Subjects: German, English, History, Politics, Ethics from 8th Grade, from 13 years
Before the Screening:
a) Collect the titles of
Westerns you know in class.
b) What kind of character drawing, narrative means or film-aesthetic devices (for example,
camera angles,
film music,
settings) distinguish these films? Exchange views in class, using the
Blitzlicht method. Write down the results of your deliberations on the blackboard or whiteboard.
c) The following table provides an
initial introduction to the difference between Western and Anti-Western (also known as Revisionist Western).
Note: This list does not aim to cover everything.
Classic Western
|
Anti-Western
|
Settings: small towns or "frontier land" (on the territory not yet or hardly occupied by White settlers)
|
Settings: small towns or "frontier land" (on the territory not yet or hardly occupied by White settlers)
|
Protagonists: sheriff, White settlers, "cowboys", trappers – with characteristics with positive connotations
|
Protagonists: sheriff, White settlers, "cowboys", trappers, indigenous people, people of color – protagonists can also be anti-heroes
|
Antagonists: bandits, indigenous people
|
Antagonists: bandits, government officials, US military
|
Camera angles: panoramas that illustrate the vastness of the prairie
|
Camera angles: panoramas that illustrate the vastness of the prairie
|
Narrative motifs: loneliness, roughness of nature, constant danger
|
Narrative motifs: crimes against indigenous population, criticism of exaggerated masculinity, depiction of perspectives of indigenous people and other presumed "minorities", critical stance toward US military and government
|
Violence: by the protagonist in response tot he antagonist
|
Violence: appears to be constantly present, emphasis on lawlessness
|
Humor: plays no significant role
|
Humor: black humor or parodying of Western clichés
|
d) Watch the following two
scenes, which are from the first third of the film D
ances with Wolves. The second scene shows the protagonist John Dunbar in Fort Sedgewick. Express your inititial suspicions. Is this scene dominated by element of the Classic Western or the Anti-Western? Back up your results with criteria from the table in Exercise c).
Timecodes of the scenes: 00:32:10-00:35:43 and 00:39:08-00:42:07
e) The Western
Dance with Wolves is set in the year 1863 during the American Civil War, partly at Fort Sedgewick on the edges of frontier territory. Divide your class into two groups (
A) and (
B). Students in
Group A conduct research into the American Civil War; Students in
Group B look into the myth of the frontier. Display the results of your work in the form of an
impulse presentation. Begin your research at the following sources:
American Civil War:
bpb.de: Bürgerkrieg und Sklaverei
BR 2: Freiheit für die Sklaven
Frontier Myth:
bpb.de: Politische Mythen
nzz.de: Das Ende des Mythos der amerikanischen Grenze
During the Screening:
f) Pay attention to the characteristics of the Classic Western and the Anti-Western as well as the development of the protagonist John Dunbar.
After the Screening:
g) Exchange views on what elements of the Classic Western and the Anti-Western characterize Dances with Wolves.
h) John Dunbar is serving the Union Army in the American Civil War. Summarize what you learn about Dunbar‘s everyday working life and his personal circumstances. Discuss in class to what extent Dunbar’s character is drawn differently to figures in Classic Westerns.
i) Analyze the dialogue of the indigenous characters to find out whether they are (not) different to the
stereotypes often used in Westerns.
j) Imagine you are preparing a film evening for school at which Dances with Wolves is to be screened. Prepare an introduction to the film in which you
• provide important background information such as "the frontier myth" and the American Civil War – Exercise e)
• address the character drawing of the indigenous population – Exercise i)
• elaborate on the film’s historical place at the interface of Western and Anti-Western – Exercise g)
Note: As part of your preparations, read the
Film Review by Stefan Stiletto on kinofenster.de.
k) Present your introductions and give each other criteria-based feedback. These criteria include
• completion of the various points in Exercise j),
• clear and comprehensible speech,
• the use of bullet points instead of reading out a pre-formulated script and interaction with the audience.
Subjects: English, German from 16 years, Senior Courses
Before the Screening:
a) Watch the opening sequence of the film
Dead Man an. Analyze what the audience learns about the protagonist William Blake and his journey from the
photography composition,
camera angles,
camera movement,
editing and
costumes.
Timecode: 00:00:00-00:04:45
b) Discuss in class to what extent abstention from dialogue in this part of the
exposition underlines Blake’s emotional state.
c) Watch the
scene in which William Blake arrives to take up his position as book-keeper in Mr. Dickinson’s firm in the small town of Machine in western America – the American fronitier. Describe the town and its residents. Characterize Blake in this scene and explore afterwards how it is made clear that different value systems are colliding. Address in particular what you learn about the value system on the American frontier.
Timecode: 00:09:57-00:16:22
d) The American frontier is the setting for both Classic Westerns and Anti-Westerns.
If you have already completed Exercise 1, summarize the characteristics of the Anti-Western.
If you have yet to complete Exercise 1, discuss in class what the characteristics of an Anti-Western could be. Then compare the results of your work with the table in Exercise 1c) and the entry on
www.film-lexikon.de.
e) Mr. Dicksinson, William Blake’s antagonist, is played by Robert Mitchum. Blake’s later companion Nobody is played by Gary Farmer. Research the biographies of the two actors, beginning with the following sources.
Robert Mitchum
Gary Farmer
Discuss the cast against the background of the Anti-Western genre.
During the Screening:
f) Pay attention to the use of death symbols, the development of the protagonist and elements of the Anti-Western.
After the Screening:
g) Compile the results of your work. Discuss the choice of title,
Dead Man.
h) The protagonist hast he same name as the English poet and painter William Blake (1757-1827), a fact pointed out by the indegenous character named Nobody, who is familiar with his work. In additional to spiritual exploration and criticism of religion (for example, in
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1970-93)), Blake’s works also addressed the revolutions in France and America.
America: a Prophecy (1793) emphasizes the fight for freedom from the British crown and highlights the Utopian potential of the US. Discuss the picture of America-painted by director Jim Jarmusch in
Dead Man.
i) Compile the results of your work on Exercises c, f and h in a
film review. This can take the form of a text, podcast or Video-Blog.
j) Present your film reviews and give each other criteria-oriented feedback.