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Home , Citizen Kane, From Here to Eternity, High Noon, It Happened One Night, Letters from Iwo Jima, Midnight Cowboy

Film Assignment Spring Semester – U.S. History

Part of the purpose of this class in to acquaint you with those parts of American culture that everyone is expected to know. Some of this expected knowledge is in the form of movies and movie stars. Throughout this Semester on your own you will be expected to see at least four different films from at least four different categories.

The Categories are:

War classics ‐ From WWI to Gulf War Social Commentary ‐ Changes in society are mirrored by films we see Westerns ‐ Define America and the West The Decades ‐ Films that are representative from the 20’s through 80’s Classics ‐ Films that everyone is supposed to know about.

Section One – War Classics

All Quiet on the Front, The African Queen Sergeant York, Das Boot**, Casablanca, , Tora Tora Tora Command Decision, Midway, The Longest Day, Patton Battle of the Bulge, Sands of , Great Escape, Objective Burma, Bridge on the River Kwai Bridges at Toko‐Ri, Steel Helmet, Pork Chop Hill Flags of Our Father**, The Thin Red Line**, **

After watching one of these war films write a one to two page paper, in paragraph form, summarizing the events of the film and how it fits with the history of the event that we have studied. Also include what you thought about this film and how it dealt with war and its time period.

Section Two – Social Commentary

The Grapes of Wrath Soylent Green Crash** To Kill a Mocking Bird North Country** Schindler’s List** Burning** The Kite Runner A Civil Action Doctor Strangelove A Patch of Blue Pay it Forward Silkwood Testament Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Milk** Norma Rae The Day the Earth Stood Still One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Juno** Erin Brockovich**

After watching one of these war films write a one to two page paper, in paragraph form, that defines and explains the social issue the film is about. Lastly within this paper include your reaction to the film and your view on the particular issue (how do you feel about this issue specifically and WHY?) Section Three – Western

Shane The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly** How the West Was Won The Treasure of Sierra Madre The magnificent Seven Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Virginia City ** A Fistful of Dollars 3:10 to Yuma**

The Western is considered to be uniquely American form. Write a one to two page paper, in paragraph form, summarizing the events of one of these pictures and describe how the film defines key aspects of who we are in America. (Meaning what do westerns say about Americans and what can be learned from them)

Section Four – The Decades

1920’s The Great Gatsby 1930’s The Grapes of Wrath, **, The Green Mile**, Places in the Heart 1940’s Gene Autrey, Roy Rodgers Serials, It’s A Wonderful Life, Fantasia 1950’s The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, Blackboard Jungle, ** 1960’s American Graffiti, Woodstock**, Endless Summer, JFK**, ** 1970’s , 1980’s Wall Street**, Stand by Me**, **, War Games, Breakfast Club** 1990’s American Beauty**, Sling Blade**, Dead Man Walking**, Philadelphia**, **

After watching one of these films that focus on a specific decade, write a one to two page paper, that defines and explains why this is representative of this particular decade. Lastly within this paper include you reaction to the film and your own views on the particular decade.

Section Five – The Classics

Gone with the Wind Casablanca Wizard of Oz It’s A Wonderful Life Citizen Kane 2001: A Space Odyssey Snow White Grease Lawrence of Arabia

These films along are considered the classics from 1920 to 1970. Most people from earlier generation have seen them. As one of your film choices, you may choose to view one of these classics. After viewing the film write a one to two page paper that summarizes the film and discuss why or why not you consider this film to be an American classic.

** These films are rated R and if this is a problem please choose another film from the list. Before view one of the R rated films please get a parental permission slip to me. Credit Options 1. Parental 5 point Bonus – watch the movie with Mom or Dad and interview them answering the questions from that movie section. Have them sign the one page interview and this will add 5 points to your assignment 2. Extra films may be view ( to 2) for extra credit but if all other assignments are turned in! Value to 5 points per added to your averages Substitute Move List – Next Page

Ø With the turn of the century numerous greatest movie lists have been debated, a list which has been published by NY Times, USA Today, and the likes have called this list the list of 100 greatest movies all­time.

Ø You may substitute one movie from the list for a film from Section #5 Classics.

Ø You may do a maximum of one film from this list! This is the 's list of the 100 Greatest Movies, selected by AFI's blue­ribbon panel of more than 1,500 leaders of the American movie community. (It has also been published by NY Times, USA Today, etc.)

1.CITIZEN KANE (1941) 51.PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE(1940) 2.CASABLANCA (1942) 52.FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) 3.GODFATHER, THE (1972) 53.AMADEUS (1984) 4.GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) 54.ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 5.LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) (1930) 6.WIZARD OF OZ, THE (1939) 55.SOUND OF MUSIC, THE (1965) 7.GRADUATE, THE (1967) 56.M*A*S*H(1970) 8. (1954) 57.THIRD MAN, THE (1949) 9.SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) 58.FANTASIA (1940) 10.SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) 59.REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) 11.IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) 60. (1981) 12.SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) 61.VERTIGO (1958) 13.BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE (1957) 62. (1982) 14.SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) 63.STAGECOACH (1939) 15. (1977) 64.CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD 16. (1950) KIND (1977) 17.AFRICAN QUEEN, THE (1951) 65.SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (1991) 18.PSYCHO (1960) 66.NETWORK (1976) 19.CHINATOWN (1974) 67.MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE (1962) 20.ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 68.AMERICAN IN PARIS, AN (1951) (1975) 69.SHANE (1953) 21.GRAPES OF WRATH, THE (1940) 70.FRENCH CONNECTION, THE (1971) 22.2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) 71. (1994) 23.MALTESE FALCON, THE (1941) 72.BEN­HUR (1959) 24. (1980) 73.WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) 25.E.T. THE EXTRA­TERRESTRIAL (1982) 74.GOLD RUSH, THE (1925) 26.DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) 75. (1990) 27.BONNIE & CLYDE (1967) 76. (1931) 28. (1979) 77.AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) 29.MR. SMITH GOES TO (1939) 78.ROCKY (1976) 30.TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948) 79.DEER HUNTER, THE (1978) 31. (1977) 80.WILD BUNCH, THE (1969) 32.GODFATHER PART II, THE (1974) 81.MODERN TIMES (1936) 33.HIGH NOON (1952) 82.GIANT (1956) 34.TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) 83.PLATOON (1986) 35. (1934) 84.FARGO (1996) 36. (1969) 85.DUCK SOUP (1933) 37.BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946) 86.MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935) 38. (1944) 87.FRANKENSTEIN (1931) 39.DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965) 88.EASY RIDER (1969) 40.NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) 89.PATTON (1970) 41.WEST SIDE STORY (1961) 90.JAZZ SINGER, THE (1927) 42. (1954) 91.MY FAIR LADY (1964) 43.KING KONG (1933) 92.PLACE IN , A(1951) 44.BIRTH OF A NATION, THE (1915) 93.APARTMENT, THE (1960) 45.STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, A (1951) 94. (1990) 46.CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A (1971) 95.PULP FICTION (1994) 47. (1976) 96.SEARCHERS, THE (1956) 48. (1975) 97.BRINGING UP BABY (1938) 49.SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS 98.UNFORGIVEN (1992) (1937) 99.GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967) 50.BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID 100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) (1969)