FST 201

INTRODUCTION TO FILM HISTORY & ANALYSIS

REACTION PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Introduction

For two of the films we will view this semester, you are to write a short paper (3 to 5 pages) in which you react to the film. The paper should include these sections:

1. Provide a summary of one or two paragraphs of the film you saw. Remember that no two
people necessarily see the same film, owing to differences in their backgrounds,
experiences, and other subjectivities.

2. Who were the principle characters in the film? Provide a variety, including leading,
supporting, and marginal characters. Be sure to identify protagonists and antagonists.

3. Describe at least one primary plot and at least two subplots, including the characters who
figure in them. Identify key moments of exposition, conflict, rising action, climax,
falling action, and resolution.

4. In what ways did the plot and subplots you identified articulate with each other in telling
the story? Were there subplots or scenes in the film that interfered with the overall
narrative or that otherwise seemed out of place?

5. What was your overall reaction to the film.On a scale of one to ten, in which ten is a
“life-changing event” and one is the status quo, what was the film’s impact on you?
Explain. Is this film deserving of the status it has been given by the critical community, including the member of the class writing the advancepaper?

Due

The paper will be due at the start of the class periodfollowing the discussion of the film.