Film Histography

CINE 202: Historiography Assignment and Paper
Choose a film produced between 1945 and 1990 (later dates are possible only with prior permission). Locate basic information about when, where, and how your film was released, as well as how it did at the box office. Was it successful when it was released? Then find 2-3 contemporary (same year the film was released) and at least 1-2 more recent reviews or scholarly accounts of film (total of 3-5 sources). By more recent, I mean that a source was published at least 10 years (or more!) after the release of the film.

Write a 3-4 page paper on your film’s reception. After providing an introduction, write a paragraph describing the main idea and/or an important detail of each article (= about 3-5 short

paragraphs total), then attempt in 1-2 longer paragraphs to account for similarities/differences among them and the reception of the film, then and now. That is: how have audiences reacted to the film, and what do you think are the circumstances (either within the film or in the context at large of its exhibition) that influence its reception? This paper should not critique the film; instead, it should consider the dynamics of its content for historical audiences. If your film has seen multiple releases, you may compare/contrast different moments of its reception as your main point.

Because of the analysis at the end of the paper, it is better to have MORE sources if possible. But some films will be harder to find current information for, so the number of sources you use is at your own discretion. You must use reputable sources in your research: no non-professional media (wikis, blogs, etc.) will be allowed as sources. Document all sources using either MLA or Chicago Style. Include a well-formatted bibliography.

A good resource for finding contemporary sources for film is in the trade press or specialty magazines, including Variety, Cinéaste, Film Quarterly, Film Comment, Screen, etc. Many of these will cover international films. Other places to start would be national/local newspapers such as The New York Times or The Dorchester Reporter. For academic sources, try JSTOR or EbscoHost. Reputable journals of contemporary cinema studies include Film History, Journal of Film and Video, The Moving Image, Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Cinema Journal, Sight and Sound, and The Journal of Popular Film and Television.

An A paper will include:

• A good choice of film that allows this assignment to be accomplished
• Basic details about its reception: when released, how it did at the box office, how long it was in theaters,
  whether it was released in other venues or formats to greater or lesser success, etc.
• At least 3 reputable sources (2+ historical AND 1+ more recent)
• A clear and succinct account of each of these sources
• A meaningful and clear introduction and conclusion that lay out the critical reception of the film and any
  important issues related to that reception
• A clear thesis/argument about the dynamics of the film’s reception conditions
• An insight about and clear understanding of the sources included and their relationship to each other
• Convincing support for all claims from the articles themselves
• Appropriate organization (intro, well-formed paragraphs, with transitions that develop the argument, etc.)
• Clear and compelling writing without typos or grammar errors
• A title, your name, date, and proper formatting (double-spaced, typed, with 1”-margins)
  A B paper will have a serious issue with 1 of these aspects or 2-3 smaller issues with more aspects. A C paper will have a serious issue with 2 of these aspects or 3-4 smaller issues with more aspects. A D paper will have a serious issue with 3 of these aspects or 4-5 smaller issues with more aspects. An F paper will have a serious issue with 4 of these aspects or 5-6 smaller issues with more aspects.
  I encourage you to use the library’s resources, both in databases and personnel.