Reading the Movies: Twelve Great Films on Video and how to Teach Them

Recognizing film as a medium of expression that should have a place in high school and college classrooms, this book provides a framework for teaching about film as a medium and for studying the ways filmmakers use images and technology to convey experiences, emotions, and ideas. The first part of the book presents six chapters on "reading" the movies: (1) the Art of Fiction Film; (2) the Languages of Film; (3) the Technology of Film; (4) a Brief History of Film; (5) Theories of Film; and (6) Film in the English Class. The second part of the book focuses on teaching approaches for 12 diverse and important films available on videocassette, from Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" to Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" and Penny Marshall's "Awakenings." The book presents background on each film and its maker, questions for discussion, and topics and resources for further study. A list of 60 other movies, a description of 4 film projects, and a 137-item bibliography are attached. (RS)