Analyze the film Nosferatu, in approximately four pages, wherein you discuss film techniques, genre, terminology and historical perspectives.
Format:
Introduction: In sentence form, identify such information as title, year of production, length, director, studio, and cast. You should also create an introduction that engages your reader and forecasts some of the components of your analysis.
Plot summary: In just a few sentences, summarize the plot of the film, putting the name of the actor/actress in ( ) after the first time you mention his/her character. The point of your essay is not plot summary, so this is just a brief overview of the plotline.
Contextualization: Identify the films genre, and then discuss the plot and thematic features which identify it as such. If the film is innovative or revisionist, identify and explain this. Is the film considered a milestone or turning point in cinema history? Is the film representative of its director? Is it a star vehicle? Do the actors involved play roles typical of them? These are some starting points for discussion of genre, director and actors.
Analysis: This will probably be the longest section of your essay, in which you break down and discuss the films components. What seems to be the films theme or message? By means of what plot and cinematic techniques is the theme conveyed? In what ways does the film fit into or represent its time and location of production? Does it seem to fit the various historical and social events and outlooks of its country and time of origin?
Consider all the various elements and cinematic techniques of film you learned in FLM 170. Analyze how such things as camera placement and movement, editing and cutting techniques, transitions, deep or shallow focus, and so forth are used to convey meaning and significance in the film. You might zero in on a particular significant or famous sequence in the film and discuss its importance or relevance to these ideas.
Conclusion: In this section, you sort of answer the question So what? Why does what youve discussed and analyzed matter to an audience and their greater understanding of the film? What is the films overall significance in cinema and/or cultural history?
