“At their best, movies capture attitudes and ideas of their own time. If we sense a distance between ourselves and the movie, that’s where we become educated into an earlier way of thinking and feeling. . . . Movies show that social and political mores are always in flux, always in movement, and that the rush of time is going to roll right over our attitudes, just as it did those of earlier generations.”
Mike LaSalle, Film critic, San Francisco Chronicle
Assignment:
1. Select a film from the list below. Analyze the movie as a team and identify the movie’s major themes/frames and compare to historical facts. How do the movie "facts" privilege or distort the historical accounts? Do the film narratives work to privilege or challenge the dominant ideologies underlying all levels of American society? What issues related to media ethics can you relate to the film’s construction of reality? FYI: I’m open to other suggestions for film analysis, but teams must get my approval. Please note: No sports movies.
2. How was the event and/or person framed in The New York Times? What issues related to media ethics can you relate to the Times' construction of reality?
