Y200 Politics and Film

Fall 2011

First Paper Assignment

Paper Length: at least 5 pages (double-spaced and typed) but no more than 7

Paper is due: Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at the beginning of class

The first paper assignment gives you a choice of one of the following two projects:

(1) Compare two films that deal with the war in Vietnam. The two films may be a combination of any two films from the following list:

Apocalypse Now

Cutter's Way

The Deer Hunter

Coming Home

Born on the Fourth of July

Full Metal Jacket

Indochine

Heaven and Earth

Hearts and Minds (documentary)

Nixon

Platoon

In your essay be sure to talk about the problems of portraying the war without resorting to Hollywood war movie clichés (the good guys always win, there is no inter-racial or inter-ethnic conflict within the US military, nobody bleeds after they are shot, etc.), depicting the brutal tactics used by both sides in the war, and coming to terms with the complex motivations of combatants and civilians in the various countries participating in the war.

You might want to talk about how each of the films deals with the issues of anti-communism in the United States, the role of the antiwar movement in ending the war, the controversy in the United States over military tactics, and the reasons for the ultimate victory of the North Vietnamese.

(2) Write a short plot outline for a political movie that you would like to make. You might want to watch The Player to see how a story is pitched in Hollywood. Write about the characters, the scenes, and the general flow of the movie, without going into great detail. Please include a list of characters with casting ideas and a sample page of dialogue for an important scene.