NOVELS BY WOMEN

FILMS OF MERIT

Fourth quarter project: 20 points

In a group of four or five, read a novel of literary merit that has been translated into a film of merit. ANALYZE why the director and producers made the changes they did in changing the author's work to another medium

TIME: 30-40 minutes

FILM CLIPS: Must be continuous or keyed by number to my video monitor

CONTENT: The goal of the presentation is to analyze the decisions made in adapting the novel to film. Consider:

· casting

· plot included or omitted

· characters included or omitted

· change in the ending

· portions of novel expanded or events invented for the film

· historical accuracy

· costuming (authentic or otherwise)

· music

· shot angles

· lighting

· flashbacks

GRADING:

You will be graded on the clarity of your presentation and the level of insight you bring to the questions the producers and director made. Your clips should be relevant and well-timed. You should not deal only with plot: ANALYZE and tell us things we couldn't figure out on our own.

POSSIBLE BOOKS:

· The Joy Luck Club ®

· Frankenstein

· Sense and Sensibility

· Northanger Abbey

· Pride and Prejudice

· Emma (2 groups for each of two films)

· Wuthering Heights

· Ethan Frome

· To the Lighthouse

· Breathing Lessons

· The Age of Innocence

· Fried Green Tomatoes

· Jane Eyre

· The Color Purple

· Beloved ®

· CAVEAT : ® rated films need parental approval and you must not show offensive scenes in class