English 102 Research Project Topic Options

English 102 Research Project Topic Options

Your research this term will involve an analysis from a scholarly viewpoint (meaning that you must have some kind of critical approach—this is neither a review nor a report) of a film.  

The choice of film and approach is yours: the only limitations are that you must select a film from the list below and you must get my tentative approval before the end of class on 1/30.  

Critical Models 

The point of a critical approach or model is to give you a point of access into the “text,” a film in this case, that will let you get at something about it that you would not have discovered without the model.  .  The approach is what you are going to research in the scholarly literature.  You may use only ONE of these paradigms.  Here are a few brief, basic statements that will give you an idea of how you might approach a film (see the Critical Model folder on Blackboard for further details): 

Ø Women’s Studies (aka feminist criticism):  Images and other elements reveal the filmmakers’ beliefs about female gender roles, their power dynamics (both female/female and female/male), and stereotypes.

Ø Men’s Studies (aka masculinist criticism):  Images and other elements reveal the filmmakers’ beliefs about differing “masculinities,” homosocial relationships, and behavioral codes. 

Ø Disability Studies:  Because every culture constructs a disability identity that it imposes on those who are physically or mentally disabled, films react to, comment on, and/or support these identities or stereotypes.

Ø Shame theory:  Because a character (or a group, etc.) will try to reduce shame and increase pride by employing some kind of strategy that either has or will become habitual, their experiences with shame reveal facets of their characters.  All storytellers, including filmmakers, find shame events useful plot devices for this reason and for the drama (and comedy) they add to the mix. 

Ø Myth Criticism:  Films and other works of art draw on patterns established in cultural myths (this includes the quest pattern and archetypal characters).   

The following is a list of films that would work well with at least one of the approaches I have listed above (incidentally, never forget that film titles, like book titles, are ALWAYS italicized in MLA).  I’ve categorized them, but most of them could be used in several different categories (e.g., Gladiator could work with a myth approach as well as the masculinist approach I have listed it under), so don’t feel limited to the way I have listed them here.  Although you may use films that I will be discussing in lectures, you cannot use the same critical model on them that I am using in class.  Those films and models are:  Beauty and the Beast/ Women’s Studies, 300/ Men’s Studies, Fantastic Four/ Disability Studies, Tombstone/ Shame, and Spider-Man/ Myth. 

You may be surprised at some of these films, since there are a few that are just plain lousy (at least they are according to film critics).  These can be easier to analyze, with surprising results, too.

Note:  Sequels to any of these titles are generally acceptable, although possibly not in the same category as the originals. 

Women’s Studies

Down with Love

Bewitched

Chicken Run

any Shrek

True Grit (2010)

Chicago

The Village

And, the Disney “Princess” films:
Tangled
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Brave

Men’s Studies

The 13^th Warrior             

Cowboys & Aliens
Gladiator                       
Enemy at the Gates
Troy                  
X-Men Origins:  Wolverine
Reign of Fire                   
Secondhand Lions
Casino Royale  
300
Tombstone       
The Ghost and the Darkness
Law Abiding Citizen

Disability Studies

Captain America

The Wolfman
The DaVinci Code                          
The Hulk (Bana, not Norton)
Iron Man 2               
Master and Commander
12 Monkeys             
X-Men:  The Last Stand

Shame theory

Spider-Man

The Four Feathers
Thor
Emma
Sherlock Holmes
Dodgeball          
The Phantom of the Opera
Zoolander                          
Any Harry Potter 

Myth Criticism

The Incredible Hulk (Norton)               

Robin Hood
The 13^th Warrior                     
Sleepy Hollow
Any Lord of the Rings                           
Van Helsing
any Star Wars                
The Lightning Thief
Clash of the Titans
Avatar
Snow White and the Huntsman
Puss in Boots 
And, almost any comic-book-superhero film (e.g. The Avengers, Dark Knight, Ghost Rider, X-Men, and so on) will work well with a myth approach.  Check with me by 1/28, since I don’t actually have access to every comic-book-superhero film ever made. 

Here’s a tip on making your selection:  Don’t select your favorite film for this project.  The kind of deep analysis you will be doing tends to destroy much of the enjoyment of the film itself. 

Once your selection is made, you should immediately begin your background reading, as well as starting a record of the works you have consulted in either a research notebook, a computer file, or on index cards.  I highly recommend consulting a reference librarian several times during your research process.