Southern Politics

PS 377

Southern Politics

Film Critique Assignment

Films

For this assignment, you should view a film that relate to the culture and/or politics of the American South. You can watch any film from the following list:

Mississippi Burning Giant Primary Colors Ghosts of Mississippi Forrest Gump Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil A Time to Kill The Color Purple Gone With the Wind To Kill a Mockingbird All the King’s Men Blaze Deliverance Beloved In the Heat of the Night Selma Birth of a Nation Days of Thunder Rosewood Driving Mrs. Daisy The Apostle Steel Magnolias Fried Green Tomatoes Coal Miner’s Daughter The Chamber

Critique

Even if you have previously watched several of these films, please view them again and pay attention to how each film portrays southern politics and culture. As you analyze the films, explore the following questions:

· What messages are being conveyed by the films?

· Are the films historically accurate?

· What stereotypes are being reinforced about southern culture and/or politics?

· What do the films say about race/gender relations in the South and southern politics?

Format

The paper should be 5 pages in length. It must include a cover page with a title of the paper, your name, and the date (these do not count toward the page length). You must also include a reference page that lists the film you viewed (include the year the film was produced). The text of the paper must be typed and double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman font. The text of the paper needs page numbers. Finally, be sure to carefully proofread the paper for typographical and grammatical errors. Please remember that when you include the title of a film it should be italicized. The paper is due at in class on April 22. Late papers will be docked 10 points per day, and papers are considered late after class on April 22. Papers that are improperly spaced and/or do not use the correct font will also be docked 10 points for each offense.