MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT"

Osborne Wilson
5 years ago
Views:

1 MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 1 History and the Hollywood Cinema MHS Elective Authored by: Theodora Irwin Reviewed by: Lee Nittel, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Mark DeBiasse, Supervisor of Humanities Madison Public Schools 359 Woodland Road, Madison, NJ Adopted by the Board: January, 2013 Members of the Board of Education: Lisa Ellis, President Patrick Rowe, Vice-President David Arthur Kevin Blair Shade Grahling Linda Gilbert Thomas Haralampoudis James Novotny Superintendent: Dr. Michael Rossi

2 I. OVERVIEW 2 The semester elective Social Studies course History and the Hollywood Cinema will teach students to question and recognize the limitations of film in a historical context, yet allow them to recognize it an important source of the history education of society in the modern world. By constantly comparing 20 th century film with the ideas and values taught in history classes and common views of academic history, students will determine the effectiveness of film as a historical tool through inquiry, interpretation, and evaluation. II. SKILLS (Linked to NJ Content Standards) History and the Hollywood Cinema is designed to stimulate critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving skills which are specified within the Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards. Since the genre used as the centerpiece of the curriculum is commercial films, it inherently meets several Visual and Performing Arts Standards. The content of selected films for each unit and independent project will determine which Social Studies core curriculum standards are pertinent but a basic correlation for each unit has been provided. The following is a correlation between History and the Hollywood Cinema units with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: Unit I: Historical Accuracy Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6.3 and 6.5 Unit II: Commercial Films vs Documentary Films Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6.3. and 6.5 Unit III: Point of View Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6.3, and 6.5 Unit IV: Purpose of Commercial Films (Besides Profit) Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6.3, and 6.5. Unit V: Societal Values and Their Effects on Films Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6. 3, 6.4, and 6.5. Unit VI: Historical Value of Commercial Film

3 Visual and Performing Arts Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5. Social Studies Standards 6.2, 6.3, and III. COURSE OUTLINE BY UNIT Unit I: Historical Accuracy Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Establish the historical accuracy of a historically-based commercial film. Are events presented realistically? Is the chronology correct? Are locations, costumes and sets correct? Does technology realistically represent the time period? Do the details enhance historical tone? Do the characters speak and act as people in their time, situation and class did? Does the overall look reflect the time period? Time Frame: 4 weeks Unit II: Commercial Films vs Documentary Films Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Compare and contrast a historical commercial film with a historical documentary on the same subject in order to determine which is more accurate. Commercial Film How accurate it the history? Are events presented realistically? Is the chronology correct? Are locations, costumes and sets correct? Does the technology realistically represent the time period? Do the details enhance historical tone? Do the characters speak and act as people in their time, situation and class did? Does the overall look reflect the time period? Documentary Film How accurate is the history? Are events presented realistically? Is the chronology correct? Are locations, costumes and sets correct? Does the technology realistically represent the time period? Do the details enhance historical tone? Do the characters speak and act as people in their time, situation and class did? Does the overall look reflect the time period? Unit III: Point of View Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Determine how the point of view in a historical commercial film can alter the viewer s perception. What is the point of view? How does the point of view effect the film s accuracy? Would presenting from another character s point of view make a difference in the viewer s perception? Why did the filmmaker choose this point of view?

4 4 Time Frame: 2 weeks Unit IV: Purpose Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Examine the purpose of a historical commercial film. (Besides profit.) What is the message the filmmaker wishes to communicate? Does the filmmaker s purpose target a certain type of viewer? What techniques are used to target specific viewers? Does the filmmaker attempt to influence the viewer s perception of the historical event or situation? How are the historical events altered to fit the filmmaker s purpose? Does the film succeed in fulfilling the filmmaker s purpose? Unit V: Societal Values and Their Effect on Films Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Analyze a historical commercial film as a product of the time period in which it is made. What values are implied by the film? How does it portray ethnic differences? Does it include parent-child relationships of the time period in which it was made? What does the filmmaker do to influence feelings and emotions? What type of heroes or villains are shown in the film? What messages does the filmmaker portray? Are the values portrayed the true values of the historical time period portrayed? Unit VI: Historical Value of Commercial films Thematic/Reasoning Skills Goal: Establish the historical value of a commercial historical film. Using criteria established in prior units, determine value of a specific film. Establish historical accuracy. Comparison with documentary films or books Effect of point of view Purpose of the historical film. Effects of societal values at the time the film was made on the historical content. IV. RESOURCES All films listed are appropriately rated according to Madison Board of Education policy (PG, PG 13, released prior to the rating system, or edited for educational viewing) Video Advise and Consent (1962) All Quiet on the Western Front(1930)* All Quiet on the Western Front(1979)* Anne of the Thousand Days(1969)* Subject Cold War

5 The African Queen (1951) All the King s Men (1949) 1930 s Huey Long All the President s Men (1976)* Watergate American Graffiti (1972)* 1960 s American Society Amistad (1997)* Slavery Air Force(1943)* Apollo 13 (1995) U.S. Space Program Barabbas(1961) Roman Empire Beckett* Middle Ages Ben Hur (1959)* Roman Empire The Birth of a Nation (1915)*, Ku Klux Klan The Bridge on the River Kwai The Buccaneer(1958) War of 1812 Casablanca (1942) Catch Me if You Can (2002) FBI The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) Crimean War The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) Crimean War Chariots of Fire (1981) 1924 Olympic Games Cromwell (1970)* Dances with Wolves(1990)* - Western Frontier Dr. Strangelove (1964)* Cold War Elizabeth (1998) Refomation Escape from Sobibor (TV 1987)* Holocaust From Here to Eternity (1953) Gandhi (1982)* End of Imperial Age Gettysburg (1993) George Washington: The Forging of a Nation (1986) Birth of the U.S. Glory (1989)* Gone With the Wind (1939) The Grapes of Wrath (1940)* The Great Depression The Guns of August (1965) Hester Street* Immigration Inherit the Wind* Scopes Monkey Trial I Will Fight No More Forever (1975) American Frontier Henry V (1989) Late Middle Ages Judgment at Nuremburg ( 1961)* Holocaust K19: The Widowmaker (2002) Lady Jane (1985)* 16 th Century England The Last Emperor (1987) China and the advent of communism Lawrence of Arabia (1962) A League of Their Own (1992) Homefront Life is Beautiful (1999) Holocaust The Lion in Winter (1968)* Middle Ages The Longest Day The Long Walk Home(1991)* Civil Rights A Man for All Seasons (1966)* Matewan (1987)* U.S. in the 1920 s Martin Luther (1953)* Mary, Queen of Scots()* Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)* British Imperialism Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)* British Imperialism Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)* Russian Revolution Out of Africa (1985) Imperialism Passage to India (1984) Imperialism 5

6 Patton (1970) Pearl Harbor Pork Chop Hill (1959)* Korean War The Quiet American (1958) Indochina, 1952 The Red Badge of Courage (1951) Reds(1981)* Communism in America Spartacus (1960)* Roman Empire The Thin Red Line (1964) Thirteen Days* Cuban Missile Crisis Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1986)* U.S. Colonial History Titanic (1997) Early 19 th Century Society Tora, Tora, Tora (1970)* U571 (2000) Vincent Van Gogh: Lust for Life (1956) Waterloo (1971)* French Revolution 6 Documentary Films may be acquired from MCAVA. *Material available from the Madison High School Social Studies Department V. EVALUATION/GRADING Students are assessed in this class using the following methods: Tests and quizzes Homework Class participation Group or individual projects Final exam

MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. MHS Multi-Media II Curriculum

MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MHS Multi-Media II Curriculum Authored by: Rachel Bonnema Reviewed by: Lee Nittel, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Thomas Paterson, Supervisor of Science and Technology