Essay: The Conversation (Coppola, 1974) Screen Language Film Foundation Degree

Essay 2000 words – 40% 24 April, 2015 Choose 1 question:   In what ways, and to what ends, does The Conversation (dir. Coppola, 1974) depict a surveillance society? Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people for the purpose of influencing, managing, directing, or protecting them   In what ways, and to what ends, does American Graffiti (dir. Lucas, 1973) depict teen experience?

What are you being asked to do? What are you being asked to do? How are the various formal techniques being used to depict a surveillance society/teen experience? What are the filmmakers saying about a surveillance society/teen experience via the various formal techniques?

Your answer should identify and discuss, with precision and accuracy, relevant formal and narrative techniques. It should be constructed as a piece of critical analysis which should offer objective, well founded and argued insights into the roles these techniques play in the creation of meaning. Up to you which techniques you focus on (obviously choose the most relevant and illustrative ones! Remember the Learning Outcomes: The Essay will serve to develop students’ writing, analytical, critical and research skills, as well as the ability to construct an argument.

Reminder Reminder Essays should be formatted and presented exactly in line with the conventions set out in the BA Film Studies Writing Guidelines remember these offer clear and easy to follow Guidelines on: writing answering the question structuring your work supporting your argument Film Studies formatting conventions referencing Filmography & Bibliography presenting and submitting your work

Who is Francis Ford Coppola? "One of America's most erratic, energetic and controversial filmmakers"

Francis Ford Coppola (two ‘p’s, one ‘l’) The Godfather of New Hollywood

One of the highest- grossing movies in history

Apocalypse Now: epitome of Coppola’s excess Trailer Inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness: "a comedy and a terrifying psychological horror story". Coppola said that he wanted to take the audience "through an unprecedented experience of war and have them react as much as those who had gone through the war".

Excess in Apocalypse Now visual & sound tracks visual & sound tracks production values production values

Antithesis of excess: Coppola at his more restrained/minimalistic The Conversation (1974)

Slowly-gripping, bleak study of electronic surveillance and threat of new technologies Slowly-gripping, bleak study of electronic surveillance and threat of new technologies Examined by loner Harry Caul, an invader of privacy, the best in the business. He can record any conversation between two people anywhere. So far, three people are dead because of him. Examined by loner Harry Caul, an invader of privacy, the best in the business. He can record any conversation between two people anywhere. So far, three people are dead because of him. Low-budget Low-budget Released before and during the Watergate scandal (and between the two Godfather films) - a time of heightened concern over the violation of civil liberties. Released before and during the Watergate scandal (and between the two Godfather films) - a time of heightened concern over the violation of civil liberties. Claustrophobic themes of the destruction of privacy, alienation, guilt, voyeurism, justified paranoia, unprincipled corporate power Claustrophobic themes of the destruction of privacy, alienation, guilt, voyeurism, justified paranoia, unprincipled corporate power

A few things to think on: A few things to think on: film as commentary on privacy/surveillance society film as commentary on privacy/surveillance society theme of voyeurism theme of voyeurism formal experimentation formal experimentation ambiguity of sound, specifically dialogue ambiguity of sound, specifically dialogue

Music: a few things to think on…. Music: a few things to think on…. connotations of jazz? connotations of jazz? minimalist score? minimalist score?

music: a few things to think on…. music: a few things to think on…. solitary piano? solitary piano? emotional affect of music? emotional affect of music?

Minimalism in The Conversation Questioning of dominant Hollywood aesthetic/values: Questioning of dominant Hollywood aesthetic/values: Lacks an appealing, in control protagonist Lacks an appealing, in control protagonist Slow, meticulous narrative Slow, meticulous narrative About ideas, rather than actions About ideas, rather than actions About cinematic technique, as much as narrative About cinematic technique, as much as narrative experimentation with sound experimentation with sound

hidden camera

unsettling feeling of being watched