THE GRADUATE
Relate class discussion/text to screening:
The Graduate, as discussed in class, was one of the first youth rebellion movies. Also, this film was filmed in a way to represent Benjamin's, Dustin Hoffman, transformation from an uptight college graduate unsure of his future to a "worldly", confident, and rebellious young man. The tight framing represents Benjamin when he first graduates from college, as he is unsure and worried about his future. He is also uptight in the beginning of the film and allows for people to tell him what to do. Moving forward in the film, the angles loosen when Benjamin, as previously mentioned, becomes more worldly. He begins to become more rebellious as displayed when he starts to smoke, drink, and there is a shown confidence about him.
The article chosen for The Graduate was a review written by Roger Ebert. Written in December of 1967, Ebert gave the film four out of four stars. (http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-graduate-1967)
Apply the article to the film:
Ebert mentions that The Graduate was, "funniest American comedy of the year." Ebert also discusses how Mike Nichols, director of the film, put the film together. Nichols, according to Ebert, "announces himself as a major new director." The way that Nicholas cuts scenes and sequences scenes together is much more modern and relative to something a viewer would see today. Lastly, Ebert mentions how Benjamin's awkwardness is something that both makes us laugh and question how we act. Thus, making The Graduate a film the viewers can relate to and how they can see themselves in the characters.
Critical analysis:
Overall, The Graduate was able to demonstrate the newly discovered youth rebellion. Alongside this, the audience grew and changed as they experienced Benjamin's transformation. the audience also has transformed because the film is much ore racy than film prior and some event in the film would not have been able to be seen if the production code was still in effect. Benjamin's persistent effort to win over and win back Elaine while watching his own transformation is something that draws and audience, myself included, into the film.
Checklist for plagiarism:
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.
3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.
4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.
8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
