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HISTORY OF FILM: THFM-2410-001/HIST-2191-001

1st TERM ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

In the early days of cinema, inventors and film pioneers introduced technical developments and
stylistic innovations, such as the various shots (wide shot, medium shot, close-up, POV), camera
angles, camera movement, and editing. Though these innovations had been utilized by inventors
and pioneers as early as 1903, they had not been integrated into any coherent form. Later
filmmakers adopted these concepts and innovations and creatively integrated them into the
language of cinema.

Choose ONE of the films listed below in Topic # 1, Topic # 2, or Topic # 3 and discuss how the
filmmakers adopted technical developments and stylistic innovations and contributed to the
development of the language of cinema by utilizing these inventions and innovations coherently
and creatively.

In your analysis, make reference to specific scenes and sequences from the film to illustrate your
point.

A note on Citations
If you choose to include a quotation from a published work, you must cite the source. Never cite
a source which does not indicate the author`s name.

Use MLA citation format.

Choose ONE of the following 3 topics for your essay

TOPIC # 1
Discuss how the filmmaker significantly contributed to the development of the various cinematic
shots and angles into a coherent visual language of film, using them to construct longer and more
complex narratives, to enhance the emotional content and impact of a scene, and to contribute to
the development of character.

Choose ONE film

1). Birth of a Nation (1915) D.W. Griffith (complete film available on Youtube)

2). Tol’able David (1921) Henry King

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TOPIC # 2
Discuss how the filmmaker uses Mise-en-scène (sets, art direction and the physical environment)
creatively, to craft an expressionist milieu, and discuss how the filmmaker uses camera
movement, subjective camera angles, lighting and other tools in an innovative way to further
enhance this milieu, comment on character and enhance the emotional content of a scene or
sequence.

Choose ONE film

1). The Last Laugh (1924) F.W. Murnau

2). The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) Robert Weine (complete film available on Youtube)

TOPIC # 3
Discuss how the filmmaker uses sound (dialogue, sound effects, foley, ambience and music, both
synchronous and asynchronous), to both augment the visuals and, more significantly, to
introduce additional story elements and enhance characterization.

Choose ONE film

1). Applause (1929) Rouben Mamoulian (complete film available on Youtube)

2). All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Lewis Milestone (Note: Make sure you watch the
1930 film and not the 1979 re-make)

Presentation of Assignments:

Essay Length: Approximately 1200 to 1500 words (4 to 5 pages double-spaced)

Include a Title page, with your NAME, DATE and the COURSE NAME. Include the topic and
the film you have chosen to write about.

NUMBER THE PAGES (Top right corner). Numbering of pages begins with the first page of
your essay, not the title page.

Submit by email as a PDF to j.kozak@uwinnipeg.ca

Assignment due date: Friday, Nov. 26

Penalty for Late Assignments: Late assignments will be marked down at the rate of 1% per
week-day out of 100 after the due date.

This assignment is worth 25% of your Final Grade

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