Film as TextFilm as Text

Applying critical literacy to Alan Applying critical literacy to Alan Parker’s Parker’s Mississippi BurningMississippi Burning

Functional Literacy with FilmFunctional Literacy with Film

How do filmmakers expect us to How do filmmakers expect us to ‘read’ film?‘read’ film?

By making sense of the story they By making sense of the story they tell through tell through the various layers of its medium the various layers of its medium of of communication…communication…

Film depends on Narrative Film depends on Narrative It containsIt contains traditional elements like: traditional elements like:

Setting – where and when a story occursSetting – where and when a story occursCharacter – who have roles in the storyCharacter – who have roles in the storyPlot – what happens in what orderPlot – what happens in what orderGenre – conventions of a story typeGenre – conventions of a story typeRealism – devices to make a story believableRealism – devices to make a story believableParallelism – repetition for contrast or Parallelism – repetition for contrast or

changechangeArgument – Argument – the point of view an author the point of view an author

encourages encourages an audience to have on their storyan audience to have on their story

Narrative is shaped by Film’s Narrative is shaped by Film’s FormForm

Creating and using a world through Creating and using a world through which meaning is produced bywhich meaning is produced by::Montage – the juxtaposition of images in aMontage – the juxtaposition of images in a

scene’s sequence of shotsscene’s sequence of shots Time – manipulated by the shortened, Time – manipulated by the shortened,

lengthened or simultaneous lengthened or simultaneous presentation of eventspresentation of events

Space – created by moving Space – created by moving characters/objects characters/objects in/out of frame and in/out of frame and using camera using camera angles, shot montages & angles, shot montages & soundssounds

And And reshaped through Film's reshaped through Film's LanguageLanguage

A combination of codes and conventionsA combination of codes and conventions that directly convey meaningthat directly convey meaning::Technical – codes of filmic constructionTechnical – codes of filmic construction

Framing (camera distance; lens choice; camera angle)Framing (camera distance; lens choice; camera angle) Shot duration; Choice of film stock; Lighting; Special Shot duration; Choice of film stock; Lighting; Special

effectseffects

Symbolic – codes of presentationSymbolic – codes of presentation Performance; Setting; Costumes; Colour / LightingPerformance; Setting; Costumes; Colour / Lighting

Audio – sound codesAudio – sound codes Music; Sound Effects; DialogueMusic; Sound Effects; Dialogue

Written – titles; creditsWritten – titles; credits

But what is But what is CriticalCritical Literacy? Literacy?You taught me language, and my profit on't You taught me language, and my profit on't Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you For learning me your language!For learning me your language!

Caliban fromCaliban from William Shakespeare’s William Shakespeare’s The TempestThe Tempest

If literacy is the ability to read and write using If literacy is the ability to read and write using a wide range of communication to help us a wide range of communication to help us “know” and “learn”, “critical literacy” is the “know” and “learn”, “critical literacy” is the ability to look critically at how language ability to look critically at how language influences and shapes influences and shapes whatwhat we know and we know and howhow we learn.we learn.

The Power of Grammar: 101The Power of Grammar: 101

““Mummy, the milk was spilt on the Mummy, the milk was spilt on the table”table”

““Bombs were dropped on Bagdad”Bombs were dropped on Bagdad”

What do these two sentences What do these two sentences not not tell us?tell us?

The use of passive syntax removes The use of passive syntax removes agency from a statementagency from a statement

““The Mokusatsu Tragedy”The Mokusatsu Tragedy”

On July 26, 1945, the United States, Great Britain and China On July 26, 1945, the United States, Great Britain and China

issued the Potsdam Declaration. In terms more lenient than issued the Potsdam Declaration. In terms more lenient than

had been expected, the Allies called upon the Japanese had been expected, the Allies called upon the Japanese

government to proclaim unconditional surrender of its armed government to proclaim unconditional surrender of its armed

forces. In essence, the Allies were calling upon Japan to forces. In essence, the Allies were calling upon Japan to

surrender and end WWII without further bloodshed. Two days surrender and end WWII without further bloodshed. Two days

later, President Suzuki of Japan met with the press and said later, President Suzuki of Japan met with the press and said

that his cabinet was holding to a policy of Mokusatsu. The that his cabinet was holding to a policy of Mokusatsu. The

translator at the Domei News Agency translated his message translator at the Domei News Agency translated his message

and from the towers of Radio Tokyo the news flashed to the and from the towers of Radio Tokyo the news flashed to the

world that Japan had decided “to ignore” the Potsdam world that Japan had decided “to ignore” the Potsdam

Ultimatum.Ultimatum.

The result of this rejection is the well-known tragedy of the The result of this rejection is the well-known tragedy of the

modern world at Hiroshima –Nagasaki.modern world at Hiroshima –Nagasaki.““The Mokusatsu Tragedy” from The Mokusatsu Tragedy” from The Power of WordsThe Power of Words by Stuart Chase, 1953 by Stuart Chase, 1953

““The Mokusatsu Tragedy”The Mokusatsu Tragedy”

There is strong evidence to suggest that the main cause was There is strong evidence to suggest that the main cause was

the misinterpretation of one word Mokusatsu. Mokusatsu has the misinterpretation of one word Mokusatsu. Mokusatsu has

no exact counterpart in English and in fact is even ambiguous no exact counterpart in English and in fact is even ambiguous

in Japanese. What President Suzuki meant by the use of this in Japanese. What President Suzuki meant by the use of this

word was that he was withholding comment for the present word was that he was withholding comment for the present

time, the equivalent of a modern politician saying “no time, the equivalent of a modern politician saying “no

comment”. Unfortunately the official translator took the other comment”. Unfortunately the official translator took the other

meaning of the word “to ignore” which was taken by the meaning of the word “to ignore” which was taken by the

Americans as the outright refusal to comply with the Potsdam Americans as the outright refusal to comply with the Potsdam

Declaration. The fault lay as much with President Suzuki for Declaration. The fault lay as much with President Suzuki for

choosing such an ambiguous word as it did with the translator. choosing such an ambiguous word as it did with the translator.

Mokusatsu has two characters in Japanese Mokusatsu has two characters in Japanese mokumoku, which means , which means

silence, and silence, and satsusatsu, which means to kill, literally to kill with , which means to kill, literally to kill with

silence. To Japanese this can mean either “to refrain from silence. To Japanese this can mean either “to refrain from

comment or to ignore” comment or to ignore” ““The Mokusatsu Tragedy” from The Mokusatsu Tragedy” from The Power of WordsThe Power of Words by Stuart Chase, 1953 by Stuart Chase, 1953

The Power of (a) Symbol(ic The Power of (a) Symbol(ic code)code)

This is also called a This is also called a paradigmparadigm

= =

pprrooggrreessss

Critical ‘readings’ of Critical ‘readings’ of HollywoodHollywood

A 2003 book A 2003 book Screen Saviors: Hollywood Screen Saviors: Hollywood Fictions of WhitenessFictions of Whiteness studies how white studies how white identity is imagined in Hollywood movies identity is imagined in Hollywood movies by white directors featuring white by white directors featuring white protagonists interacting with people of protagonists interacting with people of another colour. This collaboration by a another colour. This collaboration by a sociologist and a film critic studies the sociologist and a film critic studies the way in which race relations are way in which race relations are fictionalized and pictured in the fictionalized and pictured in the movies… [arguing] that films are part of movies… [arguing] that films are part of broader projects that lead us to ignore broader projects that lead us to ignore or deny the nature of the racial divide in or deny the nature of the racial divide in which Americans live. Even as the which Americans live. Even as the images of racial and ethnic minorities images of racial and ethnic minorities change across the twentieth century, change across the twentieth century, Hollywood keeps portraying the ideal Hollywood keeps portraying the ideal white American self as good-looking, white American self as good-looking, powerful, brave, cordial, kind, firm, and powerful, brave, cordial, kind, firm, and generous: a natural-born leader worthy generous: a natural-born leader worthy of the loyalty of those of another colour. of the loyalty of those of another colour.

Critical reading questions to Critical reading questions to askask

How does How does Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning ask to be ask to be read?read?What features of its story and film language What features of its story and film language

(its (its narrativenarrative) encourage us to read it in ) encourage us to read it in particular ways?particular ways?

What What paradigms paradigms are used to frame its are used to frame its story?story?

What doesn’t What doesn’t Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning tell tell us?us?What gaps or silences does it leave out?What gaps or silences does it leave out?

CCrimerime thrillerthriller investigation investigationMismatched Buddy flickMismatched Buddy flick

WesternWesternOutsider cleans up isolated corrupt townOutsider cleans up isolated corrupt town

RomanceRomanceHandsome stranger saves unhappy wifeHandsome stranger saves unhappy wife

GenreGenre

Identify the Identify the paradigms paradigms that that these genres these genres use to make use to make

meaningmeaning

Argument Argument

Civil Rights Civil Rights movementmovement What point of view What point of view

does the film offer does the film offer on this historical on this historical event?event?

How is it How is it represented in the represented in the film?film?

What paradigms of What paradigms of race, gender and race, gender and politics are used?politics are used?

Narrative & Filmic Techniques Narrative & Filmic Techniques Combined…Combined…

Parallelism – the Parallelism – the repetition of repetition of situations or events situations or events to use contrast or to use contrast or change to tell the change to tell the storystory

Montage – the Montage – the juxtaposition of juxtaposition of images in a scene’s images in a scene’s sequence of shotssequence of shots

Critical Reading of a Key Critical Reading of a Key SequenceSequence

Focus question:Focus question: ““How does How does Mississippi BurningMississippi Burning argue that Civil argue that Civil Rights were achieved by lone white Rights were achieved by lone white men acting as maverick heroes?men acting as maverick heroes?””

The analysis of a keyThe analysis of a key sequence sequence should answer this by examining should answer this by examining in in detaildetail how the narrative how the narrative is shaped by is shaped by the film’s the film’s languagelanguage and and formform