Constructing Our Selves

In this unit, we will consider what cinema “teaches” us about ourselves and the world around us.  If images shape and/or reinforce our ideologies, what impact might they have on our identities?  What impact might they have on our sense of citizenship?

Essential Questions

  • What and how might cinema “teach” us?
  • How does cinema contribute to the construction of our selves?
  • How can images simultaneously liberate and limit?
  • Do our ideologies promote, prevent and/or limit the ways of looking at an image in a variety of ways?
  • If there is the myth of photographic truth, what does that mean as we deconstruct images?
  • How can we promote civil and democratic discourse about sensitive and controversial topics?

Tues 4/14
Reading Dargis’s “What the Movies Taught Me About Being a Woman”

  • Short response on classroom

Thurs 4/16
Notes on Hollywood vs. Indie/Foreign Cinema

Tues 4/21
Casablanca

  • What makes this film stand out as a Hollywood classic?
  • What may take away from this?

Thurs 4/23
cont. watching Casablanca and post on Google Classroom

  • What has stood out to you in the viewing so far as it relates to Hollywood films?  In what ways is this a classic Hollywood film?

Mon 4/27
Google Check-in first 10 minutes of class

  • Initial thoughts about the film

Finish watching the film

Wed 4/28
Reading “Casablanca: The Limitless Potentials and the Potential Limits of Classical Hollywood Cinema” sections Context & Production History to identify:

  • Main ideas
  • Key terms
  • Confusing ideas/questions

Fri 5/1
Finish reading and annotating “Casablanca: The Limitless Potentials and the Potential Limits of Classical Hollywood Cinema” sections Analysis & Conclusion to identify:

  • Main ideas
  • Key terms
  • Confusing ideas/questions

Annotation Handout

Tues 5/5
Catch up day

Tues 5/7
Google Meet Check-in

Writing the response

Mon 5/11
Overview of assignment, researching films, submit proposal

Wed 5/13
Start watching film

Fri 5/15
Google Meet – Sharing one thing you’ve noticed about your film so far & continue watching film

Tues 5/19
Finish watching film and start scene analysis

Thurs 5/21
Writing the scene analysis

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