ENG 281-002

Group Presentation Guidelines

Click here for a list of presenters and topics.

 

These presentations will focus on the life and work of an important film director or actor.  In some cases, I have chosen to give groups an option of choosing between two equally compelling artists in a given week. 

I will organize you into groups during the first full week of class.  Groups will consist of three people.  You will have to present the following, with 10 minutes allotted for each member.  I will stop you if you go overtime:

Person #1: Present a biographical sketch of the artist’s life, including his or her origins, artistic background/influences, important works and themes explored in those works, and general life information interesting or relevant to their art.  It would be helpful here to show the class a picture of the artist, and produce a handout with his or her filmography and a general outline of your sketch.

Person #2: Select and discuss one of the artist’s noted films, using a clip from that film that you will play (no more than 5 minutes, not counted toward your ten minute allotment) and talk about/lead a brief discussion of.  Please distribute a handout of important questions to the class, for those interested in further viewing.

Person #3: Select a different film from a later year and do the same.

 

Each member of the group will be graded individually.  I will be looking for:

1)      Evidence of a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject/work.

2)      A coherently organized presentation of that knowledge.

3)      In the case of the film discussions, evidence of thoughtful analysis and a list of thought-provoking questions for the class.  In the case of bios, a narrative that includes all key aspects of an artist’s life and general work, and a handout that includes a filmography of selected important works and perhaps a timeline of the artist’s life as well.  An outline of your presentation is also required. 

4)      Efficient use of time.  Short presentations will receive a penalty of one letter grade per minute short.  Presentations that are excessively informal, waste time, and display a lack of serious vigor will be penalized as well.

 

Helpful resources:

ü      www.imdb.com – the internet movie database

ü      www.filmsite.org – a helpful trove of overviews and information on classic films

ü      http://www.library.yale.edu/humanities/film/ - a guide to research and reference materials for film studies

ü      http://resources.library.yale.edu/online/ejournalsbysubjecthf.asp?wheretogo=116 – links to several noted film journals

 

 

 

Below, I have listed each group project and date, paired with a preliminary list of noted films you may want to choose from as you organize your presentation.  This is by no means a required or exhaustive list.  Complete filmographies of all artists can be found at www.imdb.com, and most of these films can be found either at the Media Library or local video rental stores.  Please do not search for them at the last minute.  Allow for some time to find the films you need.  I can help if you run into any dead ends:

 

M 9/05 Group Presentation: Charlie Chaplin

Ø      The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936)

M 9/12 Group Presentation: Vincente Minnelli/Judy Garland

Ø      (Minnelli): Father of the Bride (1950), An American in Paris (1951), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Ø      (Garland): The Wizard of Oz (1939), A Star is Born (1954), Judgment at Nuremburg (1961)

M 9/26 Group Presentation: Steven Spielberg

Ø      Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Schindler’s List (1993)

W 10/12 Group Presentation: Martin Scorsese

Ø      Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The Aviator (2004)

M 10/24 Group Presentation: Robert Redford

Ø      All the President’s Men (1976), The Natural (1984), A River Runs Through It (1992)

M 10/31 Group Presentation: Fritz Lang

Ø      Metropolis (1927), M (1931), The Blue Gardenia (1953)

M 11/07 Group Presentation: Roman Polanski/Jack Nicholson

Ø      (Polanski): Knife in the Water (1962), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Pianist (2002)

Ø      (Nicholson): Easy Rider (1967), The Shining (1980), As Good as it Gets (1997)

M 11/14 Group Presentation: Sean Penn/Christopher Walken

Ø      (Penn): Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Dead Man Walking (1995), Mystic River (2003)

Ø      (Walken): The Deer Hunter (1978), The Dead Zone (1983), The Funeral (1996)

M 11/21 Group Presentation: Marlon Brando

Ø      A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On the Waterfront (1954), Apocalypse Now (1979)

M 12/05 Group Presentation: James Cameron

Ø      Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997)