The Research Project

Film Adaptation/History

(Adapted from Professor Kathy McWilliams’ assignment)

This project consists of a 5-7 page research paper in which you will be asked to use all the skills you’ve developed so far as a reader, writer, and observer.  You will select, research and write about a particular film of your choice.  You have two options in writing this paper:

1. Select a film that has been adapted from another work—a novel, play, short story or remake and compare and contrast the two works or
2. Select a film based on real life events and compare the fictional world with the real one.

The focus of the paper is up to you.  While I will provide you with general guidelines, you will need to decide what you want to emphasize in your paper. You may select a film that is currently playing or one available on video.

Before you start this assignment, you must clear your film choice with me!

DUE DATE:  Last class meeting, 12/18/04

Some suggestions:

• Veronica Guerin (Irish journalist who was murdered in the course of her investigation of the infusion of drugs into Dublin during the 1990’s)
• Schindler’s List (focus on the life of Oskar Schindler)
• Frida (compare the film’s portrayal of her and her actual life)
• Michael Collins (research the real Michael Collins and find similarities/differences)
• Lolita (compare the old and new version or one of the versions and the novel)
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s (read Truman Capote’s story and compare it with the film)
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being (how faithful is the film to the novel?)
• Dracula (compare two film version, or the book and a film)