Week 9: Full Metal Jacket

This week's movie is "Full Metal Jacket" (1987, 116mins). It starred Mathew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Adam Baldwin, among others. Written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel, "The Short-Timers" by Gustav Hashford. It's a hard-core war story which follows a young man's journey through boot camp and then to the jungles of Vietnam. It's theme is the dehumanizing effects of war. WARNING: There is A LOT of bad language in this film.

I chose this movie because it was in the 80s that Americans finally started to talk about the Vietnam War in a more objective way. The war had been over for just over a decade and distance made the subject less painful and slightly less inflammatory than while it was happening. This movie was one of the first hard looks at the reality of that war.

The film was nominated for Best Writing (screenplay Based on Material from another Medium) for the 1988 Oscars. 

Here's the Wikipedia page and the script.

Instead of a trailer, here's a short clip:

Think about these questions while watching the movie:

1. Explain how the film shows the dehumanizing nature of war.

2. Compare or contrast US boot camp, as shown in the movie, and what you know about Korean boot camp.

3. Which character do you identify with the most? Why?

Final presentation guidelines

For your Final Project, you will prepare and perform a 10/15-minute presentation on a topic of your choice related to 80s movie classics.

Example topics:           

• Choose an actor/writer/director you like and tell us about other things they have done. Do not tell us every detail of their life - focus on the most important things.
• Choose a feature of film making, such as writing, music, dialog, cinematography, lighting, etc, and explain its importance in one or more of the movies we've watched.
• Pick one of the movies we've watched and tell us more about it - interesting things, trivia, whatever, that we might not know.

Anything that is interesting to you is an acceptable topic as long as you can talk about it for 10-15 minutes.

You don’t have to include all the movies in your analysis, but you may want to go ahead and watch the remaining movies if you want more material to work with. Remember that if you watch ahead of other people in class, be careful not to spoil them during class discussions. 

Presentations should be memorized. You may have notes to look at, but any students who READ their presentation will receive a ZERO. You must email me the script of your presentation by 9am the day of your presentation.

You may use Powerpoint if you want to, but text on the slides should be minimal.
Here's a video with some good tips about giving presentations:

And the accompanying article here.

Topics due: Thursday, May 16th in my email by 5pm. I may have comments or suggestions for you which I will email back to you.

Presentation Outline due:

Thursday, May 30th.
Script: You must email a copy of your presentation materials (script, ppt, whatever) by 5pm the day before your presentation.

NOTE: This is your FINAL. Students choosing not to do the presentation or who are absent on their presentation day will FAIL this class.

Grading for the presentation:

You will be graded on Preparation, Materials, Delivery, and Overall Quality. You will also give a grade to other presentations.

Average of audience scores - 50%
My score                              - 50%

Week 8: The Breakfast Club

This week's movie is "The Breakfast Club" (1985, 97 mins). It starred Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and Ally Sheedy. Written and directed by John Hughes. It a story about five high school students, all from different stereotypical groups (a brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel, a recluse) who must serve detention together one Saturday. They discover they have more similarities than differences.

The film is acknowledged by many as the quintessential 80s movie. Here's the wikipedia page, and a transcript. 

The Breakfast Club (Theatrical Trailer)

Questions to discuss:

1. Which character were you most similar to in HS?

2. Did you know anyone similar to these kids?

3. What other "types" did you have in your HS?

4. How do the characters deviate from their normal roles while in detention?

5. What is the social status of each character?

6. During the film, the students come together as a team and become friends. How does this happen?
7. What does this film say about the pressure to conform?

Week 7: Midterm Week!

Mine is an evil laugh!

Week 6: The Terminator

This week's movie is "The Terminator" (1984, 107 mins). It starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Biehn. Directed by James Cameron, written by James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, and William Wisher Jr. It's a science fiction/action movie about a time-traveling cyborg sent back to the past to assassinate the mother of the future leader of the human resistance.

The film won several Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Best Make-Up (Stan Winston), Best Science Fiction Film, and Best Writing (James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd). It was nominated for Best Actor (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Best Actress (Linda Hamilton), Best Director (James Cameron), and Best Music (Brad Fiedel).
Here's the wikipedia page, and a transcript. 

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. Computers are becoming smarter and smarter as technology advances. Is it only a matter of time before the computers take over and turn on us?

2. What themes do you think are covered in this film? Explain your answer in detail and don't forget to use examples from the movie.

Homework:

1. Pick a new assignment and start working on it.

2. Review for the midterm, which is next week. Movies covered: Alien, Raiders, ET, Blade Runner, Terminator.

Optional: watch the next film, 'The Breakfast Club' (1985)

Week 5: Blade Runner

This week's movie is "Blade Runner" (1982, 117mins). It starred Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. Directed by Ridley Scott, screenplay by Hampton Fancher. It's a science fiction/cyberpunk/film noir detective story about a man whose job it is to "retire" androids, or "replicants". On this particular job, he has to find and retire four replicants who have returned to Earth to find their maker. 

The film was nominated for Best Set Decoration and Best Visual Effects for the 1983 Oscars. It won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. "Blade Runner" is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick.

Harrison Ford's prior roles included "Star Wars", "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back", and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", among others.

Here's the Wikipedia page and the script.

Special vocabulary:

-Voight-Kampff machine - "A very advanced form of lie detector that measures contractions of the iris muscle . . .  The VK is used primarily by Blade Runners to determine if a suspect is truly human by measuring the degree of his empathic response through carefully worded questions and statements. —Description from the original 1982 Blade Runner press kit."

-replicant

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. How would you describe the world of "Blade Runner" to someone who had never seen the movie?

2. Images of eyes come up again and again in this film. What do you think is their significance?

3. Deckerd is himself a replicant. Agree or disagree.

4. What is the main theme of this movie?


HOMEWORK:

Finish working on Assignment #2 and get it to me by 5pm April 10th.

Optional: watch next week's movie, The Terminator (1984).

Note: The midterm is week 7, April 19th. It will cover all the movies we've watched so far in class. It will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions.

Week 4: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

This week's movie is "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982, 115mins). It starred Dee Wallace, Drew Barrymore, and Henry Thomas. It's a children's movie about a boy who makes an emotional connection with an alien. Directed by Stephen Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison. The film won 4 Oscars at the 1983 Academy Awards: Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, and Best Sound. It was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Director(Stephen Spielberg), Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay, and the most prestigious Academy Award, Best Picture. Here's the Wikipedia page and the script.

There were two original posters. I couldn't choose, so you get both!

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. Let's think about tropes again. What children's fairytale tropes are evident in this film?

2. The adults in the film never refer to E.T. as an "alien", a "monster", a "creature", or any other words that make the presence of an alien a real thing. They only say "him" or "it". Why do you think that is?

3. Elliot says to his sister, "Grown ups can't see him. Only little kids can see him". What is the significance of this innocent remark?

4. E.T. is treated like a stray dog. Explain.

5. E.llioT.  


HOMEWORK:

Assignment #2 is due April 10th - I changed the date to give myself more time to look at them.

Optional: watch the next film, which is Blade Runner – Final Cut (1982)

Week 3: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Class date: March 29, 2013
This week's movie is "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981, 115mins). It's a classic adventure film meant to be a retro callback to the Saturday matinee serials of the 40s and 50s. It stars Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, and John Rhys-Davies. Directed by Stephen Spielberg, screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, story by George Lucas, and Philip Kaufman. 

The film won 4 Oscars at the 1982 Academy Awards: Best Art-Direction-Set Direction, Best Effects-Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and a Special Achievement Award Oscar for Sound Effects Editing. It was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Director(Stephen Spielberg), Best Music-Original Score(John Williams), and, the most prestigious Academy Award, Best Picture. Here's the Wikipedia page and the script.

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. Compare and contrast Indy and Belloq.

2. Discuss the history of Indy and Marion's relationship. Are they a good couple?

3. According to TV Tropes, "tropes are a devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations". As an adventure film, what tropes are present in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"?

Homework:
Choose a new assignment and start working on it. Assignment #2 is due April 11th by 5pm.

Optional: watch the next film: E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

Week 2: Alien

Class date: March 15
This week's movie is "Alien" (1979, 117 mins). Yes, it's not technically 80s, but I felt it was such a classic and really considered a part of the 80s decade. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. Directed by Ridley Scott, screenplay by Dan O'Bannon. It won an Oscar in 1980 for Best Visual Effects. You may want to reference the Wikipedia page. Here is the screenplay.

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. Film critics have said this film explored primal fears about sexuality, reproduction and birth. Do you agree? Why or why not?

2. Why is this movie so frightening?

3. Ellen Ripley: Unlikely Hero


HOMEWORK:

1. Choose an assignment and start working on it. 

Optional: Watch the next movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Week 2: Assignments

In this class, you will do 4 assignments. You can choose which assignments you do from the following list:

1. 1000-word paper on the topic of your choice related to a movie we've watched (can be done twice)
2. 5-minute presentation on a topic of your choice related to a movie we've watched
3. Perform a skit for the class
1. memorize a scene from one of the movies we've watched
2. OR write a new scene that fits the movie
3. 2 people (10mins), 3 people (12mins), 4 people (14mins), etc.
4. Art project related to a movie we've watched - draw, paint, write music, dance, etc.
5. 5-minute video project to be shown in class
6. Your idea - you must discuss it with me first if you choose this one.

Due anytime before 5pm on the following days:

#1 Wednesday, March 21st
#2 Wednesday, April 10th
#3 Wednesday, May 1st
#4 Wednesday, May 23rd 

If your assignment requires class time to do, you must consult with me on a date to do it. It must still be done before the due date.
         

Class Information

Robin Hudson

KILC Room 312  031-750-5628
robin.gachon.Spring2013 at gmail dot com

Course website: 80sclassicmovies.blogspot.com
Course number: 09512003

A+ or A0        less than 25%

A0s + B0s      less than 40%

C0/C+            No Limit 
D0/D+            No Limit 

As long as you come to every class, do all the assignments, show up for the midterm and do the final presentation, you won't get less than C+.      

What will you do in this class?

You will view one classic American movie from the 1980s each week and discuss it with your classmates.

What’s the workload like?

Participation in class discussions will be important. You will do four assignments, two before the midterm, two after. We will discuss the details of the assignments later. There will also be a written midterm and final presentation.

Grading Breakdown:                       
          10% Attendance

          40% Assignments

          25% Midterm (in class written exam, multiple-choice, short answer, short essay)

          25% Final (presentation)

Attendance Policy: Students arriving 15 minutes late will not be admitted to class and will be marked absent. I do not accept absence excuses for any reason. Students missing more than four (4) classes will fail.

Cell phone Policy: Cell phones must be switched off and placed on my table during class time.

Plagiarism Policy: Under no circumstances will plagiarism be tolerated. Students who plagiarize work will be given an F for the assignment. 

Midterm will be Week 7, during class time.

Final presentations will be Week 14/15.

May 17^th is Buddha’s Birthday – no class that week.

We will be repeating today's class next week, so students who decide to stay in this class do not have to come next week.

Tentative Syllabus:

Week	Movie
1	When Harry Met Sally (1989)
2	Alien (1979)
3	Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
4	E. T. – The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
5	Blade Runner – Final Cut (1982)
6	The Terminator (1984)
7	MIDTERM EXAM
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16	The Breakfast Club (1985) Full Metal Jacket (1987) Rain Man (1988) Buddha’s Birthday – No class Stand by Me (1989) When Harry Met Sally (1989) Presentations Presentations TBD