大学英语专业影视欣赏复习资料

1/1大学英语专业影视欣赏复习资料AppreciatingCinema

PartOne:Categorizationofgenres

Genre

SocialDrama

Romance

Gangster

Warfilm

Sciencefiction

Fantasy

Western

Disaster

Crime

Epic

Action

Musical

_____________________________________________________________________Blockbuster

Filmnoir

Comedyintendedtogeneratelaughter

Horrorintendedtohorrify

Thrillerintendedtothrill

PartTwo:Thebasicstories

Therearealimitednumberofstoriesthatformthebasisforallfictionalnarratives.

·AchillesExample:Superman

·CandideExample:ForrestGump

·CinderellaExample:PrettyWoman

·CirceExample:FatalAttraction

·FaustExample:WallStreet

·OrpheusExample:BornontheFourthofJuly

·RomeoandJulietExample:ShakespeareinLove,Ghost·TristanTheGraduate

·TheWanderingJewExample:TheEnglishPatient

PartThree:TheClassicThree-ActLinearStructure（经典三幕式直线结构）

ThemajorityofHollywoodfilmsemploystheclassicthree-actlinearstructure(oravariationofit).Thethree-actstructureimpliesthatthefilmcanbedividedintothreeacts.Act1wouldnormallybeexpectedtooccupythefirstquarterofthefilm;Act2wouldoccupythenexthalf;andAct3wouldoccupythefinalquarter.

Eachacthasadifferentfunction.Foratypicaltwo—hourHollywoodfilm,theactdivisionswouldbeasfollows.

ActTimeFunction

Act10-30minutesset-up

Act230-90minutesdevelopment(conflictandconfrontation)Act390-120minutesresolutionanddenouncement(结局)

PartFour:AlternativeNarrativeStructures

·EpisodicStructure章回式结构

Episodicnarrativesfollowtheprotagonistthroughaseriesofpotentiallyunrelatedadventures.Asinthe

three-actstructure,therearedefiniteturningpointsatwhichthefortunesoftheprotagonistturnfromgoodtobadorviceversa;however,unlikethethree-actstructure,thenumberofsuchturningpointsisnotlimited.·Hero’sJourneyStructure英雄旅程结构

Thehero’sjourneynarrativeformstheunderlyingnarrativestructureofmanymythsandlegends;anditisalsotobefoundinmanysuccessfulHollywoodfilms.Thenarrativeoccursinanumberofstages,whichcanbesimplifiedasfollows:

1.Calltoadventure

2.JourneythroughunfamiliarWorld

3.Supremeordeal

4.Reward

5.Returnandreintegrationintosociety

PartFive:Subplot

MostHollywoodfilmshaveoneormoresubplots.Subplotsareadditionalstories(secondaryplots)thatarelinkedtothemainplotandhaveaninfluenceuponit;theydon’trequireseparateprotagonists,buttheydorequireseparateactions.

Therelationshipbetweenthemainplotandthesubplots

cantakeanyoneoffourforms.Theseare:·Complementary

·Contradictory

·Setup

·Complicating

PartSix:SymbolsandMotifs

Asymbolissomethingthatstandsfororsuggestssomethingelse,usuallyonaccountofarelationship,association,conventionorresemblance.Amotifisarecurringfeatureoridearelatedtothethemeofthefilm;frequentlyitwillbearecurringsymbol.

Question:SymbolsmayhavedifferentmeaningsinChinaandtheWest.Listsomeofthedifferences

Differentsymbolicvaluesofcolors,animals,andnumbersymbolsusedintheWesternculturaltraditionalongsidetheirpossiblemeaningsandtheirdifferentsymbolicvaluesintheChineseculturaltradition.

SymbolMeaningintheWestMeaninginChinaRedanger,sexuality,passiongoodfortune,happiness,

prosperity

Whitepuritydeath

Greenenvy,inexperience;thepeace;theenvironmentenvironment

YellowroyalpowerandauthorityOwlwisdombadluck

Lionmajesty,strength,bravery

Dragonevilmajesty,success,good

fortune

Phoenixrebirth,resurrectiongoodfortune,preciousTurtleslownesslongevity

Peacockarrogance,vanitygoodfortune

3theTrinity(God,Christ,theHolyGhost)

13Badluck

666theDevilgoodluck

8wealth

4death

PartSeven:IdentifyingTheme

Inpracticalterms,howdoesoneidentifyandinterpretthethemeofthefilm?Sincethemeisacomplicatedandvariablephenomenonandcanbeexpressedinsomanyforms,itis

impossibletogiveastep-by-stepguide.However,itisstillpossibletooutlinesomebasicapproaches:

·TheTitleoftheFilm

Filmswillcommonlyusetitlestopointouttheirthemes.·NamesofCharacters

Scriptwritersmayusethenamesoftheircharacterstosuggestbothsomethingaboutthecharactersthemselves,andalsosomethingabouttheoverallthemeofthefilm.·Symbolism

Symbols,motifs,andsymbolicsettingsmayindicatethethemeofthefilm.

·CharacterConflict

Thethememayemergefromtheconflictbetweencharacters,especiallywhenthecharactersarerepresentativeofdeepervaluesandattitudes.

·SpeechesandDialogue

Speechesmayalsoindicatethethemesofafilm.InAboutaBoy,forexample,theprotagonistdescribeshistheoryof“islandliving”(i.e.aradicallyindependentlifestyle)inaspeechaddresseddirectlytotheaudience.Infact,thisleadsdirectlytothetheme:Absoluteindependenceisanundesirablestate.

·Subplots

Themainplotcarriesthemainburdenofthenarrative.Thesubplot,ontheotherhand,canbeusedmoreflexiblytoexplorethethematicimplicationsofthefilm.

·SocialContext

Themescanemergefromtheinteractionofafilm’ssubjectmatteranditssocialcontext.

TakeForrestGumpasexample

·EpisodicStructureandRepetition(章回式结构和循环)

ThenarrativestructureofForrestGumpisbasicallyepisodic:thatis,itismadeupofseparate,looselyconnectedsituationsthatoccurinthelifeoftheprotagonist.WhatholdstogetherthenarrativeisnottheplotbutthefigureofGumphimself.

Accompanyingthisepisodicstructureisapatternofrepetitions.ThesceneinwhichGumpisbulliedbyboysfromhishometownisrepeatedalittlelaterinhislife,asisJenny’sfamousexhortation(告诫)toForrest(Run,Forrest!Run).TheactofgettingontheschoolbustofindnoonewillingtoofferaseatisalsorepeatedwhenGumpsetsoffforVietnam.Gump’smeetingswithAmericanpresidentsoccurtimeaftertime,asdoreportsofassassinationsofprominentfiguresinrecent

history.Perhapsthemostprofoundrepetition,though,isthebirthoftheyoungForrestGumpandhisownfirsttripontheschoolbus:Thistimetherepetitionisaccompaniedbyachangeforthebetter,astheyoungGumphasallthecharmofhisfatherwithnoneofthestupidity.Theoveralleffectoftheserepetitionsistocreateansenseofcircularitythereassuringfeelingthathistoryrepeatsitself.

PlotandSubplot

ForrestGumpissomethingofanexceptionbecausethestoryofGump’slifeandtheplotofthefilmarealmostidentical.Thatistosay,themainplotis,essentially,nothingmorethanthestoryofGump’slife:Gumpisborn,goestoschool,goestocollege,goestoVietnam,comeshomeandsetsupashrimpingbusiness,meetsJennyagain,runsacrossthecountry,etc.

Thesubplot,whichdealslargelywithJenny’slifestory，isradicallydifferent.ItgivesalotofcluesastowhathashappenedtoJennyduringthecourseofherlife,butverylittleofthisisactuallyshown.WeinferthatshehascaughtAIDS,butnoneofthisinformationispartofthesubplotitself.ExerciseUseyourknowledgeofthedifferentkindsofsubplottocategorizetheJennysubplot.

TheJennysubplotcanbecategorizedasboth:·Complicating:JennyisGump’sloveinterest,andsoisa

drivingforceinthemainplot.·Contradictory:Jenny’sunderlyingmotivation(intellectual

curiosity)andattitudetolife(experimental)

areoppositetothoseofGump

Vogler’sSevenCharacterArchetypes

ChristopherVogler,formerlystoryanalystatDisneyandnow

directorofDevelopmentatFox2000published

abook,TheWriter’sJourney:Mythic

StructureforStorytellersandScreenwriters,

whichhasbeencalled“thecurrentindustry

bible”.

Voglerarguesthattherearesevenbasiccharacterfunctions:

hero,mentor（导师）,threshholdguardian（关

卡守卫者）,herald（信使）,shapeshift（变化

者）,shadow（影子）,andtrickster（骗子，

魔术师）.Thesecharactersfunctionsarereally

bestthoughtofascharacterarchetypes:that

is,theyaremythologicaltypestowhich

humansrespondonadeepinstinctivelevel

becausetheyrepresentthebasicunchanging

featuresofhumanexperiences.

Hero

Mentor:

ThreshholdGuardian

Herald

Shapeshift

Shadow

Trickster

TheDevilWearsPradacomedy

genreComedy

TheDevilWearsPradaisa2006comedy-dramafilm,aloosescreenadaptationofLaurenWeisberger's2003novelofthesamename.

Answerthefollowingquestions

a)WhydoesMirandadecidetohireAndreaSachs,agirlwholacks

styleandseemsnottofitinthere?B/cAndreaisdifferentfromthe

girlsMirandaalwayshireswhoarestylish,slenderandworshipthe

magazine,butturnouttobedisappointingandstupid.

b)WhatisAndrea?sattitudetowardsherjobasMiranda?sassistantat

Runway?Atfirst,shedoesnottakethejobseriously.Thenshe

realizesthatifshewantstosurviveMirandaatRunway,shemust

changeherattitude..ShestartstorespectMiranda?sstyleandputs

forthherbesteffortsinthejobs.

c)WhatisthereasonforAndreatoleaveMirandaandtheRunway?

BecauseAndrealearnsthatlifeismadeofchoices.Shedoesnotwant

tolivethewayMirandalivesandthenshechoosestopursueherown

lifestyle.

CharacterAnalysis

MirandaPriestly:demanding,adragonlady,powerful,bossy,merciless,sophisticated,career-obsessed

AndreaSachs:na?ve,idealistic,smart,perceptive

Fashionrunsthroughthemovieastheoverridingfactor.Afashionmagazineanditseditor-in-chiefprovidethemoviewiththefundamentalstoryline.

Thecardinalruledominatingthefashionrealmis“thinness”,whichisingeniouslyrevealedinTheDevilWearsPrada.Behindthisobsessionwithone?sbodyimageliesapervasiveproblemofanorexia(ie,lossofthewishtoeat)oneofthemaintypesofeatingdisorders.

Cast

?AnneHathawayasAndrea"Andy"Sachs:

?MerylStreepasMirandaPriestly:

?EmilyBluntasEmilyCharlton:

?StanleyTucciasNigel:

?SimonBakerasChristianThompson:

?AdrianGrenierasNateCooper:Andrea'sboyfriend

?TracieThomsasLily:Andrea'sclosefriend,whorunsanartgallery.

?RichSommerasDoug:AcollegefriendofAndrea

MemorableLines

1.Fashionisnotaboututility.Anaccesoryismerelyapieceoficonographyusedtoexpressindividualidentity.

2.For72years,Runwayhasbeenmorethanamagazine.Ithasbeenabeaconofeleganceandgrace.MirandaPriestlyisthefinestpossibleguardianofthatbeacon.Settingastandardthatinspirespeopleacrosstheglobe.AboutaBoy

CharacterAnalysis

WillFreeman(abachelorinhisthirties):aloner,aslacker(懒惰的人),selfish,self-centered,shallow,cool,trendy

Marcus(a12-year-oldboy):amisfit(不适应环境的人),weird,gloomy,Fiona(Marcus’mother):ahippie,depressed,near-hysterical

Answerthefollowingquestions

1.What,accordingtoWill,makesitpossibleformodernpeopletolead

acomfortableislandlife?

2.whydoesWillrefusetobethegodfatherforImogen?

3.WhydoesWillseesinglemothersasperfectprey?

4.HowdoesMarcusfeelafterhismother’ssuicideattempt?

5.WhydoesMarcusdecidetosingasongintheschoolauditorium?Answers

1.AccordingtoWill,withtherightsuppliessuchasTV,CDs,DVDs,

videos,homeespressomakersandmoreimportantly,therightattitude,everyoneinthemodernsocietycanbeanattractiveisland.

2.HethinksheisacarelessmanandhewilldropImogenonherhead(在

头上洒水施洗礼)atherchristeningandforgetallherbirthdays.Butdeepdown,herefusestobeImogen’sgodfatherbecausehedoesnotwanttotakeanyresponsibility.

3.TheywillthinkWillisawonderfulguysimplybycomparisontothe

“bastardfather”oftheirchildren.What’smore,Willcanhavebriefaffairswiththemwithoutacommitment.Theyareeasytodump.4.Hefeelsworriedabouthismotherandafraidthatshewillcommit

suicideagain.Herealizesthattwoinafamilyisnotenoughandheneedsabavkupperson.

5.Becausehismotheroncetellshimthatwhenhesingshebrings

sunshinetoherandhewantstomakehismotherfeelbetterbysinging.

6.InthemovieWillandMarcusarethetwounlikelyfriendswhohaveformed

aclosebond.Doyouthinkthattwopeoplewilldevelopaclosefriendship

despitegreatdifferenceinage?

Memorablelines

1.Setting:Atthebeginningofthemovie,Willexpresseshisopinionthatallmenareislands.Hebelievesthatthisisanislandageandexplainsthereason.

Ahundredyearsago,forinstance,youhadtodependonotherpeople.NoonehadTVorCDsorDVDsorvideosorhomeespresso（蒸馏咖啡）makers.Asamatteroffact,theydidn’thaveanythingcool,whereasnow,yousee,youcanmakeyouselfalittleislandparadise.Withtherightsuppliesandmoreimportantly,therightattitude,youcanbesun-drenched（充满阳光的）,tropical,amaganetfortheyoungSwedishtourists

2.Setting:OnthedeadduckdayFionaoverdosesandissenttohospital.WilldrivesMarcusandSuziehomefromthehospitalatnightandhedoesn’twanttoexperiencesuchthingsagain.

Thethingis,aperson’slifeislikeaTVshow.IwasthestaroftheWill

show.AndtheWillShowwasn’tanensemble(合奏，合唱，整体)drama.Guestscameandwent,butIwastheregular.Itcamedowntomeandmealone.

3.Setting:Attheendofthemovie,Willchangeshisattitude.

Everymanisanisland.Istandbythat.Butclearlysomemenarepartofislandchains.Belowthesurfaceoftheoceanthey’reactuallyconnected.

ForrestGump

Questions

1.Themoviebeginswithafeatherflyingintheairandendswithit,too.What

doesthissuggest?

2.HowdidForrestgethisname?

3.Howdoyouunderstandthefollowingquotations?

Lifeisaboxofchocolates.Youneverknowwhatyou,vegonnaget.

Stupidisasstupiddoes.

4.Doyouthinkeveryonehashisowndestinyorwe?rejustfloatingaround

accidentallyonabreeze?

5.HowdoyouunderstandtherolesofthetwowomenMrs.Gumpand

JennyinForrest’slife?

BlindSidedrama

Cast

?QuintonAaronasMichael"BigMike"Oher

?SandraBullockasLeighAnneTuohy

?TimMcGrawasSeanTuohy

?KathyBatesasMissSue

?LilyCollinsasCollinsTuohy

?JaeHeadasSean"S.J."Tuohy,Jr.

?RayMcKinnonasCoachCotton

?KimDickensasMrs.Bosw

Memorablelines

1.Don'tusethea-word.毫无疑问

2.Igotuback.我会照顾你的

3.Ihear"Mrs.Tuohy"Ilookovermyshoulderformymother-in-law.

4.--Whydouneedadriver'slicencewhenudon'tevenhaveacar?

--Somethingtocarry.Withmynameonit.

5.Youshouldreallygettoknowyourplayers.Michaelscoredinthe98thpercentileinprotectiveinstincts."

6.Don'tudaretolietome.别想对我撒谎！

7.Courageisahardthingtofigure.Youcanhavecouragebasedonadumbideaormistake,butyou'renotsupposedtoquestionadults,oryourcoachoryourteacher,becausetheymaketherules.

8.--SouwantmetogotoTennessee?

--Iwantutodowhateveruwant.Itisyourdecision,Michael.It'surlife.

MyFairLady

Questions

1.Whathaveyoulearnedfromthismovieaboutthe

relationshipbetweenshipbetweenpronunciation

andsocialstatus?Languageandidentity?

2.WhydidMr.Higginswanttocarryoutthis

experiment？WhydidElizaagreetobethesubject

ofthisexperiment?

3.ListsomestrategiesthatMr.Higginsemployedin

histeaching.

4.WasMr.Higginsagoodteacher?Why/whynot?

5.WhydidElizadecidetoleaveMr.Higgins?

TheWizardofOz

Questions

1.Whatisthesocialideologyreflectedin

thefilm?Inthefilmweareexposedtothesocial

ideologythatrelatestothevaluesofthe1930?seraandof

smalltownruralAmerica.Family,homeandhardworkare

promoted.Thiswasthedepressionandthe…yellowbrick?

roadsymbolizedgoldandweallknowwhatisfoundatthe

endoftherainbow–thepotofgold.

2.Whatistheculturalmeaningofthefilm?

Theculturalthemeisthatwemustworkhard,keepthe

familytogetherandintheendwewillhaveprosperity.If

weholdfirmlyontoourvalues,thefamilywillremain

strong.Thiswasveryimportantduringthatperiodof

economicstruggle.

3.Giveaplotsummaryofthefilm.

4.AnalyzethecharacterofDorothy.Provideexamplesof

hercharacteristicsfromthefilm.Giveananalysisofthe

CowardlyLion

Philadelphia(film)DirectedbyJonathanDemme

ProducedbyJonathanDemmeEdwardSaxon

WrittenbyRonNyswaner

StarringTomHanks

DenzelWashingtonJasonRobardsMarySteenburgenAntonioBanderas

MusicbyHowardShore

CinematographyTakFujimoto

EditingbyCraigMcKay

DistributedbyTriStarPictures

Releasedate(s)December24,1993

Runningtime125minutes

CountryUnitedStates

Philadelphiaisa1993AmericandramafilmthatwasoneofthefirstmainstreamHollywoodfilmstoacknowledgeHIV/AIDS,homosexualityandhomophobia.ItwaswrittenbyRonNyswaneranddirectedbyJonathanDemme.ThefilmstarsTomHanksandDenzelWashington.ItwasinspiredinpartbythestoryofGeoffreyBowers,anattorneywhoin1987suedthelawfirmBaker&McKenzieforwrongfuldismissalinoneofthefirstAIDSdiscriminationcases.

Answerthefollowingquestions

1.WhatmakesAndrewBeckettdecidetosuethelawfirmwhichhehaspreviouslyserved?

2.Atfirstglance,MillerisaworldapartfromBeckett?sinterests:heisapersonalinjurylawyer,betterknownfortelevisioncommercialsthanforlegaltalent,andhashadconflictswithBeckettinthecourtroombefore(Millerlost).WhydoesBeckettaskMillertorepresenthim?

3.WhydoesJoeMillerinitiallyrefusetotakethecase?

4.WhatfinallymakesJoeMillertakethecase?

5.WhatdoyouthinkofthescenewhereBeckettplaysanaria(咏叹调)fromhisfavoriteoperaforMiller?

Answers:

1.Beckett?sbossesclaimhehasbeenfiredforincompetenceand

misplacinganimportantdocumentforanimportantclient,butBeckettissurethatit?sbecausehehasAIDS.Heconsidersthatheisavictimof

prejudice,andisdeterminedtowinhiscaseevenashisownlifebeginstofade.

2.Becausethelawfirmissopowerfulandprestigious,andBeckettisagay

infectedwithAIDS,nootherlawyerwilltakethecase.Aftermanyrejections,withnooneelsetoturnto,AndrewBeckettconsultsJoeMillertohelphimpursuelitigation.（诉讼）

3.JoeMillerrepresentstheeverymanwhoharbourshomophobictendencies.

Hedoesnotlikehomosexuals,whomakehisskincrawl.Healsohas

extremefearofAIDs,andcanhardlykeephimselffromwipinghishandonhispantsaftershakingBeckett?shand.

4.AchainofeventshasturnedMiller?semotionsinlinewithBeckett?scase.

Hiswifehasababy,fromwhichhehaslearnedwhatbirthisabout,andthenhehasfoundoutaboutdeathtoo.HecomesacrosstheailingBeckettinthelibrary.SeeingthroughthefaceofAIDS,heseesthatthere?sadyingmanthere.Thenhehasachangeofheart,recogn