International Film Comparison Paper
Watch Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, his 1959 classic about the mistakes made by a French elementary school student. Then you may choose from ONE (1) of the four other films below. After watching The 400 Blows and the film of your choice, use the knowledge you have learned thus far in class to compare and contrast the two films.
FILMS
Use IMDB or Wikipedia to read synopses.
Then choose ONE (1) of the following:
REQUIREMENTS
As your paper will analyze films directed/written by people from different countries, it is crucial to dissect how these filmmakers approach the elements of filmmaking to tell a narrative. Some of the elements to consider are, but not limited to:
Make sure you explain each component you choose in detail and defend your arguments with sources!
Be sure to write your paper in APA format citing the text when necessary. Include an abstract, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion and reference page. The paper will be submitted to the Turnitin Dropbox on Canvas.
CRITERIA
I will deduct points for poor grammar, informality of expression, and failure to comply with APA style. If you don’t have a manual, see below.
Don’t be informal. You’re writing a paper, not a discussion. Don’t offer opinions that sound like social media posts. Writing, “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown had incredible performances!” will get you points knocked off.
Use topic sentences. These are the first sentences of your paragraphs, the organizing ideas. For example: “Thanks to its use of deep focus and Walter Murch’s sound design, Apocalypse Now recreates the experience of barely surviving a war in Southeast Asia.”
You must cite Movies and meaning and any relevant secondary sources. If you have seen movies to which you can compare The 400 Blows and the other film of your choice, also cite them. Your paper will be richer if it demonstrates a familiarity with film as a cross-generational conversation.
ACCESS
Most are available free on Kanopy and Swank.
Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services may offer them too.
Several public libraries and our FIU library have these films available for checkout on DVD or Blu-ray.
FORMAT
Your paper is to be written in an APA-Style format. This includes the following:
For more detailed instructions and information on how to write an APA-style paper, please visit https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/. There is an extensive databank on how to incorporate in-text citations, and properly format your references.