The following excerpt is from Michael Curtiz’s 1945 film noir MildredPierce, a film we have not seen in class.
Final Essay
Language of Film Fall 2020
Final Essay
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE QUESTION BEFORE WE VIEW THE SEGMENT.
The following excerpt is from Michael Curtiz’s 1945 film noir MildredPierce, a film we have not seen in class. Therefore, your response does not depend upon your knowledge of the film, but only on the care with which you analyze the sequence. Please do not provide a synopsis of the action of the scenes except where necessary to elucidate your point.
You will see a scene from the beginning of MildredPierce. It focuses on two of the main protagonists including the title character and sets up the narrative to follow.
Please address the following questions in your response essay:
1. Curtiz’s use of lighting in this scene is dramatic and stylized. Describe the lighting in the segment, not only in technical terms, but as it relates to narrative and character development. Be as specific as possible referring to a number of shots and the sequence as a whole in order to support your argument.
2. What dramatic effect does Curtiz achieve through editing? How has he arranged the space of the scene through editing and toward what narrative purpose?
3. A number of the shots in this sequence employ formally complex compositions and framing. In what manner has Curtiz organized the dramatic space through shot composition in order to advance the narrative?
4. Are there any other formal aspects in the scene (e.g. music, elements of mise-en-scène) that contributed to your understanding and interpretation of the segment?
Please support your opinions with specific examples but do not provide a synopsis of the action of the scene except where necessary to elucidate your point(s). In your response, it is critical that you utilize proper essay format with an introduction, conclusion, explicitly stated thesis and logically developed argument. Please make sure to have a coherent argument and relate each of the parts of the essay to one another. Your essay should be approximately three – five, double spaced pages in length. Please do not do any research of any kind, especially Internet searches; you may refer to the Bordwell, Smith and Thompson textbook if you so desire. Written work that is plagiarized will result in immediate failure!There will be and can be no exceptions!
Answer preview the following excerpt is from Michael Curtiz’s 1945 film noir MildredPierce, a film we have not seen in class.
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