Film Review – The Thirteenth Warrior (1999

 Based on the movie: The Thirteenth Warrior (1999) • The crucial element of this short analysis paper (500 words) is a clearly focused topic—a thesis—that will allow you to get at the film from a workable angle. Even though we have discussed topics to guide your analysis, you will have to refocus those topics so that it is more specific. • The scope and focus of your essay will depend on the audience: an informed audience will not be interested in a simple plot summary or such information as “the Wachowski brothers are American filmmakers.” Outline your paper by breaking your ideas about the movie into separate categories. You may create your analysis or argument out of specific topics such as story, theme, structure, plot, characterization, dialogue and filmmaking. You may also address production issues such as lighting, editing and sound. Frames for creating theses are: I. The director uses __x___ to show _______y_________ . 2. Through the use of ____x_____ (the director/author) shows ___y__________. 2. The development of _____x_____ reveals _______y_______. Body Paragraphs After you state your thesis in your Introduction, you must support your thesis in your body paragraphs. You must cite and explain passages from the movie that give rise to your interpretation; this is how you support your argument. Remember that you are explaining and interpreting the work and NOT summarizing it (simply retelling what happens). By following the model below, you can create any number of body paragraphs to support your thesis. The Five-Step Paragraph 1. Topic Sentence 4. Explanation 2. Narrow Down Sentence 5. Conclusion 3. Quotation There is no set length to a good paragraph, nor is there an absolutely correct number of paragraphs for a given paper. A 500-word essay normally has four or five paragraphs, and a developed paragraph usually contains at least four or five sentences. However, the number of paragraphs and their respective lengths will depend on the ideas in your argument. (Although journalistic writing, such as a newspaper review, frequently relies on very short paragraphs, this is usually not the kind of paragraphing appropriate for a critical essay.) I. In the topic sentence you should present some portion of your thesis to be proven in the paragraph. Using the frames above, you can present information inserted into spaces x and y. Early paragraphs in the essay focus on space x; later paragraphs focus on space y. Each new paragraph should either develop a new portion or expand a point made in a previous paragraph. 2. Quotation/Description. Here you should describe the specific scene/exchange you pointed out in the narrow down sentence. If you write it out word for word it must be in “quotation marks.” If you paraphrase (rewrite it in your own words), you don’t need quotation marks. 3. Explanation. In this sentence you need to explain the meaning of the passage or scene you just quoted or referred to, and/or explain how that passage supports your topic sentence. Refer to specific words (or actions) in the scene that carry special meaning or extra importance and how those words give rise to your interpretation. 4. Conclusion. To conclude the body of the paragraph, you need to finish your explanation of the scene/passage and sum up the points just presented. You may also need to provide a transition to the next paragraph. Points to consider for your thesis: • Is this film important for historical accuracy? You can make note of embellishments or over-dramatization. • You can examine the emotional impact or any emotional manipulation you observe. • Creative elements: Film makers go to great lengths to choose the creative elements of their films. How are these elements important to the overall product? • Costumes for a period film can enhance a film or they can betray the intent of the film. • Significance to your class: Why are you seeing this film in the first place? How does the content fit into your course topic? • Good sound effects can enrich the viewing experience. Bad sound effects can destroy a film. • Actors can make or break a film. Were the actors effective, or did poor acting skills detract from the film’s purpose? • Did you notice the use of symbols? • Camera angles and movement can add elements to the story. A jagged transition adds intensity. Gradual transitions and subtle camera movements serve a specific purpose, as well. • Colors can be vivid or they can be dull. The use of color can stimulate and manipulate moods.