What aspects of films make them outstanding, better than average or just bad?

What Makes a “Good” Film?

View the following clip from the film Titanic and write down elements of the clip that do or do not qualify it as a “great” film.

Start with a T-Chart that identifies “Good” elements of the film and “Bad” elements of the film.

As you start to accumulate items in the columns, start identifying the elements by category as best as you can (Are some of them technical aspects? Plot elements? Acting? Try to narrow your categories down to between 4 and 5.

EXAMPLE ONE: Titanic

Now that you have watched the clip and made your list, come to the board one at a time when asked and write down aspects that make the film “good” or bad, specifying as many categories as you can.

• Example for “Good”: Believable characters (Acting)

• Example for “Bad”: Inappropriately unrealistic characters (Acting)

Once a complete list is on the board, we will try to limit it to 4-5 broad criteria that determine if a film is “good” or “bad”…

What Criteria Make a Film “Good”?

1) Stand the "Test of Time" (why do people still watch Charlie Chaplin Movies, Gone With the Wind or The Wizard of Oz?)

2) Quality in all aspects of filmmaking – technically (directing, lighting, editing, etc.) and acting (Best Picture winners, generally)

3) Story - a compelling story that says something about humanity or explains the human condition (why was Titanic such a success? - everyone could put themselves on the boat as a viewer, consider how would we respond in our humanity.)

4) Sets a "standard" for other films in its genre, or filmmaking technique, or ground-breaking ideas, etc. ( 2001: A Space Odyssey - changed the way space looked for all future films, Toy Story - 1st computer animated film, Gone With the Wind - defined "epic" film making)

What Are Some Broad Criteria That Tell the Viewer If a Film Is “Good” or “Bad”?

AFI Top 25

# MOVIE YEAR

1 CITIZEN KANE 1941

2 THE GODFATHER 1972

3 CASABLANCA 1942

4 RAGING BULL 1980

5 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 1952

6 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939

7 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962

8 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993

9 VERTIGO 1958

10 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939

11 CITY LIGHTS 1931

12 THE SEARCHERS 1956

13 STAR WARS 1977

14 PSYCHO 1960

15 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968

16 SUNSET BLVD. 1950

17 THE GRADUATE 1967

18 THE GENERAL 1927

19 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954

20 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946

21 CHINATOWN 1974

22 SOME LIKE IT HOT 1959

23 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940

24 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982

25 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962

What do Film Makers and CriticsThink Are Great Films?

AMC Film Site:

1.Casablanca

2.Star Wars

3.The Godfather (I and II)

4.The Shawshank Redemption

What Does the Public Think Makes a Great Film?

http://www.filmsite.org/boxoffice.html (I encourage you to look at the lists on line to see how factors such as inflation and WORLD-WIDE acceptance can impact the financial success of a film. For example, using an international standard, Harry Potter films are making a considerable amount of money!).

1. Gone with the Wind

2. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (The Original Star Wars)

3. The Sound of Music

4. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

5. The Ten Commandments

What Does the Film Industry Think Is a Great Film (based on $ earned)?

Create an 8 ½ x11 Poster that lists one film of your choosing (with visual image from the film such a the movie poster or key scene)

This poster is due MONDAY and must include four specific (3-5 sentence) paragraphs indicating how the film addresses the four criteria mentioned previously.

You will present these posters briefly on Monday, so know what you are talking about and BE SPECIFIC in your analysis! (No words like “cool” and “good things” please!)

Homework