Genre as a critical framework to question and assess film - "Stagecoach" from 1939

If you prefer assessing John Ford's "Stagecoach" using a genre approach you could focus on some of these points and view several scenes to decide whether Ford consciously focuses on, say, various forms of social prejudice, or whether these issues simply emerge out of the time in which the film was made. Perhaps there is something to be said for each approach. Clint Eastwood said that in "Josey Wales" (1975-6)he was not particularly conscious of his theme of social unity which could be seen as the need for Americans to unite after the Vietnam War. (See earlier posts). Yet in retrospect that is what he seems to have reflected in his film - Josey Wales is supported by the different types who, through his help, have banded together into a social group, suggesting that there is strength through social unity. Ford's film also mirrors an American society that was divided by the Depression and, perhaps, still feeling the after-effects of the Civil War from 65 years earlier.

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FM2 Example Exam Essay Question and Plan - Concept Map

Click on the images to enlarge. The case study film is "Juno" from 2007.

See also the film poster of  There Will Be Blood ( 2008 ).

Both the exam question and poster were drawn from WJEC exemplar exam material.

"Stagecoach" and approaching the western either through genre or through Ford as an Auteur (Concept Map)

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What's missing from this graphic is the big macro features on narrative. When analysing Western for its genre we will need to consider narrative structure and plots, etc. Studies would also benefit from nexamination of key scenes which will allow a fruitful discussion of Macro features of the genre as well as the auteurs' treatment of them and their view of America at a given point in time.

An Art-House Film - "American Beauty" Concept Map on Production Issues

Click on the image to enlarge.
Web links in the image that cannot be clicked from the JPEG.

Useful for comparing art-house "indie" films with films like "Once" made on shoe-string budgets.

Production Notes

Dreamworks's Production Noteshttp://thora.org/magazines/drmwrksinfo.html

An Art -House Film - "American Beauty" Concept Map on Distribution

Click on the image to enlargeWeblinks that cannot be clicked from the JPEG.

Useful for a studio-based comparison with "indie" films made on shoe-string budgets, such as "ONCE".
The Trailer
http://www.allsubs.org/search-trailer/American%20Beauty/
The film's official website
http://www.dreamworks.com/ab/
Reviews ( mainly an exhibition issue but they also generated "buzz" and "word of mouth")
The British broadsheet press (who focus on art-house films)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2000/jan/28/4
The public had its say, too in the same newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/81856/american.beauty/review

An Art-House Film - "American Beauty" Concept Map on Exhibition

Useful for studio art-house films to compare with a shoe-string "indie" films in FS6, Section B .

Click on the concept map to enlarge.

The following are weblinks that will not click in the JPEG.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/movieconnectionsPublic reviews from Amazon UKhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Beauty-Kevin-Spacey/dp/B0000558PIUK Press reviewhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2000/jan/28/4Amazon UK reviews of the music CDhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/review/product/B00003XACV/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt/276-8899745-1583721?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1Thomas Newman's distinctive score ( some examples)http://www.last.fm/music/Thomas+Newman/_/Dead+Already

Concept Map for film, Juno

Click on this concept map to make it bigger.

The links that cannot be clicked from the JPEG for further research, etc.
Production
http://madeinatlantis.com/movies_central/2007/juno_production_details.htm


Distribution and marketing
website
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/juno/ (Also has the updated poster)
Trailer
http://www.mtv.co.uk/overdrive/id/99644
Poster
http://www.impawards.com/2007/juno_ver2_xlg.html

Exhibition
Reviews
The US critic Roger Ebert thought the film was the best of its year!
British critics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/feb/08/comedy.drama
From the public
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Juno-Ellen-Page/dp/B0015VI334/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1232617714&sr=1-1

Opening Credits
http://www.shadowplaystudio.com/juno/


The British Box office and opening number of screens from IMBD.

£213,504 (UK) (16 March 2008) (188 Screens)
£445,999 (UK) (9 March 2008) (340 Screens)
£690,686 (UK) (2 March 2008) (373 Screens)
£1,073,852 (UK) (24 February 2008) (368 Screens)
£1,344,284 (UK) (17 February 2008) (366 Screens)
£2,002,120 (UK) (10 February 2008) (363 Screens)

Representation and Ideology - a concept map for analysing representation

This concept map should prove useful for students analysing any type of media text including films and film posters. Remember that meaning in film and media texts is created in a social context and not individual one.

Click on the image to enlarge.