CAPTAIN FANTASTIC : Opening scene analysis

OPENING SCENE 

Analyse the opening scene of Captain Fantastic and answer the following questions using examples of film form to support your points

 What are the first impressions of the lifestyle and nature of the family the audience gets ? Are we encouraged to respond in a particular way to the landscape and the family's role in it ? Look at shot sizes, sound , pace of editing  and colour in particular.

Does this impression of the family change and develop in this scene? How does the director show this ? Consider lighting, mise-en-scene and performance.

Is there any sense of who the main characters will be and what their relationships and issues will be ?

What clues do we get about the themes and issues that will be explored in the film ?

HOLLYWOOD FILM AFTER 2005 Captain Fantastic ( Ross 2016)

 

You need to watch the entire film of Captain Fantastic ( our next text ) by our next lesson on Thursday as we will be analysing key scenes. 

The film is available on netflix and on this vimeo link

Here is some basic information about the film

MOCK EXAM QUESTION JANUARY 19 2021

' The director is the most important creative influence on the production and content of a film '.

 How far do you agree with this statement when applied to both of your chosen films ?  

( 40 marks)    1 hour

EXAM QUESTION PAPER 1 A Casablanca/Apocalypse Now comparison

 Next week you will be writing and submitting a full exam answer for  Paper 1 Section A (Hollywood 1930-1990 ) which will compare Casablanca and Apocalypse Now

The question will expect you to have knowledge of and to write about the following :

The Hollywood studio system : who had creative influence and power in the studio system era

New Hollywood : how and why directors gained more power and influence in the 1960s-1970s

Auteur : the role and creative signature of your director/producer in both films

Film form : specific examples from your chosen films to support these points

Classical Hollywood style  and its use of film form

Production contexts : factual information about how and when both films were funded,produced and released.

Make sure you have completed all blog tasks and have some specific examples from the films to  support your points

Here are some good marked examples of exam answers on this section....we are focusing on a different text for New Hollywood but many of the same points can be made with different examples.

AUTEUR AND APOCALYPSE NOW

 Using your research , class discussion and these resources summarise what you understand to be Francis Ford Coppola's creative signature in Apocalypse Now based on his use of film form and methods.  Use examples from the film and any reference to his other work. You may want to focus on the following :

Use of light and shadow

Working with actors

Improvisation and changing script

Large-scale set piece action scenes 

Narrative themes 

Based on your understanding of New Hollywood and the film's production , summarise the  extent of the creative influence and power of the director ( Coppola ) on the content of the film .  Who else had any power or influence on the content of the film ?