Ali (2001) Will Smith as Muhammed Ali

Select a feature film or telemovie about a real-life public person (performed by a star-actor) and choose two scenes for close analysis: Scene 1: the actor’s performance of the character in a public setting/public moment Scene 2: the actor’s performance of the public character in a private setting/private moment Write 1500 words discussing each of the following 1) presentation of the actor as the real-life public person. How does the film present the character to the audience for the first time, and how does the actor’s star persona ‘fit’ the character? 2) Describe the actor’s performance in the private scene in terms of the two techniques of expressive realism discussed in class on Day 2 3) Describe one example of the actor’s performance of the public person in terms of expressive coherence and incoherence Compare private and public scenes in terms of the degree of ostensiveness (low to histrionic) of facial and bodily gestures. In your analysis of both scenes ALSO pay close attention to how framing, lighting, costume, setting and sound enhance or clash with the actor’s performance of the character. As you write keep asking yourself this question: how does this actor use body, face, voice, gesture, expression to create the character in the two selected scenes? Keep going back to look and listen to the scenes – you need to know the scenes really well. Ali (2001) Will Smith as Muhammed Ali