International Film Comparison Paper
Watch Francois Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, his 1959 classic about the mistakes made by a French
elementary school student. Then you may choose from ONE (1) of the four other films below.
After watching The 400 Blows and the film of your choice, use the knowledge you have learned
thus far in class to compare and contrast the two films.
FILMS Use IMDB or Wikipedia to read synopses.
• The 400 Blows (1960; Kanopy), directed by Francois Truffaut (REQUIRED). Then choose ONE of the following:
• Clueless (1995), directed by Amy Heckerling (United States; Swank)
• Ghost in the Shell (1996), directed by Mamoru Oshii (Japan; Swank)
• Amores Perros (2000), directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Mexico; Swank)
• Being 17 (2016), directed by André Téchiné (France; Amazon Prime)
REQUIREMENTS
• It will be up to you to come up with an argument that encompasses both films.
• You will need to compare and contrast several elements of the films, developing a multi-
perspective analysis of local, global, international, and communication issues throughout
the films.
• One other source besides Louis Giannetti’s Understanding Movies is required. You
cannot cite IMDB or Wikipedia. Research the background of the director. If you have
time to watch another of his or her films, I encourage you.
• You will then write a 4-5 double-spaced page paper IN APA STYLE that analyzes and
exposes what you learned from the course about the given films. As your paper will analyze films directed/written by people from different countries, it is crucial
to dissect how these filmmakers approach the elements of filmmaking to tell a narrative. Choose
THREE elements from the list below.
• Film Structure
• Cinematography
• Design
• Editing
• Acting
• Sound
• Genre
• Visual effects
• Screen Reality
Make sure you explain each component you choose in detail and defend your arguments with
sources! Be sure to write your paper in APA format citing the text when necessary. Include an abstract,
introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion and reference page. The paper will be submitted to
the Turnitin Dropbox on Canvas. CRITERIA
I will deduct points for poor grammar, informality of expression, and failure to comply with
APA style. If you don’t have a manual, see below.
Don’t be informal. You’re writing a paper, not a discussion. Don’t offer opinions that sound
like social media posts. Writing, “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown had incredible
performances!” will get you points knocked off. Use topic sentences. These are the first sentences of your paragraphs, the organizing ideas. For
example: “Thanks to its use of deep focus and Walter Murch’s sound design, Apocalypse Now
recreates the experience of barely surviving a war in Southeast Asia.” You must cite Understanding Movies and any relevant secondary sources. If you have seen
movies to which you can compare The 400 Blows and the other film of your choice, also cite
them. Your paper will be richer if it demonstrates a familiarity with film as a cross-
generational conversation.
ACCESS Available on Kanopy, Swank, and Amazon Prime. Several public libraries and our FIU library
have these films available for checkout on DVD or Blu-ray.
FORMAT
Your paper is to be written in an APA-Style format. This includes the following:
• 12-point font
• Times New Roman font
• Double-spaced
• 1-inch margins
• cover page
• reference page
• in-text citations
For more detailed instructions and information on how to write an APA-style paper, please visit
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/. There is an extensive databank on how to incorporate in-text
citations, and properly format your references.
Some helpful questions:
1. What genre is my film?
2. What uses of tilts and pans as well as close, medium, and long shot do the director and
cinematographer (DP) use to tell their story? Any examples of deep focus?
3. If the film uses Foley, match, or jump cuts, how?
4. What mode of reality is my film in?
5. Are there uses of matte drawings, miniatures, or green screens?
6. How does the composer use music diegetically and non-diegetically? If the film uses
ambient sound, how?
