International Film Comparison

International Film Comparison Paper

Watch Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s
Ali: Fear Eats His Soul, his 1974 film about the romance between a middle-aged German woman and a Turkish worker. Then you may choose from
ONE (1) of the three other films below. After watching
Ali: Fear Eats His Soul and the film of your choice, use the knowledge you have learned thus far in class to compare and contrast the two films. Use IMDB or Wikipedia to read synopses.

FILMS

REQUIRED:

·


Ali: Fear Eats His Soul

(1953, Germany)
, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder (REQUIRED).

Then choose
ONE of the following:

·


The Exterminating Angel


(1962), directed by Luis Buñuel (Mexico)

·


Black Girl


(1966), directed by Ousmane Sembene (Senegal)

·


In the Mood for Love


(2000), directed by Wong Kar-Wai (Hong Kong)

INSTRUCTIONS

· You will need to compare and contrast several elements of the films, developing a multi-perspective analysis of local, global, international, and communication issues throughout the films.

· It will be up to you to come up with an argument that encompasses both films.

· Use what you learned from your notes and my PowerPoints. Research the background of the director. If you have time to watch another of his or her films, I encourage you.

· You will then write a 5-6 double-spaced page paper IN APA STYLE that analyzes and exposes what you learned from the course about the given films.

As your paper will analyze films directed/written by people from different countries, it is crucial to dissect how these filmmakers approach the elements of filmmaking to tell a narrative. Choose

THREE
elements from the list below.

· Cinematography

· Editing

· Acting

· Sound design

· Story

· Visual design

· Genre

Make sure you explain each component you choose in detail and defend your arguments with sources!

Be sure to
write your paper in APA format citing the text when necessary. Include an abstract, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion and reference page. The paper will be submitted to the Turnitin Dropbox on Canvas.

ACCESS

All films available on Criterion Channel and other streaming services. Several public libraries and our FIU library have these films available for checkout on DVD or Blu-ray.

FORMAT

Your paper is to be written in an

APA-Style format
. This includes the following:

· 12-point font

· Times New Roman font

· Double-spaced

· 1-inch margins

· cover page

· reference page

· in-text citations

For more detailed instructions and information on how to write an APA-style paper, please visit


. There is an extensive databank on how to incorporate in-text citations, and properly format your references.

ADVICE

I will deduct points for poor grammar, informality of expression, and failure to comply with APA style. If you don’t have a manual, see below.

Don’t be informal. You’re writing a paper, not a discussion. Don’t offer opinions that sound like social media posts. Writing, “
Weekend had incredible performances!” will get you points knocked off.

Use topic sentences. These are the first sentences of your paragraphs, the organizing ideas. For example: “Thanks to its use of deep focus and Walter Murch’s sound design,
Apocalypse Now recreates the experience of barely surviving a war in Southeast Asia.”

You must cite any relevant secondary sources. If you have seen movies to which you can compare
Ali: Fear Eats His Soul and the other film of your choice, also cite them. Your paper will be richer if it demonstrates a familiarity with film as a cross-generational conversation.

Some helpful questions:

1. What genre is my film?

2. What uses of tilts and pans as well as close, medium, and long shot do the director and cinematographer (DP) use to tell their story? Any examples of deep focus?

3. If the film uses Foley, match, or jump cuts, how?

4. What mode of reality is my film in?

5. Are there uses of matte drawings, miniatures, or green screens?

6. How does the composer use music diegetically and non-diegetically? If the film uses ambient sound, how?