1 8 CHAPTER 1
and, quite literally, what you see in them. Take note of both the emotional and
the intellectual levels of your watching. Ask yourself questions about every aspect
of the film, and let these questions lead you to other, more complex ones
in your continuing to read this book. As you progress, stop to consider the
questions for analysis that accompany each of the following chapters.
ANALYZING YOUR RESPONSES TO A FILM
1. Do you have any strong prejudices against this particular type of film? If so,
how did these prejudices affect your responses to the film? Does this film have
any special qualities that set it apart from other films of the same type?
2. How much do your personal and highly subjective responses to the following
aspects of the film affect your judgment: actors in the film, treatment of sexual
material, and scenes involving violence? Can you justify the sex and violence
in the film aesthetically, or are these scenes included strictly to increase boxoffice
appeal?
3 . What were your expectations before seeing the film? How did these expectations
influence your reaction to the film?
4. Was your mood, mental attitude, or physical condition while seeing the movie
less than ideal? If so, how was your reaction to the film affected?
5. If the physical enviromnent in which you wa tched the film was less than ideal,
how did this fact influence your perception?
6. If you watched tlle movie on a TV screen, in which scenes do you feel you
lacked the intensity of involvement needed to enjoy the film most completely?
In which scenes does the small-screen format work?
7. If you read reviews or scholarly essays before your viewing, what observations
or opinions caught your interest? What is your own opinion after having seen
the movie?
