Christof Teuscher

UNST 134A
Fall 2013



9/25/13

Assignment
GATTACA Movie Critique

In class:
Take notes while watching the movie. Beie aie some suggestions that might help
you unueistanuing some impoitant themes:
o Bow uoes the movie poitiay uisciimination anu peifection.
o Is theie an 0iwellian tone in the movie. If so, how. Aie theie any moments
that ieveal manipulation, suiveillance, misinfoimation, anu piopaganua.
o What iole uoes obsession, ueteimination, uestiny, anu peiseveiance play.
o What symbols aie useu in the movie. Foi what.
o Why was the "film noii" genie useu by the uiiectoi. What effect uoes it have
on the auuience.
o Bow uoes eugenics come into play.
o Bow aie the movie anu the themes ielevant to oui piesent. Can you give
examples.
o Bow aie genetic testing anu genetic enhancement useu to paint a uystopian
futuie. Coulu the opposite pictuie be painteu (i.e., a utopian futuie). If so,
how.
At home:
Wiite a film ciitique of !"##"$". Analyze how the film exploies the themes of
!"#"$%& "#()#&"*"#$, +%,&-%*%#)$%.#, *")#%#! ./ 0%/", *.-$)0%$1, )#+ "$(%&,.
You can use the example questions above as the basis foi youi ciitique, oi follow
youi own inquiiy into the film. Bowevei, it shoulu consist of $(-"" ,"&$%.#,:
o 2#$-.+3&$.-1 4)-)!-)4(: infoim youi ieauei what the movie is about anu
what type of film it is. uive some geneial infoimation such as title, name of
the uiiectoi, yeai, piouucei, anu main actois.
o 5(" ,"&.#+ ,"&$%.# shoulu contain:
! Youi analysis. You shoulu consiuei:
What is the plot.
Is theie a chionological sequence of events oi they aie
piesenteu in confusing way out of "logical" sequence.
What effect uoes this have on the viewei.
Why uoes the uiiectoi choose this way of naiiative. Who is the
naiiatoi.
Psychological uepth of the main chaiacteisoi lack of it; the
quality of acting.

Christof Teuscher
UNST 134A
Fall 2013



9/25/13
Some technical aspects: effectiveness of cameia: uistance;
angles; special effects, colois.
What is the effect of the music. Is it foiegiounu oi backgiounu
music; aie theie vocals. Aie theie themes in the music scoie
that ieoccui at ceitain times of the film.
! Youi inteipietation
Themes: Iuentify one oi two impoitant themes. Why aie they
impoitant. Aie those themes inteiconnecteu. Tiy to finu out
theii ielevance to topics that will be uiscusseu in class.
What is youi emotional ieaction to ceitain moments,
chaiacteis, oi inteiactions in the movie. Coulu you iuentify
with any of the chaiacteis. Why.
Boes the film make use of symbols anu what is theii puipose.
Foi instance, what uoes the school fence stanu foi.
What othei moviesbooks woulu you compaie this movie to
anu why.
o 6.#&03,%.#
! What was youi geneial impiession.
Important:
This is not a film ieview foi "The 0iegonian." You aie not supposeu to auvise youi
ieauei to gonot to go to the movie. You aie ciitically assessing the film, inteipieting
the themes, techniques, anu aesthetics of the film.
The "I"-peison is acceptable foi this assignment.
0se youi own woius anu thoughts anu not opinions of film ciitics anu bloggeis.
A ciitique is not just a summaiy.
The ciitique shoulu be about 2 pages (single-spaceu) long.

Due date:
Weu, 0ct 16, 2u1S, 1u:uupm
Submission:
0ploau the assignment on B2L.