The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde due in 10 hrs

BONUS Opportunities for English 231

DIRECTIONS: Students have this option for bonus points. You write a 2- page (double-spaced) critique of the movie. These reviews are similar to the reviews written by professional critics; they are not a plot synopsis. If you are new to this kind of writing, it might be useful for you to read a few movie reviews to see how it is done. There are several elements that can be considered in the review of a film in order to make a final judgment of the film’s artistry. These are the elements of a film:

· the casting (do the actors match your expectations for the characters)

· the acting (is it believable, do they match your interpretations of the characters)

· the setting (do the various settings add to the recreation of the literary work. Do they recreate the period for you and bring the work to life)

· historical/literary accuracy (several of these films purport to be based on a literary work but can be egregiously inaccurate on the details) ALL REVIEWS MUST DISCUSS YOUE OPINION OF HOW MUCH THE FILM ENHANCES (or not) YOUR APPRECIATION OF THE LITERATURE.

· costuming (again, a noteworthy detail in “period” movies)

· special effects (too much, too distracting, or effective)

I expect your critical statement to be supported with examples and details from the film under discussion. If you do not mention these I will assume that you did not actually watch the entire film, and that judgment will be reflected in your grade. DO NOT COPY ANY PART OF A MOVIE REVIEW OF THE FILM.

In a movie review, you present your opinion of several of these elements supported by details from the film. In the end, you should offer your final opinion of the film (such as “thumbs up, thumbs down” or a star rating from * (BOMB) to ***** EXCELLENT).

Work is due before MAY 4.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (two excellent B/W versions that come on one DVD)

There are many, many films on the story, but most of them are ridiculous. Don’t write on those. There is a fairly good one starring Michael Caine, and you might enjoy Mary Reilly (with Julia Roberts and John Malkovich). It is based on a novel that approaches the story from an interesting point of view – that of a main in Jekyll’s household.