Zombies & Beyond for 5/4

Reminders:

1) Class meets 7 p.m.-9:50 p.m. on 5/4. (NOT 6 p.m.-8:50 p.m.)
2) We will probably meet in NSC 148, next door to our usual room (NSC 145). If we can't meet in NSC 148 for some reason, we'll meet in our usual room.
2) Your Final Paper is due at class time.
3) You should be prepared to talk about your Final Paper for five minutes or so, stating its theme, the films covered in the paper, why you chose that theme and those films, and something (large or small) that you learned in the course of writing or researching your paper.
4) If you want your Final Paper returned to you with comments, bring a SASE to class. (Please don't do this if all you want is to get your grade early. You will probably get your paper back AFTER your final grade is posted.)
5) Be prepared to discuss Gods and Monsters.

Zombies & Beyond for 4/27

Talking Points for World War Z:
1) What are the modern zombie-movie tropes? Does WWZ include them?
2) Do you see a metaphor in this film? What is it? What's your evidence for saying so?
3) Is it the same metaphor for other zombie films that we've considered in class (or for other zombie films you have seen)?

Reminder: The paper for WWZ is the last short paper of the semester.

Law in Film for 4/30

Robert Duvall as Boo Radley

Reminders:
1) Class is scheduled 10 am-12:50 pm.
2) Be prepared to discuss your Final Paper for 5 minutes by saying what the theme is, what the films are, why you chose that theme and those films, and something (large or small) that you learned by writing or researching the paper.
3) Your Final Paper and Paper 9 are due. Bring a SASE if you want to get them back with comments.

Talking Points for To Kill a Mockingbird:
1) Do the two parts of the film fit together: Tom Robinson's trial and Boo Radley's story?
2) What does this film have to say about the law?
3) Is the film still relevant today?

Zombies & Beyond for 4/20

Brad Pitt & friends in World War Z

Reminder I: I'm still waiting for Final Paper Proposals from Sam, Anna and Derek. Keep in mind that if your proposal is rejected, you'll need time to come up with another one and get it approved before you start work.

Reminder II. Here is our schedule for the rest of the semester:
  4/20: Normal time (6-8:50 pm)
  4/27: Normal time (6-8:50 pm)
  5/4: (Different time (7-9:50 pm)

This week, we'll be watching World War Z, and Dr. Wang will lecture on Monsters as Metaphors.

Law in Film for 4/23

Reminder: I'm still waiting to receive Final Paper proposals from Kyle, Victoria and Dylan. Keep in mind that if your proposal is rejected, you'll need time to come up with another one and to get it approved before you start work on it.

This week, we'll be watching To Kill a Mockingbird. Even though it's a pretty long film, there will be time for our formal 10-minute break before it is screened.

If you get to campus just before class on Thursdays, remember to allow extra time this week. There's a weird parking situation on 4/23.

Law in Film for 4/16

Class this week is only from 1-2 pm. Mostly we'll have Final Paper conferences:
Kyle (Noon), Alexa (12:10), Patrick (12:20), Joelle (12:30), Victoria (12:40), Jessica K (12:50).
Rebecca (2 pm), Chase (2:10), Wesley (2:20), Jackie (2:30), Tara (2:40), Ben (2:50), Zach 3 pm).
Conferences will be held in NSC 214. Please arrive 10 minutes early.

Talking Points for Philadelphia:

1.  Does the film seem contemporary, or does it seem like it's from another era?
2.  How does the film use various characters to represent a spectrum of attitudes? 
3.  What are the legal issues here?
4.  What's your opinion of Joe (Denzel Washington)?
5.  What's the point of the opera scene?

Zombies & Beyond for 4/13

Class this week is only from 7-8 pm. Mostly, we'll be having Final Paper conferences:
Mary (5:45), Meghan (6 pm), Michael T. (6:10), Melissa (6:20), Stephanie (6:30), Aurora (6:40), Lauren (6:50)
Aja (8 pm), Natasha (8:10), Erin (8:20), Rachel (8:30), Brian (8:40), Michael S. (8:50), Sean (9 pm)
The conferences will be in NSC 214. Please arrive 10 minutes early.

Talking Points for X-Men: First Class:
  1) What similarities and differences do you see between the mutants in this movie and the monsters we've studied so far?

  2) What themes does this film explore?

  3) What does this film have in common with other superhero movies you've seen?

  4) Which of the many characters do you find most intriguing?

Law in Film for 4/9

The real Erin Brockovich in the movie about her.

Talking Points for Erin Brockovich:

Do you like this film? Why or why not?

Can you identify with Erin? Why or why not?

What does the movie have to say about how the law functions?

What's the dramatic function of George, Erin's biker boyfriend?

Does Ed Masry, Erin's boss, seem like a credible character?

How does this film relate to others we've seen this semester?

Zombies & Beyond for 4/6

Talking Points for The Hunger:

What are you questions about this film?

What is it saying about sexuality?

What is it saying about age?

What is it saying about disease?

Does it hold up today?

Law in Film for 4/2

1) Really nice discussions last time! It's great to hear strong opinions, especially when they conflict with each other. Just like in court.

2) If you liked that short film about the photocopier and want to see it again, here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000002847155/verbatim-what-is-a-photocopier.html

3) Finally, we'll be watching Erin Brockovich this week, which is a rather long movie. We won't have time for a formal, 10-minute break. Please keep that in mind.

Zombies & Beyond for 3/30

Shaun and Ed in Shaun of the Dead

Talking Points for Shaun of the Dead:

  1) How would you describe Shaun when we first meet him?

  2) How does he change?

  3) What is this movie really about?

  4) Is this movie consistent, metaphorically, with other zombie films?

  5) Why do you think that zombie films have become so popular in recent years?

  6) What's the deal on Ed?

Law in Film for 3/26

Deck, Rudy & Drummond in The Rainmaker

Talking Points for The Rainmaker:

1) What are the legal issues here?
2) How do you feel about the eventual disposition of the case?
3) How do you feel about Rudy's decision not to practice law?
4) How do you feel about Rudy, Deck and Drummond?
5) Do you like this film? Why or why not?

Zombies & Beyond for 3/23

Father Karras in The Exorcist

Talking Points for The Exorcist:
1) Who is the monster in this movie?
2) What is this movie about, in terms of its metaphorical meaning?
3) Why is there a subplot about Father Karras and his mother?
4) Is it important that Regam is 12 years old? Could she have been younger? Older?
5) Do you like this film? Why or why not?

Law in Film for 3/19

Concannon (l) and Galvin (r) from The Verdict

Talking Points for The Verdict:

1) Why do you suppose there was not a verdict in the movie's original script?
2) Does it bother you that the final cash award isn't specified?
3) How do you feel about Galvin & Concannon, the movie's two main lawyers?
4) How would you describe Galvin's journey in the film?

Zombies & Beyond for 3/16

Reminder: Dr. Wang will be lecturing this week. His topic is "Aliens & UFOs: The Analytical Approach."

Another reminder: We will NOT be watching Zombieland in class. It's on reserve in the library if you want to see it. I'll hand out a prompt for it this week, if you choose to write about it.

We will watch and discuss clips from several classic monster movies including the 1931 King Kong.

Zombies & Beyond for 3/2

Talking Points for Alien:

1) Do you find this movie scary? Why or why not?
2) Is it thematically significant that Ripley is female?
3) What do you make of the famous scene in which the alien emerges from the body of a crew member?
4) Does this film remind you of any other film or films we've seen this semester?

Law in Film: Schedule Change

We've tweaked the schedule for the rest of the semester slightly. Please follow this new schedule and not the old one:

SYLLABUS CHANGE: The Law in Film. FIL 3930H. Spring 2015.

3/5. Fifth paper assigned. Lecture: The lawyer. Intro to The Verdict. View The Verdict (1982, 129 m.).

Reading: NYT review of The Rainmaker.

3/12. Spring Break. No classes.

3/19. Fifth paper due. Sixth paper assigned. Intro to The Rainmaker. View The Rainmaker (1997, 135 m.) Reading: NYT review of Erin Brockovich.

3/26. Sixth paper due. Lecture: the trial. Discuss The Verdict. Discuss The Rainmaker. Lecture: tort reform and class-action suits. Other items TBA.

Reading: NYT review of Erin Brockovich.

4/2. Seventh paper assigned. Intro to Erin Brockovich. View Erin Brockovich (2000, 131 m.). Reading: NYT review of Philadelphia.

4/9. Seventh paper due. Eighth paper assigned. Discuss Erin Brockovich. Lecture: discrimination. Intro to Philadelphia. View Philadelphia (1993, 125 m.). Final paper proposals.

4/16. Eighth paper due. Discuss Philadelphia. Final paper proposals. Reading: NYT review of To Kill a Mockingbird.

4/23. Ninth paper assigned. Intro to To Kill a Mockingbird. View To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, 129 m.). Final paper proposals.

4/30, Final Exam period. Final paper due. Ninth paper due. Discuss To Kill a Mockingbird. Additional discussion. Goodbyes.

Zombies & Beyond for 2/23

Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in Alien

This week, we'll discuss both Jaws and The Elephant Man. (Your papers for both films are also due this week.) In addition, we'll watch Alien. That should mostly catch us up.

Talking Points for Jaws:
1) Chief Brody, Quint and Hooper: What does each represent?
2) What does the shark represent to each one of them?
3) What political, sexual and ethical themes are represented in Jaws?

Talking Points for The Elephant Man:
1) What explanation (or explanations) does the film offer as to why the title character looks the way he does?
2) Does the film end happily?
3) Did the sound in this film strike you as distinctive?

Law in Film for 2/26

This week, we will not be watching a film. Instead, we'll focus on discussions and on a few things that may have slipped through the cracks. You'll also receive your prompt for your Final Paper so that you can start thinking about what you want to do there.

One discussion will be about Chicago. Here are some Talking Points:
1) What is this movie saying about the legal system, either through song-and-dance sequences or in some other way?
2) Were you surprised that a movie can convey thematic points through songs?
3) Is the film cynical or just realistic?

Law in Film for 2/19

Talking Points for 12 Angry Men:

1) Do you like the movie?

2) What legal issues does it raise?

3) What socio-political issues does it raise?

4) How do you feel about it being set in one room?

5) How does the director single out individual characters?

6) Do you like the b&w cinematography?  

Zombies & Beyond for 2/16

The Elephant Man

REMINDERS:
1) We'll be meeting in NSC 145. If  you arrive late and don't see us there, try next door at NSC 148.
2) Contrary to what the syllabus says, your papers on Jaws are not due on 2/16. You can hand them in on 2/16 if you like, or you can wait to the next week. Your choice.
3) Due to technical difficulties last time, we'll be rewatching the last 10-15 minutes of Jaws on 2/16.
4) We will also be watching The Elephant Man.
5) Sorry for all the technical, scheduling and other glitches we've experienced so far. I'm working hard to keep them to a minimum as we move forward!

Law in Film for 2/12

Talking Points for Reversal of Fortune:

If you had been one of Prof. Dershowitz's students, would you have joined his team to defend Claus von Bulow? Why or why not?

  What are Dershowitz's stated reasons for defending von Bulow?
  What legal issue is involved when Dershowitz attempts to introduce new evidence in the case in court?
  How and when is humor used in the film?  

Zombies & Beyond for 2/9

Talking Points for Night of the Living Dead:
   Do you like it? Why or why not?

  Is it different from/similar to other zombie films you've seen?

  What is it saying socio-politically?

  Does the race of the main character matter?

NOTE: We will meet in NSC 148 and then possibly move to NSC 145.

Law in Film for 2/5

Jeremy Irons in Reversal of Fortune

Reminders for 2/5:
1) Read the NY Times review of Reversal of Fortune.
2) Paper 1, on Legally Blonde, is due by class time, if you choose to write that paper.

Remarks:
Really good discussion of Legally Blonde last class. There are still, however, a few of you who are hanging back and just listening to the discussion. Be warned: We're coming after you!

Zombies & Beyond for 2/2

Night of the Living Dead

Reminders, Announcements and Talking Points for 2/2.

1) Dr. Wang will be lecturing. His lecture is titled: Sexy Monsters: The Psychoanalytical Approach.

2) Remember that if you choose to write the paper on The Birds, it's due at class time.

3) We'll be discussing The Birds in class. Here are some talking points:
  a) For what are the menacing birds in the movie a metaphor?
  b) What do you make of the love birds?
  c) How would you describe the character of Melanie?
  d) How would you describe the town of Bodega Bay?

4) We'll be watching the classic zombie movie, Night of the Living Dead, from 1968.

Law in Film for 1/29

Reminder: Don't forget to read The New York Times review of Legally Blonde before coming to class on Thursday. It'll be a good intro to the film, which may be more complex than you think.

We'll have our usual break around 2 pm, after we see the film. Then we'll discuss the film.

See you in class!

Zombies & Beyond for 1/26

So after a week on and a week off, it's back to work on 1/26.

We'll be watching The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 thriller.  It's different from Hitchcock's other films because it's about the supernatural. Normally, Hitchcock is very down-to-earth, but not this time.

We'll also go over some tips for writing your papers. See you all in class!

Law in Film for 1/22

The Paper Chase

Well, we really had a great discussion about law and popular culture last week! We're looking forward to this week, when we'll talk about legal education. Please bring any questions and observations you may have about this topic, especially if you're thinking about going to law school -- and even if you're not.

We'll also watch selected scenes from The Paper Chase, which examines old-school law-school situations.