"A thing is a thing, not what is said of that thing."
-- Susan Sontag
"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."
-- William Shakespeare
Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)
"'I'm the wrong person to ask,' I said. 'I didn’t even know the man. I heard his name mentioned in passing. I wouldn't know. You'd have to know the particulars. But I think what you're saying is that love is an absolute.'"
-- Raymond Carver
"What We Talk about When We Talk about Love"
Today in class, I would like you to take out a sheet of paper and write TWO thought-provoking, debatable statements, one about Birdman, one about a connection between Birdman and a previous film we watched in this class. Write these statements on a separate sheet of paper from your discussion notes.
Your statements should encourage the exchange of ideas in your group; think about ideas that cut to the heart of the film, how it's made, and what it achieves as a story. Write out a description of a clip to accompany each statement, making reference to camera work, editing, etc.
Be ready to voice your statements to your group--I'll come around the room to address any issues you are particularly challenged by.
And here, again, are the basic questions we should ask about everything we watch or read:
- Who is the narrator? (even if the narrator is not a character, there is one)
- From what point of view is the story being told?
- How would you describe the shape of the plot?
- Which events would you consider major turning points in the story?
- Are there patterns or motifs that draw our attention to important themes?
