Laura Almo F/V 1 Study Guide for Exam #2 (Spring 2015)

D.W Griffith

Father of Modern Film – advanced film/film language, editing/crosscutting, Biograph Films, Influence coming from South had on Griffith’s films; Birth of a Nation (technically advanced albeit controversial film); Film as agent of social change (Corner in Wheat)

Films Griffith documentary, A Corner in Wheat, Moguls and Moviestars: Brother Can you Spare a Dream (1920s/Transition to Sound), Modern Times, Citizen Kane

Textbook: A Short History of Film

Sections on 1920s/Transition to sound and Citizen Kane (refer to your journal assignments as well)

Film: Moguls and Movie Stars: Brother Can You Spare a Dream

1.The coming of “talkies” – The Jazz Singer 1927 was the first “Talkie”

2. Impact of sound films on the film industry: difficult transition for silent film actors; more jobs, dialogue and sound “specialists” had to be hired, cameras had to be changed (new technology), sound studios had to be built, costs soared as production time became longer

3. 1920s characterized by “youthful excess” and the “joy of living life on the edge”

4. Stock Market crash in 1929 – things weren’t fun anymore

Modern Times, Text, Context, Subtext and plot:

Text: film
Context: the setting/time frame; historical and cultural environment - 1930s America, Great Depression, poverty, unemployment
Subtext: underlying theme or implied relationship between characters in a book, movie, play or film. The subtext of a work is not explicitly stated, but often interpreted by the audience. Subtext can be a way for the creator of a work to relay ideals, principles, controversial relationships or political statements i.e. the dehumanizing nature of 1930s factory work in America; in the 1930’s who really has access to the American dream of home ownership
Plot: the events that make up a story

2. hybrid film for 1936-why?

3. screen persona of Chaplin (The Tramp); Paulette Godard (the Gamine)

4. Analysis of Modern Times: social issues: factory work, industrialization, dehumanization of individual; civil rights violations

5. Acting technique-Gesture

Citizen Kane (RKO)-Kane’s contributions to film

a. deep focus-Kane being “sold as a boy” and long-take cinematography

b. chiaroscuro lighting-"Thatcher's library," “declaration of principles” scenes

c. low-angle photography-“principles”

d. montage-“breakfast sequence”

e. sets and décor-“Xanadu and fireplace”

f. mise-en-scene and auteurism-French New Wave

g. sound editing-overlapping dialog; opera score; realistic conversations, long take cinematography (screen time equals real time)

h. story elements-narrative structure; conventions broken

i. yellow journalism and connection to Hearst

j. revolutionary film: why given 1941?

Be sure you are familiar with the film, each of the characters, how they fit into the story, all of the clips from Citizen Kane screened in class, the connection to Hearst, and anything that was discussed in class.

Do not forget that the documentaries screened in class are important sources of information as well as our discussion/lectures from class, etc.

If you missed any of our discussion/lectures on DW Griffith, the 1920s and the transition to sound, Charlie Chaplin/Modern Times or Citizen Kane you can review online.

Films are posted on my website at

Do not forget that the documentaries screened in class (or assigned to screen online) are important sources of information as well as our discussion/lectures from class, etc.

If you have any questions please send me an email.

This is not an all-inclusive list of subjects, but a guide to get you started on your studying along with your notes.

Remember to bring Scantron #882 and a #2 pencil.

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