Essay time for week 5, and boy did we watch some good ones. We really dived into Kurosawa's 1960s films: Yojimbo (1961), High and Low (1963), and Red Beard (1965).
Now it is time for you to put on paper your amazing thoughts! Remember, look back at the feedback you received last time, improve in the areas you were asked to, and you'll get a rockin' sweet good grade!
You need to write a 500 word essay that answers one of the following questions:
- How did what you learned about Kurosawa's life a few weeks ago impact how you view these movies? In your essay, write about how facts you've learned about Kurosawa as a person helped you better appreciate specific story elements or other aspects of the films. You can just talk about one of the films we've seen or more than one but, either way, be very specific about how the facts on Kurosawa helped you appreciate specific parts of the films. Do not be general. Be specific.
- We've seen a lot of his movies by now. What common themes have you seen in all of Kurosawa's movies we've seen since the beginning of class? Also, think about these three films he made in the '60s, are there any common themes in them? Write about one or more theme that you feel has come up in all or most of the films we've watched and how each film addresses the theme(s). You might also make reference to what you learned about Kurosawa's life and how that helps you understand why he would deal with that theme.
- How has what we've seen in Yojimbo, High and Low, or Red Beard influenced you personally? Write an essay about the themes or other elements of the films (or of Kurosawa's life) that were important to you and why they matter to you so deeply. You will probably want to include a little bit of personal life story/experience if you do this one.
- Pick another essay topic you would like to write about that relates to the films Yojimbo, High and Low and/or Red Beard. It could also relate to what we learned about Kurosawa's life. Have Will or Josh approve the essay topic and then write the essay.
- How have these films treated violence? You can talk about one of them specifically, or include examples from all of them. Based on how violence is treated in these films, how do you think Kurosawa viewed violence. Be specific with your examples in the films and your reasoning.
- These movies were all in widescreen. As Kurosawa went from fullframe movies to the use of widescreen, how did that affect his composition of shots? Do you still see his "painter" roots in these movies? Did his painter instincts come through in these widescreen movies? How? Give specific examples of how his painter background may have affected the way he composed shots. Feel free to use screen shots in your essay to express your points.
- In both Ikiru, which we watched before the break, and High and Low, do this interesting and non-conventional thing where half way through the movie we stop following the original protagonist, and the story focuses on a group of protagonists trying to solve a mystery (in Ikiru, what this old man did with his life, and why, and in High and Low, who is the kidnapper and how do we catch him!). Why do you think Kurosawa makes this choice? Do you see any similarities or parallels in the movies' messages? How did you personally like this creative choice, or dislike it? Explain in detail with specific examples... and...
Have fun!!!
Turn your essay in via email. Who you turn the essay in to depends on the first letter of your last name:
- A-H: email your essay to Josh: jwagner@ehhs.us.
- I-Z: email your essay to Will: wmcallister@ehhs.us.
Remember, this is the last week of the class. Get this essay done, and start making up whatever work you may be behind on. For, lo, the end is upon us!!!
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