow* m. Ken Burns* n. Georges Franju* o. Errol Morris p. Stan Brakhage q. Michael Apted* r. Orson Welles s. Carl Sagan* t. u. Michael Moore* v. Bill Guentzler w. Marquette Williams

2 2. (maximum 15 pts.): Select one chapter from Grant and Sloniowski (the blue book) that was assigned after the midterm, and that discusses a film you’ve viewed through class or not. (a) Indicate precisely how the chapter helped you gain a better understanding of the film (or not!), and (b) using the two Techniques outlines (parts 1 and 2) assess which techniques have been used in this film, either effectively or ineffectively. (Hint: Some films you may have seen that have Grant and Sloniowski chapters are Blood of the Beasts, Dont Look Back, The Thin Blue Line, Roger & Me, This is Spinal Tap, The Act of Seeing with One’s Own Eyes.)

3. (maximum 10 pts.): Talk about your reactions to the series “50 Documentaries to See Before You Die,” including in your discussion a consideration of (a) the role of humor in at least two of the docs (apply concepts from the Humor and the Documentary handout), and (b) at least two docs you now really want to seem, indicating why.

FYI, here is the list of the 50 Docs:

"Life After "

50. Spellbound, by Jeffrey Blitz (2002) 49. Madonna: Truth or Dare, by Alek Keshishian (1991) 48. The Kid Stays in the Picture, by Nanette Burstein and (2002) 47. , by Kevin Macdonald (1999) 46. Little Dieter Needs to Fly, by Werner Herzog (1998) 45. The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, by Penelope Spheeris (1988) 44. Burma VJ, by Anders Østergaard (2008) 43. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, by Spike Lee (2006) 42. Catfish, by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (2010) 41. : A Fistful of Quarters, by (2007)

"The Boy Who Loves Jesus Grows Up"

40. , by Leon Gast (1996) 39. Biggie & Tupac, by Nick Broomfield (2002) 38. , by Luc Jacquet (2005) 37. Inside Job, by Charles H. Ferguson (2010) 36. , by (2007) 35. Paragraph 175, by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (2000) 34. Brother’s Keeper, by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (1992) 33. Tongues Untied, by Marlon Riggs (1989) 32. Dogtown and Z-Boys, by Stacy Peralta (2001) 31. Jesus Camp, by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (2006)

"When Morgan Spurlock Met Mr. Brainwash"

30. Fahrenheit 9/11, by Michael Moore (2004) 29. , by (2008) 28. Gasland, by Josh Fox (2010) 3 27. Tarnation, by Jonathan Caouette (2003) 26. Murderball, by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro (2005) 25. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, by Alex Gibney (2005) 24. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (1996) 23. The Eyes of Tammy Faye, by Fenton Bailey (2000) 22. Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing, by and Cecilia Peck (2006) 21. Exit Through the Gift Shop, by Banksy (2010)

"When Morgan Spurlock Went to a Drag Ball"

20. , by Andrew Jarecki (2003) 19. Touching the Void, by Kevin Macdonald (2003) 18. Food, Inc., by Robert Kenner (2008) 17. Street Fight, by Marshall Curry (2005) 16. Bus 174, by José Padilha and Felipe Lacerda (2002) 15. Crumb, by (1994) 14. Dark Days, by Marc Singer (2000) 13. , by Errol Morris (2003) 12. , by Michael Moore (2002) 11. Paris Is Burning, by Jennie Livingston (1990)

"Top 10 Docs To See Before You Die"

10. , by Werner Herzog (2005) 9. Trouble the Water, by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal (2008) 8. , by Davis Guggenheim (2006) 7. The Celluloid Closet, by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (1995) 6. The War Room, by and D.A. Pennebaker (1993) 5. Super Size Me, by Morgan Spurlock (2004) 4. Waltz with Bashir, by (2008) 3. Roger & Me, by Michael Moore (1989) 2. The Thin Blue Line, by Errol Morris (1988) 1. Hoop Dreams, by Steve James (1994)

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