Cinema History - Mr. Seligman
Cinema History Project:
Create a film poster with a Gallery Blurb that relates a film to period of American Cultural History.
Working with your group research the story-line from your assigned film and watch the original trailer.
Watch several clips from the film (Youtube) and choose your favorite clip to accompany the poster with the class.
Next, research the Historical Context assigned with the film (using the Interwebs and Campolindo Library Bookcart).
Create your project:
1) Gallery Blurb:
Paragraph 1: summarize of the film’s story line in your own words.
Paragraph 2: summarize the Historical Context related to the film.
You must use at least 2 print references from library books*
Paragraph 3: analyze how the images used in the poster relate to both the film and the Historical Context.
Paragraph 4: editorialize your response to your scene
2) Movie Poster:
You may use Photoshop, Google Draw, Powerpoint, Word or traditional drawing approaches in a vertical format. Use NO images from the original film. Your poster should incorporate text that relates to your Theme.
*include a proper MLA Bibliography at the end
Our Library MLA Page
Day 1: Project Description & Brainstorm
Day 2: Library Research
Day 3: Search images and Collect Assets
Day 4-5: Create Poster/Write Paragraphs
Day 6-7: Presentations
Library Research Print Resources :
& Digital Resources
Library of Congress
Library of Congress
Photographs Online Collection
Here are some themes you will research in the library (print and digital): The numbers refer to the place in the Dewey system you can find books about this theme.
Advances in genetic research (110-ethics; 576-genetics)
Racial tension (300-310 are issues of Sociology)
Abortion issues (363.46 )
Mental Illness (616)
High School social cliques (300-310 are issues of Sociology)
War profiteering (399 and 350)
Here are some of the films you will focus on: Click on the title to go to the YouTube clip page for that movie.
Jurassic Park (1993, Dir. Steven Spielberg). DNA cloning and advances in biomedicine, bioethics, etc.
Philadelphia (1993, Dir. Jonathan Demme). The struggle in the gay community with AIDS during the 1980s/90s.
Do the Right Thing (1989, Dir. Spike Lee). An examination of urban racism of the late 1980s.
Citizen Ruth (1996, Dir. Alexander Payne). A destitute woman finds herself used by both sides over abortion politics.
A Beautiful Mind (1991, Dir. Ron Howard) A man with mental illness is used for cryptography.
The Breakfast Club (1985, Dir. John Hughes) A group of high school students are stuck together and must challenge their preconceived notions of one another’s social status.
Gran Torino (2008, Dir. Clint Eastwood) An unflinching look at racism in the American suburbs.
Lord of War (2005, Dir. Andrew Niccol) An immoral arms dealer profits on promoting world violence.