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“Everyone who sees films based on novels feels able to comment, at levels ranging from the gossipy to the erudite, on the nature and success of the adaptation involved. That is, the interest in adaptation [...] ranges backwards and forwards from those who talk of novels as being ’betrayed’ by boorish film-makers to those who regard the practice of comparing film and novel a waste of time.”

—Brian McFarlane, Novel to Film
 

This course explores the complex interplay between film and literature. Selected novels, short stories and plays are analyzed in relation to film versions of the same works in order to gain an understanding of the possibilities—and problems—involved in the transposition to film.

As this is a course in literature and film analysis, students do not need to have taken other Cinema courses before taking this course. However, it is assumed that students have successfully completed the prerequisites for this course, English 101 and English 102 (or their equivalent).  Therefore, students are expected to have the necessary background and experience in analyzing, discussing, and responding to literature, as well as the ability to conduct independent research and to write correctly documented research essays  using MLA format.

Students are cautioned that this course requires extensive reading and writing in addition to viewing films and taking part in class discussions. Students not prepared to read (up to 150 pages/week) and to write on a regular basis and to take an active part in class discussions should not consider taking this course.

  Enhance their ability to understand, appreciate, and discuss works of literature through extensive reading and discussion of short stories, novels and plays.

  Analyze works of fiction and drama for plot structure, setting, characterization, theme, and narrative point of view.

  Develop an understanding of critical analysis of film through careful examination of cinematic adaptations of literary texts, focusing on character development, dramatic structure, and performance.

  Learn and utilize the terminology of film analysis, both those terms shared with literary discussion (character, plot, theme, setting) and those specific to cinema (lighting, montage, special effects, etc.).

  Demonstrate an understanding of the possibilities and problems involved in the transposition of literature to film, applying terminology and critical skills acquired during the semester to analyze a cinematic adaptation of a text not discussed in class.

The choice of  texts and  films cannot in any sense be considered an exhaustive or even seriously representative one. Instead, the aim has been to select sufficiently diverse literary texts (two plays, four novels, and two short stories) to allow the study of a number of genres (e.g. comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, and so on), as well as to provide sufficient examples of cinematic adaptation, including multiple versions—or visions—of a text, and modernizations or adaptations of classic works of literature. The texts and films were also selected based on a survey and on the instructor’s personal (and admittedly idiosyncratic) preferences; the definitive criterion was that each selection must be somehow enjoyable!

All of the following texts will be available at the Burlington County College bookstore. Although I have ordered specific editions, these texts are all widely available in several different mass market editions; almost any edition that you find will be acceptable, so check school or public libraries and used bookstores (Slightly more expensive, but highly recommended, are the Norton Critical Editions, which include authoritative texts as well as intellectual backgrounds and both contemporary and modern critical responses). In addition, those with links below are available as free online texts.

Required:*

 Austen, Jane. Emma. (Available starting at $2.55 at Amazon.com***)

 Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. (Available starting at $6.00 at Amazon.com***); Chapter 21 available here or here.

 Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. (another online version available here or here) (Available starting at $1.51 at Amazon.com***)

 Orwell, George. 1984. (another online version available—with no annoying popups—here) (Available starting at $2.50 at Amazon.com***)

 Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. (another online version—the 1818 edition—available here) (Available starting at $0.77 at Amazon.com***)

 Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. (Available starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com***)

 Shakespeare, William. Othello. (Available starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com***)

Additional  required readings will also be assigned and  made available as photocopies or as links, including:

 Brown, Frederic. "Arena": possible source for Star Trek Episode 19: "Arena"

  Feldman, Gail M. "Adapting Shakespeare to Film." Inside Film Magazine Online.

  Ferriss, Suzanne. "Emma Becomes Clueless." Jane Austen in Hollywood. Eds. Linda Troost and Sayre Greenfield. Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1998. 122-129. (Available starting at $7.75 at Amazon.com***); reprinted in Parrish, Stephen M., ed. Emma: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 2000. 435-444 (Available starting at $7.50 at Amazon.com***)

Additional recommended readings, predominantly critical essays or background information, are indicated on the schedule (see Outline, below) with an asterisk (*); most should be available (to diligent researchers) through the BCC Library.

Recommended:

  Kirzner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. The Concise Wadsworth Handbook. Boston: Thomson Heinle, 2006 (Available starting at $23.49 at Amazon.com***);

Maimon, Elaine P. and Janice H. Peritz. A Writer’s Resource: A Handbook for Writing and Research. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003 (Available starting at $14.73 at Amazon.com***);

or another handbook covering grammar, writing, and MLA documentation.

 A good college-level dictionary (Available used starting at $0.01 at Amazon.com***).

Attendance:
Students must not only attend every class, but also arrive on time, be prepared (all reading or writing assignments complete), and take an active part in class (see Participation, below). According to the College Catalog, "Students are expected to attend all class, clinical, laboratory, and studio sessions for the full duration of each instructional session."  Moreover, once students get to class, they are expected to stay in the classroom until the class is over. Leaving class early or getting up in the middle of class is considered disruptive behavior and should happen only in extreme emergencies. Students may be required to sign in each class session to verify their attendance.

Students unable to attend class should contact the instructor regarding missed work as soon as they return to school. Excessive absences or repeated tardiness will result in a lowered grade and may result in failure of the course at the instructor’s discretion.

Plagiarism and Cheating:
Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another’s words, ideas, or facts without crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either in whole or in part, as one’s own work; or submitting work previously submitted for another course or instructor. Plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of academic dishonesty on any assignment will result in failure (a grade of zero) for that assignment and may result in further disciplinary action, including but not limited to failure for the course and expulsion from the College. Please refer to the Burlington County College Student Code of Conduct in your Student Handbook for additional information regarding plagiarism and College regulations.

Homework/Essay Submission:
All writing assignments must be received by the instructor on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period, as indicated on the schedule, below. In the event of an unavoidable absence the day an assignment is due, the work may be emailed. Only work submitted as an email attachment, in MS Word format, and received before the end of the normal class period will be accepted.

All essays must be typed (Times New Roman, 12-point), double-spaced, and grammatically correct; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. Please refer to the Essay Outline and Revising and Editing Checklist. In addition, the essays must include a cover page and Works Cited page, and use MLA format for documentation.

Make-up Exams/Late Work:
All assignment deadlines and scheduled exam dates are provided at the beginning of the semester; therefore, late papers will not be accepted nor will make-up exams be offered, except under extraordinary circumstances with appropriate documentation. Excuses such as “crashed computers,” “lost flash drives,” or “empty printer ink cartridges” will not be accepted. It is suggested that all computer work be saved both on your computer’s hard drive and again on disk or removable storage device.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION (10%):
As this class will combine both lecture and discussion, students are expected both to attend every session and to take an active part in class—joining in discussions and raising questions. Discussion is one of the best ways to clarify your understandings and to test your conclusions. Open discussion always involves personal exposure, and thus the taking of risks: your ideas may not be the same as your fellow students’ or even the instructor’s. Yet as long as your points are honest and supportable, they need to be respected by all of us in the classroom. Questions, discussion, disagreement, and laughter are all encouraged in this class. (However, ridicule or scoffing is never tolerated.)

QUIZZES (20%):
With the exception of the first day, class may begin with a short (five- to ten-minute) quiz or response paper on the reading(s) for the day, at the instructor’s discretion. Quizzes cannot be made up; if you miss a quiz due to absence or lateness, that grade will be regarded as a 0. At the end of the semester, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Total number of quizzes during the semester will determine the point value of each; that is, if 11 quizzes are given (lowest quiz grade will be dropped), each quiz is worth up to two full points.

RESPONSE PAPERS (5 @ 8%):
Students will complete at least five short essays during the semester, on topics to be assigned (see Response Paper Topics, below). Essays must be at least 2-3 pages long (500-750 words), typed, double-spaced, grammatically correct, and submitted on or before the due date indicated on the schedule, below. Essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. Please refer to the Essay Outline and Revision and Editing Checklist.

RESEARCH PAPER (20%)
Students will complete a research paper of at least 7 to 12 pages, utilizing a minimum of five sources, correctly documented utilizing MLA format (see also Documenting Films in MLA Style). Topics should be selected from a list of suggestions provided (see Research Paper Topics, below), or developed in consultation with the instructor.

FINAL EXAM (10%):
Students will complete a final exam during the official final exam period, evaluating students’ recognition and comprehension of material studied during the previous weeks. This exam will cover specific texts and films, as well as the principles of cinematic adaptation and critical analysis, and will combine objective questions and short essay answers. Students may be entitled to use notes or textbooks for the essay portion of the exams only.

A: Meeting course goals by demonstrating perceptive understanding of readings and course concepts; excellence and originality in compositions; superior scores on exams and other assigned work; active participation in class discussion and small groups; and compliance with attendance and assignment requirements.

  
SCHEDULE:
Projected Schedule of Readings, Movies, and Assignments
Note: All readings below are required, and must be completed by the day indicated; the only exceptions are those indicated with an asterisk (*), which are recommended additional readings.

Response Paper Topics:
For each week, a question or topic is provided. You may complete any five response papers, but  your response must be on the assigned topic for the week it is submitted, and must be submitted on or before the due date, by the beginning of the class period, or it will receive a zero (0). Late work will not be accepted. Students may complete more than five response papers for extra credit: the best five scores will be utilized in determining final grades.

Instructions: Respond to each question or topic below in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay of at least two to three pages (500-750 words). Your essay should include independent analysis and demonstrate careful thought, but no research is necessary, nor should any secondary sources be used. Although these are personal responses, and therefore there is no "correct" answer, remember that they are still formal essays: in your analyses, formulate a clear, explicit, assertive (persuasive), objectively-worded thesis statement, and avoid use of "I" or "you" throughout. Do not attempt to address all aspects of the text, but carefully focus your topic, and avoid merely paraphrasing or summarizing the work. Be sure to support your answers with specific references to the work. Essays must be typed, double-spaced, and grammatically correct; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing.

1) What is Orwell’s 1984 really about? That is, if it can be said to have a theme, what is that theme? Is it concerned with truth, with politics, with war, with language, with man’s place in the cosmos?  What is Orwell saying—not about Smith, or even Oceania, but about modern life, society, or the human condition?

2) Why "A Clockwork Orange"? That is, what is the real significance of the title, beyond F. Alexander’s apparent belief that "all lewdies nowadays were being turned into machines and that they were really—you and me and him and kiss-my-sharries—more like a natural growth like a fruit"? What does Burgess seem to be saying here—not about Alex, or even Ludovico’s Technique, but about society or the human condition?

3) In Lord of the Flies, Simon and Piggy both occupy relatively ambiguous positions: less important—perhaps— than Jack and Ralph, yet more important than "minor" characters; not leaders, yet not quite followers; innocent (?) victims, yet not innocents. How should we read these characters; that is, what exactly are their roles, and what is each one’s significance or importance to the novel?

4) Why "Lord of the Flies"? That is, what is the real significance of the title, beyond the obvious (?) allusion? What connection does this title have with "the Beast," and what does Golding seem to be saying—not about this group of boys, but about the human condition?

5) According to Stephen King, "Frankenstein is a mystical morality tale about what happen[s] when man dares to transgress the limits of knowledge" (qtd. Haining, Peter, ed. The Frankenstein Omnibus. Edison, NJ: Chartwell Books, 1994. 3). Is Shelley’s novel really concerned with the idea that, as the cliché has it, "there are some things man was not meant to know"? Why or why not?

6) According to Fred Botting, in "Reflections of Excess: Frankenstein, the French Revolution, and Monstrosity," Mary Shelley’s novel "is not only about the manufacture of a monster. It is, as many critics have noted, a monster itself [...] composed from an extensive literary corpus: direct citations of Romantic poetry, Paradise Lost and myths of Prometheus, references to many literary, philosophical and historical texts, events, and figures, as well as many others" (436, in Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, 2 ed. Ed. Johanna M. Smith. Boston: Bedford, 2000. 435-449.) Trace one element of the novel’s component parts as identified by Botting, for example, the French Revolution, the influence of Rousseau, or the myth of Prometheus (as creator and fire-bringer or as Romantic ideal of rebellion against tyranny). How does this reference or theme function in the text?

7) According to Cyrus Hoye, "four subjects—melancholy, demonology, the nature of man, and death—[...] were, in their several ways, of absorbing interest to the late Renaissance, and each, in varying degrees, impinges on important issues raised by The Tragedy of Hamlet" ("Preface." Hamlet: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 1992). Select one of these four subjects and briefly explore how it "impinges on important issues" in the play.

8) Hamlet is in some ways a play about power, including not only political but also personal power. What are the types of power in the play, what gives one character power over another, how is power acquired or distributed, and how is it used and abused? And, more importantly, does Shakespeare seem to be challenging or supporting his society’s views on the nature of power?

9) Jane Austen refers to Emma in less than flattering terms; she calls Emma herself "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," and expresses her belief that "to those readers who have preferred ’Pride and Prejudice’ it will appear inferior in wit, and to those who have preferred ’Mansfield Park’ very inferior in good sense" (qtd. Parrish, Stephen M. "Preface to the Third Edition." Emma: A Norton Critical Edition by Jane Austen. New York and London: Norton, 2000. viii). Are Austen’s concerns, or her ambivalence toward the novel, justified? Why, or why not?

10) According to John Wiltshire, "the narrative voice of Emma, while flexible, and capable even of picking up Mr. Elton’s vulgarisms when in his vicinity, is overwhelmingly the style of Emma, youthful, confident, presumptive, witty, dogmatic, commanding, assured" ("Emma." The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Eds. Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. 66-75; reprinted in Parrish, Stephen M., ed. Emma: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 2000. 435-444). How does this narrative voice inform our reading—or misreading—of people and events in the novel? That is, how do Emma’s perceptions shape the readers’, and to what effect?

11) Othello’s plot clearly is informed by the issue of race; however, a reductive reading of the play is complicated by the fact that Othello is an Elizabethan play. Given the historical context in which this play is written and performed, how does Shakespeare either confirm or challenge his society’s views on race? How is this different from the way(s) in which Othello functions (or may function) as social critique today?

12) According to some readings of Othello, Desdemona’s passiveness or acquiescence is indicative of the Elizabethan view of women; women are subordinated to men, weaker, passive, victims, et cetera. However, can Desdemona be read as heroic, as active rather than passive? How?

Research Paper Topics
Select one of the following topics, and complete a research paper of 7 to 12 pages, typed, double-spaced, and grammatically correct; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. In addition, essays must use a minimum of five sources, properly documented utilizing MLA format (see also Documenting Films in MLA Style), with a cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the 7-12 page requirement).  Remember that these are formal essays: the paper must be persuasive, with a clear, explicit, assertive, objectively-worded thesis statement, support your assertions with specific references to the works, and should avoid use of "I" or "you" throughout. I will be available to meet with any student who needs assistance or additional instruction; please e-mail me to set up an appointment. 

1) A large number of literary works, in addition to those discussed in class, have been filmed more than once. (For example, William Shakespeare is credited as Writer on 668 films on IMDB.com, and another 14 for either Miscellaneous Crew or Soundtrack!) Choose one such text, and analyze at least two different film versions (see Sample Introduction). How does each version adapt, revise, or alter the story? What is changed or left out, and why? How do all of these individual changes contribute to a different interpretation of the text; that is, what is the significant difference between the versions? And, finally, how does the socio-cultural milieu of each film inform these differences? Some suggested works (see me if you have others in mind):

[Anonymous.] Beowulf (several versions, including the 2007 version. Also, check out the free study guide to Beowulf from Paramount Pictures)

Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica, or, The Voyage of the Argo (as the classic Jason and the Argonauts, aka Jason and the Golden Fleece by Ray Harryhausen, and the not-so-classic made-for-television 2000 remake)

Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (as the 1981 BBC television miniseries and as the 2005 theatrical release)

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (including Pride & Prejudice, 2005, Pride and Prejudice, 1940,  Pride and Prejudice, 1938, and (of course!) the “Pride and Prejudice” miniseries, 1995, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle)

  Jerome Bixby, “It's a Good Life” (as “It's a Good Life” on The Twilight Zone, 1961; as the third story, directed by Joe Dante, in Twilight Zone: The Movie, 1983; as well as the segment  “The Bart Zone,” from The Simpsons episode 8F02, “Treehouse of Horror II”)

Robert Bloch, Psycho (the original 1960 version and the 1998 remake)

Pierre Boulle, Planet of the Apes (or, La Planète des Singes) (as the original Planet of the Apes, 1968, and the Tim Burton remake, Planet of the Apes, 2001)

Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre (Not only Franco Zeffirelli’s 1996 version but also versions from 1910, 1914 (I), 1914(II),  1915, 1921, 1934, 1944, and 1955; also, at least five made-for-television versions: 1956, 1961 , 1963, 1970, and 1997; and three miniseries: 1973, 1983, and  2006.)

John W. Campbell (writing as “Don A. Stuart”), “Who Goes There?” (1938) as The Thing; a.k.a. The Thing from Another World (1951), The Thing, a.k.a John Carpenter's The Thing (1982), and The Thing (2011) (See also Peter Watts, “The Things.” Clarkesworld Magazine Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.)

Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (at least 68 versions or adaptations of one or both the two works, or portions thereof, from the first Alice in Wonderland, 1903, to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and beyond: two works currently in development are The Looking Glass Wars and Alice, the latter based on the computer game American McGee's Alice, freely adapted from the texts!)

Richard Condon, The Manchurian Candidate (as The Manchurian Candidate,1962, and The Manchurian Candidate, 2004)

Richard Connell, “The Most Dangerous Game” (as Lethal Woman, 1989, Deadly Prey, 1988, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity, 1987, Woman Hunt, 1975, Bloodlust!, 1961, Run for the Sun, 1956, A Game of Death, 1945, The Most Dangerous Game, 1932, and innumerable episodes of television shows including Fantasy Island, Gilligan’s Island and—of course—The Simpsons, albeit only a few brief allusions; also adapted as Ultimate X-Men Vol. X (issues 54-57): The Most Dangerous Game—not a film, but hey, still a cool homage to the short story!)

Raold Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005)

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (seriously, pick a version!)

Frederick Forsyth, The Day of the Jackal (as The Day of the Jackal, 1973, and The Jackal, 1997)

Bruce Jay Friedman, “The Heartbreak Kid” (Elaine May’s 1972 adaptation, with a screenplay by Neil Simon, and the Farrrelly Brothers’ 2007 remake with Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, and Malin Akerman)

Frank Herbert, Dune (the 1984 De Laurentiis version—with Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Max von Sydow, and Sting [yes, Sting!]—and the Sci-Fi Channel’s Emmy-winning 2000 miniseries)

Eric Hodgins, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, aka  Mr. Blandings Builds His Castle, as Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy (1948), remade as The Money Pit with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long (1986) and Are We Done Yet? with Ice Cube and Nia Long (2007) (Female leads played by Loy, Long, and Long—a coincidence?)

Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (at least 17 versions, including Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame Topsy Turvy Games, a videogame from 1996, whatever that means!)

Ilya Ilf, Dvenadtsat stulyev, a.k.a. The Twelve Chairs (as Mel Brook’s brilliant farce, The Twelve Chairs, 1970; as Tomás Gutiérrez Alea’s ideological reworked comedy, Las Doce Sillas, a.k.a. The Twelve Chairs,1962; as the Russian film 12 Stulvev, a.k.a 12 стульев, a.k.a. 12 Chairs,1971, and so on)

Daniel Keyes, “Flowers for Algernon” or Flowers for Algernon (short story/novel) into Charly (1968) and Flowers for Algernon (2002)
See also, Daniel Keyes, Algernon, Charlie and I: A Writer's Journey (2000)

Stephen King, The Shining (Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic, and the 1997  television miniseries directed by Mick Garris)

George Langelaan, “The Fly” (as the original 1958 version with Vincent Price and the 1986 version directed by David Cronenberg, as well as the segment  “Fly vs. Fly” from The Simpsons episode 5F02, “Treehouse of Horror VIII”)

C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1979 (television, animated), and The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe,1988 (BBC television))

Fritz Leiber, Conjure Wife (as Weird Woman, 1944, Burn, Witch, Burn, 1962, and Witches' Brew, 1980)

Richard Matheson, I Am Legend (as The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price, 1964, The Omega Man with Charlton Heston, 1971, and I Am Legend with Will Smith, 2007, and—I am not making this up—as the low-budget I Am Omega, 2007, as well as the segment  “The Homega Man,” from The Simpsons episode 5F02, “Treehouse of Horror VIII”)

William Shakespeare, King Lear (too many versions to count!)

William Shakespeare, Macbeth (again, too many versions to count!)

Bram Stoker, Dracula (I mean, c’mon, how many versions are there? Like hundreds? and remember, as Homer Simpson says, “Vampires are imaginary—like elves, gremlins, and Eskimos.”)

Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth (several versions, including the classic1959 version, directed by Henry Levin, and the  2008 version starring Brendan Fraser)

H. G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau (several versions, including Island of Lost Souls, 1932, The Island of Dr. Moreau, 1977, and The Island of Dr. Moreau,1996)

H. G. Wells, The Time Machine (the classic1960’s The Time Machine, directed by George Pal, and the not-so-classic 2002 remake)

H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds (the classic The War of the Worlds, 1953, and the less than classic 2005 remake)

John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos into the classic 1960 Village of the Damned (parodied on The Simpsons as The Bloodening), the Spanish-language Pueblo de Malditos, and the 1995 John Carpenter remake.

and more to come, as I think of them.....

2) Other literary works have been adapted into films in a manner more free than that employed for those listed above. These adaptations are generally less “faithful” to the text, essentially involving a radical transformation or expansion or a complete revision of the original, often including a shift in setting (both time and place). For example, consider the discussion regarding Amy Heckerling’s Clueless (1995) and its radical (Suzanne Ferriss might say reactionary) revision of Jane Austen’s Emma. (see Sample Introduction 2). Choose one of the following adaptations (see me if you have another adaptation in mind): what changes were made, and why? What effect do the changes have on our “reading” of the movie as text?

[Anonymous.] Beowulf into Michael Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead,  filmed as The 13th Warrior; or into John Gardner’s Grendel, filmed as the animated Australian Grendel, Grendel, Grendel; or the vaguely futuristic science fiction version of Beowulf

[Anonymous.]  13th-century Swedish ballad “Töres dotter i Wänge,” adapted by screenwriter Ulla Isaksson as Ingmar Bergman’s Jungfrukällan, a.k.a. The Virgin Spring, 1960, and by Wes Craven as Last House on the Left, 1972 (Seriously! See here, for example. See also, Dennis Iliadis’s remake of The Last House on the Left, 2009).

Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness into Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now

Homer, The Odyssey  into O Brother, Where Art Thou? 

C. de Laclos, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (no English language e-text available?) into Cruel Intentions

Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac into Roxanne 

William Shakespeare,  Henry IV into My Own Private Idaho (1991)

William Shakespeare, King Lear into Akiro Kurosawa’s Ran (1985)

William Shakespeare, Macbeth into Akiro Kurosawa’s Kumonosu jô, a.k.a. Throne of Blood (1957)

William Shakespeare, Macbeth into Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool (2003) (Thank you, Jaspinder, for letting me know of this one!)

William Shakespeare, Macbeth into Scotland, PA

William Shakespeare, Othello into Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara (2006)

William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew into 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

William Shakespeare, The Tempest into Forbidden Planet (1956)

William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night into She’s The Man (2006)

Philip Van Doren Stern, “The Greatest Gift” into It’s a Wonderful Life (multiple versions or revisions)

and so on, and so forth.....

 

Final Exam Part I: Short essays (60%: 30 points each)
According to the official catalogue description, “This course explores the complex interplay between film and literature. Selected novels, short stories and plays are analyzed in relation to film versions of the same works in order to gain an understanding of the possibilities—and problems—involved in the transposition to film.” Using specific examples from at least two different texts, explain the possibilities and problems involved in translating a text into film. You may include texts discussed this semester, or texts outside of or in addition to the assigned readings.

You should consider addressing specific elements including (but not limited to) plot or dramatic structure, setting and set design, characterization (character development), theme, narrative point of view, performance, cinematography (including type and length of shots, angles, composition, proxemic patterns, color, lighting), costuming, sound, music, special effects, running time, and intended audience.

Your answers should be in short essay form (including an introduction, body, and conclusion). Be sure to focus carefully on the topic: formulate a strong, objectively worded thesis, and avoid plot summary. Remember that these are formal essays: they must be persuasive, with a clear, explicit, assertive, objective thesis statement, and should avoid use of "I" or "you" throughout. Be sure to use evidence (specific examples) from the texts and films to support your assertions, and be certain to document correctly, but no outside (secondary) sources required or allowed. Your essays should be carefully revised, edited, and proofread; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing.

*  You may do as much or as little preliminary work at home as you wish; that is, you may brainstorm, outline, draft, or even complete the essay at home. However, the finished essay must be turned in during the assigned Final Exam period.