Title:Introduction to FM2 – Section C

Monday 23rd March 2015

FM2 – British and American Film (60%) of AS Level)

Section C – US Cinema Comparative Study –

‘Goodfellas’ and ‘American Gangster’ - (40 marks)

Entrance Activity

YOU MUST answer the Questions BELOW:

1.Who is the ‘Father’ in the Gangster Genre?

1.What type of character role (Propp) do we expect ‘the Father’ to fulfill?

2 minutes

Friedrich Engels (1884) suggested that many families

‘rule by the Father’

Why?

Aims & Objectives

• YOU WILL gain an understanding of the expectations of this Section of the Exam

• YOU WILL learn some theoretical approaches to the Genre.

• YOU WILL complete some textual analysis of a key scene from 1 of the 2 Case Studies.

• Review the Learning.

AO1

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of film as an audio-visual form of creative expression together and

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding, including some of the common critical approaches that characterise the subject, when exploring and analysing films.

FM2 – EXAM BOARD EXPECTATIONS

Mark Scheme

‘Goodfellas’ (1990 – Martin Scorsese) ‘American Gangster’ (2007 – Ridley Scott)

‘Goodfellas’ – Overview

Henry (Ray Liotta) takes Karen (Lorraine Bracco) out on their first date to the Copacabana nightclub.Henry is part of a crime family and despite his young age has built up a fearsome reputation (and respectability) as a result of his role in the Gangster lifestyle.

‘Goodfellas’ – Overview

Robert Warshow’s (1958) view on Gangsters (who are often heroicised) are that they

are denoted as ‘the man of the city’ –

Does this apply in the scene?

Main Task – 15 minutes“Think – Share”

• Mise-en-scene• Camera• Editing• Sound

YOU MUST identify how micro elements associated to these Micro Features help construct Henry as being ‘the man of the city’ and in the process make him out to be a ‘Prince’ (Propp).

Extension – YOU COULD consider HOW the female gender is represented in the scene.

Copacaban scene

FEEDBACK

Camera Angle – Connotations?

Camera Movement – Connotations?

What have you learnt?On your mini-whiteboards, YOU MUST re-call the theory they have covered today and some of the expectations they have of a Gangster Film.

Friedrich Engels (1884)

Robert Warshow (1958)

HomeworkComplete a 1-page analysis of the ‘Copacabana Scene’ and address the following: Warren Farrell (1993) - “Both sexes had roles: women's role was [to] raise children; men's role was [to] raise money." How has Henry obtained such notoriety and wealth? How does this scene impact the spectator? Due: L3 – 2 Lessons – Wednesday 25th March