Essay Two

Essay Two Prompt

Analytical Film Review

For your second formal essay assignment, you will choose a film from posted list and write a 4 page summary and analytical review of that film based on the film’s overall treatment of issues around incarceration.  Additionally, you will identify an audience for your essay and will tailor your summary, analysis, evaluation, and language to that audience.  

In order to evaluate the film’s statement about prisons/prison life, you will need to consider the purpose of the film and the audience for whom the film has been produced.  You are expected to explicitly discuss issues and provide evidence to support the purpose and audience that you identify.

Purpose:  To sharpen summary writing skills.  To practice film analysis, including the use of the conventions of writing about film.  To identify an audience and make rhetorical choices about how best interact with that audience.  To gain experience making an evaluation based on the application of thoughtful criteria to an art object (in this case, film).  

Essay guidelines:  Your introduction should engage your audience, explain what you are writing about (give pertinent information about your film), and assert a thesis.  In this case, your thesis will likely be an evaluation of the film, based on the entertainment value for your particular audience, as well as the film’s handling of the issues related to this class (how is jail/prison portrayed?  How are those who are incarcerated characterized?  How is the administration characterized?  What does the film say about the role of guards or prison staff? etc.). 

Summarize the film briefly and fully, for the benefit of a reader who has not yet seen the film.  Give as much information as necessary for the reader to be able to understand the discussion of the film that follows.

Analyze the film.  Each body paragraph (after intro and summary) should begin with a topic sentence that clearly connects to and supports your thesis.  Each paragraph should 1) identify an element of the film (content, visual, audio) that contributes to its overall meaning, 2) briefly describe (or refer back to your previous description) of the elements to establish a context for your readers, and 3) explain HOW the element conveys or contributes to the central meaning of the text.  Answering the HOW part is crucial to your analysis.  It is not enough to just identify the characteristics; you must also discuss how these characteristics contribute to the message or meaning of the film as a whole.

Evaluate the film.  Consider how the film treats the subject the prison system.  Look at the portrayal of those in prison.  Look at the way that characters react to the incarcerated.  Evaluate the film’s treatment of the prison establishment (administration, guards, doctors,  institutions, etc.).  Does the film respect the incarcerated?  Does it make fun of the incarcerated?  What does the film seem to be saying about the position of the incarcerated in society?  Does the film perpetuate stereotypes about the incarcerated?  Are these stereotypes harmful?  Why or why not? 

You do not have to answer all of these questions in your evaluation nor are they the only questions you may consider.  This is merely a list to get you thinking about the messages the film sends about prison and the institutions related to it.

Conclude the essay by providing a general discussion of your evaluation of the film based on its treatment of prisoners and the prison system.  Connect your evaluation to your intended audience.  Lead the reader out of the essay.

Format the essay according to the guidelines in the syllabus and the MLA section of your handbook.  DO NOT forget to attach a works cited page that credits the source you are analyzing. 

Essay assessment:  Your first draft is due on Monday, May 5.  Please bring 3 copies with you to class.  Your second draft should be turned in  on Wednesday, May 14 with a clean copy of the revised paper, peer review materials, and the copy of the first draft with instructor comments.  Papers will not be graded without all of these documents.