Film Analysis

Watch some short videos on the disproportionate representation of women in the film industry in
the Modules from the previous Unit. And you have now watched a film that fully passes the Bechdel Test, and
focuses on the telling of women’s stories. You have chosen to watch one of the following films:
The Color Purple
The Joy Luck Club
Lady Bird
The Florida Project
Like Water for Chocolate
and Moonlight
All of these films easily pass the Bechdel Test and deal with women, young and old, who have stories to tell.
For your Final Exam, you are to write a paper on the film you choose from this list or Moonlight. There should
be an Introduction, three main points, and a conclusion. It should be about 2-3 pages in length.
You need to base your paper on the film you chose from the list provided above or Moonlight from the previous
section as these films successfully pass the Bechdel Test or fight Negative Archetypes respectively. Use
several examples from the film you chose to explain your main points. Be sure to fully explore your ideas and
fully explain with examples. Be specific about your examples in terms of directors choices, images and lines to
explain your points.
A sample paper will be provided in the next page.
Use the following questions to help guide your paper:
Gender Representation in Film
Intro:
All of the film options were incredibly well received by audiences and are all Oscar award winners, which
proves the idea wrong that women led stories are not popular or don’t make money. Why then do you think that
Hollywood rarely invests in the telling of women’s stories?
Does your awareness of the Bechdel Test make you view films differently? How so?
Body:
What are the major themes/issues that the women deal with in the film you saw?
How do the women deal with those issues/themes?
How do the major themes of the film compare to major themes in films about men? Are they different? The
same? How so?
What does it seem the director want their audience to take away from the film?
Conclusion:
What do you think is the most important part about telling women’s stories in film, and/or representing women
equally and accurately in film? Why?
Moonlight:
Intro:
What are Negative archetypes in film?
Does your awareness of these negative archetypes make you view films differently? How so?
Introduce how Moonlight does/or does not fit criteria for negative archetypes.
Body:
What are the major themes/issues that Moonlight addresses? And how does this relate or refute negative
archetypes?
How do the characters deal with these issues/themes? And how does this relate or refute negative
archetypes?
How do the major characters of the film compare to the criteria for a Negative Archetype? Are they different?
The same? How so?
What does it seem the director wants their audience to take away from the film?
Conclusion:
What is the danger of presenting Negative Archetypes in film? Explain.
What do you think is the most important part about telling stories in film equally and accurately? Why?
Make sure to use plenty of specific examples in your discussion of themes and subtext. It is recommended that
you watch the film more than once.