PHILHISTORY: PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Historical Movie Review

MIDTERM EXAMINATION

HISTORICAL MOVIE REVIEW

Introduction
Bayaning Third World is a 1999 Philippine mockumentary film directed by Mike de Leon and written by De
Leon and Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. It examines the heroism of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, particularly
on his supposed retraction of his writings against the Catholic Church in the Philippines during the Spanish
colonization period in the country.
Objectives
- to analyze the film’s formal techniques and thematic content
- to evaluate the historical accuracies of events using the primary sources based from the film
- to come up with a sound conclusion in different areas of focus
General Requirements
- mainly focuses on the historical aspects of the film, but also includes an evaluation of the film
- 800-1000 words - typed, double-spaced
- is the culmination of several activities which help build your research skills
- all activities must be completed in order for your final review to be evaluated
Areas of Focus (choose three)
 significant individuals  role of men, women, children
 historical events  weapons/military strategy
 setting/geographic features  architecture
 costumes  technological
 daily life – food, drink, work innovations (transportation,
 cross-cultural interaction tools, equipment

Historical Movie Review Guideline – Argumentative Essay

Adapted from: Tucker, Neal K. AP European History 4225 Movie Review. Discovery Collegiate, Bonavista, Newfoundland. 27 Nov
2006. http://www.k12.nf.ca/discovery/curriculum/socialstudies/ap/euro/movie/movie.htm.

Remember, when writing an argumentative essay in history, personal pronouns are not used
Introduction
 grab the reader’s attention with your first sentence – interesting fact(s)
 background information - the name of the movie, the director, producer, the three top stars, and the
year of release – include any special comments on its release (was it an abridged or colorized version,
was it in more than one part, was it part of a series, was it based on a novel, etc.)
 thesis – state your scope, purpose, direction for this review – what is your overall argument regarding
this film and its historical benefit?

Body Paragraph 1 – Description of the Plot

 topic sentence – main idea or focus of the paragraph
 condense the main story line into 10-12 sentences
Body Paragraph 2 – FIRST area of focus
 topic sentence – focus of the paragraph
 compare and contrast what the movie depicts with what historians claim
 concluding sentence to make a transition to the next paragraph
Body Paragraph 3 – SECOND area of focus
 topic sentence – focus of the paragraph
 compare and contrast what the movie depicts with what historians claim
 concluding sentence to make a transition to the next paragraph

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 PHILHISTORY: PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION
Historical Movie Review
MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Body Paragraph 4 – THIRD area of focus

 topic sentence – focus of the paragraph
 compare and contrast what the movie depicts with what historians claim
 concluding sentence to make a transition to the next paragraph

Body Paragraph 5– Evaluation of the film

 topic sentence – focus of the paragraph (an evaluation of the film on other areas, not history)
 consider some of the following (make sure to explain the reasons for the point of view taken)
o pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the movie
o which actors were convincing and which were inadequate
o were there places where the plot was vague, too slow, or too fast
o did the story build to a logical climax and resolve itself satisfactorily
o did it hold the viewer’s interest uniformly
o if the film was done many years ago, would it have been done differently today – how, why
o what would have made the film better
o would you recommend the film to another student

Conclusion
 summarize main points
 restate thesis
 leave your reader with something to think about (did the film make the viewer more aware of history or
just confuse the issue)

Evaluation Rubric – Historical Movie Review – Final Draft

Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Level 2 (60-69%) Level 3 (70-79%) Level 4 (80-100%)

Introduction  thesis in the form  thesis is  thesis  thesis
 thesis of an argument is attempted, but demonstrates an demonstrates a
 overview of not evident – needs to indicate a argument and is precise argument
main simple statement clearer argument relevant to the very effectively
points of fact and/or makes scope of the and is clearly
 engaging  little attempt to irrelevant review, but needs relevant to the
introduce areas of connections to be re-worked to scope of the
focus  areas of focus be clearer and less review
30%

 little attempt to introduced, but are awkward  overview of areas

provide not clearly  overview of areas of focus are clearly
background connected to the of focus is clearly introduced
information thesis statement introduced  greatly engages
 background  background reader’s attention
information is information is through
insufficient to sufficient, but background
engage reader needs to be more information
engaging

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 PHILHISTORY: PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION
Historical Movie Review
MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Plot Summary  synopsis of film is  synopsis of film is  synopsis of film is  synopsis of film is
insufficient to give sufficient, but there concise and gives very concise, and
the reader a basic is too little detail to the reader a clear also gives the
understanding of give the reader a understanding of reader a clear
the sequence of clear the sequence of understanding of
events in the film understanding of events in the film, the sequence of
the sequence of but it could use events in the film
events in the film editing for brevity
Body:  topic sentences  topic sentences  most topic  all topic sentences
Topic are not related to are at times sentences are are clear, related
Sentences the thesis relevant, but need clear, related to to the thesis and
and to make a clearer the thesis and indicate to the
organization connection with indicate to the reader what will be
the thesis reader what will be discussed in the
discussed in the paragraph
paragraph
Conclusion  abrupt ending,  thesis restated, but  thesis restated, but  thesis clearly
 restates restatement of is not clearly use of words very restated using
thesis thesis is not related to thesis in similar to different words
 summarize apparent introduction introduction from introduction
s main  little attempt to  areas of focus are  areas of focus are  areas of focus are
points summarize the summarized, but in clearly clearly
 final areas of focus a different order summarized summarized and in
message  final message has from which they  final message is different words
to reader been written appear in the relevant and from the
hastily and with essay demonstrates introduction
little thought  final message is some thought on  final message is
simple and vague topic insightful and
relevant

Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Level 2 (60-69%) Level 3 (70-79%) Level 4 (80-100%)

Use of  very little  evidence and  relevant evidence  substantial and
Evidence evidence, examples and examples highly relevant
examples, and/or incorporated from have been evidence,
details from the the film and incorporated from examples, and
film or historical historical evidence both the film and details have been
evidence are needs to be more historical evidence incorporated from
incorporated relevant or specific but could be more both the film and
statements  demonstrates detailed in some historical evidence
 information is some areas to confirm topic
40%

superfluous – understanding of  demonstrates an sentences and

editing for when to understanding of thesis
relevance is incorporate when to  demonstrates a
needed citations – review incorporate very clear
 demonstrates little required citations, a few understanding of
understanding of more were needed when to
when to incorporate
incorporate citations
citations – review
required

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 PHILHISTORY: PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION
Historical Movie Review
MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Research  shows limited  shows some  shows  shows thorough

evidence of evidence of considerable evidence of
research and research and evidence of insightful research
investigation investigation research and and investigation
investigation

Evaluation of  a limited attempt is  a point of view is  demonstrates a  demonstrates a

Film made to identify a identified but either clear point of view clear point of view
point of view not enough and analyses and analyses
 analysis of cinematic criteria recommended several
cinematic criteria are used to defend cinematic criteria, recommended
is lacking detail it, or the analysis but more detail is cinematic criteria
and very few is vague needed to be with great depth
cinematic criteria convincing and detail
are used
Organization of  the writing lacks  the development  the progression of  the writing is
Ideas unity and of ideas is not information and unified and
(areas of focus coherence completely logical ideas is, for the coherent
appear in order or coherent most part, logical throughout
as listed in
intro, transition
words/phrases
used well)
20%

Sense of  sense of audience  sense of audience  sense of audience  sense of audience

Audience is clearly missing: is somewhat clear: is generally clear: is very clear:
informal language formal and formal language is formal language is
is most evident informal language used for the most used throughout
is evident part (no personal
pronouns are
used, no
contractions, no
abbreviations)

Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Level 2 (60-69%) Level 3 (70-79%) Level 4 (80-100%)

Mechanics of  several major and  a few major and  some minor errors  very few minor
Writing minor errors are minor errors are are evident, but do errors are evident
 grammar evident and evident, but do not not interfere with and meaning is
(20% cont’d)

 spelling occasionally interfere with the the reader’s clear

interfere with the reader’s understanding
reader’s understanding
understanding  proofreading
 proofreading and would have been
editing highly useful
recommended
Embedded  attempts to follow  follows MLA style  follows MLA style  follows MLA style
Citations and MLA style  several minor  a few minor errors  no errors in style
Works Cited  many major and errors in style are in style are evident are evident
List minor errors are evident
evident

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 PHILHISTORY: PHILIPPINE HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION
Historical Movie Review
MIDTERM EXAMINATION

Writing  more than four  3-4 activities  1-2 activities  all activities
Process activities leading to leading to the final leading to the final leading to the final
the final review review were not review were not review were
were not completed before completed before completed before
completed before the first draft was the first draft was the first draft was
the first draft was due due due
due
10%

Time  all of the required  all of the required  all of the required  all of the required
Management materials and/or materials and/or materials and/or materials and final
Essay final copy handed final copy handed final copy handed copy handed in on
collection in three or more in two days late in one day late time
classes late

Comments:
_______ (30%)

_______ (40%)

_______ (20%)

_______ (10%)

Overall __________