In this exercise students will choose a film made in Europe (i.e. not a Hollywood film taking place in Europe so for example films such as The Bourne trilogy are not acceptable). If you are unsure whether a film is acceptable or not, please consult with me in advance. Films can provide an educational window into a particular geography, exaggerate certain elements of a place to make it seem surreal, or mostly ignore that place giving the viewer the impression that it could be occurring anywhere.
Students are required to write a 5-6 page, double-spaced review and critique of a film, with the review focusing on the role of place. The structure of the paper should be include at least: 1) a brief summary of the film; and 2) a critique of the role of place in the film; and 3) a comparative analysis tying the film in to some aspect of European geography that is presented in the textbook complete with page references!!
In your analysis, compare your own experiences with those of the film to draw distinctions (or similarities) between the United States and Europe. The following questions are intended to guide you through the exercise: Where did the film occur? How important was the location to the storyline? What did you learn about this place because of the film? Do you feel this place was misrepresented in anyway (incorporate outside research if this helps with this part)? If so, how? If not, why not? Also, identify aspects of the film that helped depict the place. Be as detailed as possible. Your grade will be largely based on how well you discuss the role of place and tie it to a course theme. Feel free to include such things as: architecture, clothes, food, street scenes, as well as cultural elements such as the role of gender, religion, or anything else that might be relevant to the storyline and that helped you learn about the place(s).
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