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Film Reviews for HIST 104 DCE
This document describes an assignment for HIST 104 DCE. The assignment addresses two of the goals of the course: learning to think like a historian, and proficiency in discursive prose.
Requirements
1. Select and view a film (video, DVD) pertaining to the content of the course. Ordinarily this will be a film listed in the bibliography or in a study guide for one of the lectures. If you’re going to view something not listed in the bib or a study guide, then it should be approved in advance by your instructor. Generally it should be a feature film; in some cases documentaries may be approved.
2. Write a critical review of the film. Submit your review as an e-mail message to your instructor with the subject heading, “Film Review.” (Be sure to put in the subject heading, because your instructor gets a lot of mail.) You have to submit the assignment by e-mail; no written reports will be accepted.
The assignment earns up to 20 points toward your soft-points total in the course. The assignment may be repeated, with each instance worth up to 20 soft points.
Specifications for the Review
• Length: 300 words
• Use of first person (I, me) is OK, but don’t overdue it.
• When you write about the film, its makers, or the plot of the film, write in present tense (what we call the “literary present”).
• When you write about historical events, write in past tense (the historical past).
Tips on Writing Film Reviews
You need to do a bit more than tell the story of the film and whether you liked it or not. Here are some tips for getting into a critical posture.
• To begin with, fundamentally, you are not writing about the events of the past. You are writing about the film and its interpretations of historical events. You will mention historical events, of course, perhaps relate some of them, but the film and its interpretations are your subjects.
• Spend only a few words, perhaps one brief paragraph, summarizing content. Tell the plot of the film, including key elements such as time, place, and characters.
• Discuss the film’s relation to historical events.
• Evaluate the film’s interpretation of historical events. What do the film’s makers wish you to believe about the past?
• Comment on other aspects of the film’s quality; this can be anything from plot to musical score.
Evaluation of the Assignment
You will receive a score for the assignment as an e-mail reply from your instructor. Here is the rubric by which your work on this assignment will be evaluated.
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