Commercial films

Suggested activities for:

Detailed lesson plans for:

KS2

KS3/4

Activities on Richard III

1. View and compare the Laurence Olivier and Ian McKellen versions of Richard III. How are the two films different and how are they similar?

2. In the McKellen version there is a strong link between Richard's impairments and his evil acts. Make a list of other films where this stereotype of the vengeful disabled person features.

3. How would you reconstruct the character of Richard so his evil acts were not related to him being disabled? Provide scenarios for the main story line (pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts).

4. Do you think the play could still be produced without Richard being disabled at all? In which case, how would you do this?

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Activities on Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and Wait until Dark

1. Show selected clips to illustrate how the suspense is built up.

2. Thrillers rely on building up suspense with the audience. Often the audience knows more than the characters in the film. Can you find examples of this in these two films?

3. Can you write the outline of a story for a thriller where the disabled character is not the victim, but the victor (pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts)?

4. Do an analysis of a still from Wait Until Dark from Stills analysis.

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Activities on Philadelphia

1. Some impairments are less acceptable to society than others. Find out the facts about HIV/AIDS. Why do you think there was/is so much prejudice towards people with HIV/AIDS?

2. How have the filmmakers managed to make the film show a sympathetic treatment of Andrew?

3. Philadelphia deals with prejudice towards disabled people, gay people and black people. How are these discriminations similar and how are they different?

4. Look at the scene in the library (32-36" from the start of the film). What happens that makes Miller change his mind about taking Andrew's case?

5. What camera angles and shots does the director use in this scene to make it more effective (it might help to give pupils the Camera shots and moves sheet (PDF) in the Student handouts).

6. In the UK, out of 6.9 million disabled adults of working age, only 51% are working. Many of those not working would like to work. What do you think are the main reasons why they are not working?

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Activities on Phantom of the Opera

1. How is a silent movie different from today's films?

2. How do the filmmakers use sets, light, and the actors to engage the audience?

3. How is the Phantom acted to elicit sympathy from the audience?

4. What elements can you identify in this film which are still used in suspense or horror movies today to grab the audience?

5. What other films can you think of where the disabled character, who has been mistreated, seeks revenge or is misunderstood?

6. Watch The Man Without a Face (1993, Mel Gibson, USA), starring Mel Gibson. What is similar and what is different about this film and Phantom of the Opera?

7. Why do you think people with a facial disfigurement are especially badly treated and discriminated against?

8. Write an outline for a film featuring a disabled character who is abused and discriminated against and who turns the tables on his persecutors, without using acts of violence. Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

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Activities on Children of a Lesser God

1. The filmmakers choose to get Leeds to translate what Sarah Signs to him. Do you think it would have been less disruptive to the drama if Sarah's Signing had been subtitled?

2. Why do you think the filmmakers chose not to adopt the sub-title option?

3. The film is about the conflict over how deaf children should be educated. Find out about the arguments for and against 'oralism' - lipreading and speaking - and using Sign Language as the primary means of communication for deaf people. Lay out these arguments in a table and then describe which scenes and characters support these different arguments.

4. Play one of the scenes in the film where Sarah is Signing with the volume turned down. Describe how much of what was going on you understood. Now describe how you think deaf people who use Sign language might feel in the hearing world, where Sign language translation is not readily available?

5. How do deaf people access the cinema?

6. Recently (2003), British Sign language has been made an official Community Language of the United Kingdom. There are 70,000 native Sign language users in the UK. Why do you think it has taken so long to get recognition of Sign language?

7. Up until the 1880s, Sign language was very popular with Queen Victoria and the court, who used it because one of the princesses was deaf. There were deaf teachers and Members of Parliament. In 1881, at an International Conference in Milan, Sign language was banned as the method of instruction for deaf children. This was part of the growing Eugenics movement (see The history of attitudes to disabled people), which saw 'Sign language-using deaf people' as a threat to the gene pool. What do you think were the main reasons for this move?

8. Write an outline, with storyboards for a film which would show the effects of the ban by the Milan Conference in 1881 on the education of profoundly deaf pupils in a deaf school. Pupils could use the Storyboard sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

9. Do an analysis of a still from this film from Stills analysis.

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Activities on Four Weddings and a Funeral

1. Watch the film and describe the characters of Charles and David. How do the filmmakers show the differences in the two brothers' characters? Pupils could use the Comparing characters sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

2. How did David's inclusion add to the humour of the film?

3. Can you name other films you have seen where disabled characters are included in their own right, not for dramatic effect or as a stereotype? Describe their role in the film.

4. Remembering that disabled people are at least one in eight of the population, re-write a treatment of a scene from a film you know well to include non-stereotyped disabled characters as an integral and essential part of the plot. Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

5. Should all films automatically be sub-titled and Sign interpreted to provide access for deaf people? Give arguments for and against.

Detailed lesson plans for KS3/4

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Activities on Shrek

1. See what information you can glean from the video/DVD cover. Pupils could use the Video covers sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

2. Watch the film and storyboard the main scenes. Pupils could use the Storyboard sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

3. Read an extract from Jack and the Beanstalk describing the ogre. Get the class to describe how Shrek is the same and different from the standard ogre.

4. In the first scene of the film, after the titles, at 3-5" into the film, get the class to describe the scene and what happens. Ask them to say how this is different from what usually happens in films where the townspeople go after the monster. What does this tell us about how the filmmakers view Shrek?

5. Freeze frame (see About teaching with moving image media) the three scenes with the fairytale creatures. Get the class to identify as many characters and the stories they come from as possible, and describe how they are shown. What do you think the filmmakers are trying to say about how these characters are usually portrayed? (5-1"; 17-21" and, at end of the movie: 1'18"-1'22".)

6. Talk with the class about how Seven Dwarfs, Three Blind Mice and witches are usually shown in fairy stories, and how impairment is used. Think of Hansel and Gretel and Rapunzel for witches. Think about the song 'Three blind mice' and the story of Snow White. How are they shown differently in Shrek?

7. Take one of the classic fairy stories that features disabled people and work out a script outline for an animation which would change the way the audience thinks about these characters, as has been done in Shrek. Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

8. How is Fiona shown as different from most princesses in fairy stories? In the scene with Fiona and Donkey (58'30"), what does Fiona feel and think about changing into an ogre?

9. In the wedding scene (1'16"), how have the filmmakers given an unusual ending to the film? Why do you think they did this?

10. Watch the film or some key scenes again. This time, note the songs and music that are used. Describe the scene and the music used. What are the filmmakers saying with their choice of music?

11. Shrek is 'a freak', as is the talking Donkey. What is the film saying about people who are different and whether they should be included?

12. Do an analysis of a still from this film from Stills analysis.

Detailed lesson plans for KS2.

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Activities on I am Sam

1. View the movie and have a debate about the reasons why Sam should keep Lucy and reasons why she should be adopted.

2. Look at the scenes of Sam and his friends Ifty, Robert, Joe and Brad. How do they support each other?

3. Describe how you think Lucy felt about her Dad, Sam, when he came to her class at school, and at her party. If Sam was your Dad how would you feel?

4. What could Social Services have done to support Sam more in being a parent?

5. Watch the film, noting down what the scene is when each Beatles cover song is played. Listen to the lyrics. Pick three songs and say why you think the filmmakers chose them. Did it work?

6. Compare the portrayal of Forrest Gump and Sam Dawson. List how they are similar and how different. Which film do you think made the audience more aware of the life of someone with a learning difficulty, and why?

7. What changes occurred in Rita as a result of knowing Sam?

8. Lucy gets over her annoyance with Sam for not visiting her. How do the filmmakers show this?

9. How might someone with learning difficulties be included in a film without making fun of them or showing them doing unrealistic things? Can you give an outline of the plot? Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

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Activities on The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1. See what information you can glean from the video/DVD cover. Pupils could use the Video covers sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

2. After viewing The Hunchback of Notre Dame, rewrite the film and its ending so that Quasimodo is no longer made fun of, and he gets to go off with Esmeralda.

3. Make a series of storyboards which show your main scenes. Pupils could use the Storyboard sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

4. Make a short animation showing your story.

5. Write a letter to Disney giving your views on how they show disabled people in their films.

6. Do an analysis of a still from this film from Stills analysis.

Detailed lesson plans for KS2.

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Activities on One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

1. Read the book and then view the video/DVD. Describe how the filmmakers have caught the essence of the book in the scenes in the film.

2. Shine and A Beautiful Mind have more recently dealt with mental health issues. Write a sympathetic scenario for a film showing mental health issues for a group of teenagers on a field trip. Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

Detailed lesson plans for KS3/4.

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Activities on The Men, Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July

1. View any one of these films on disabled war veterans (it may be necessary to cut sex scenes in Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July, depending on the age of the group). Imagine you are the wounded subject of the film. Write a diary with entries for every month over three years, from the time of the injury which caused your impairment.

2. After every war soldiers and civilians have permanent impairments which lead to them being disabled. Write a letter to the British Prime Minister or the US President about the consequences of war and why diplomacy and negotiation may be a better option.

3. Write a letter back to yourself from the Prime Minister or President arguing why, despite the human costs of wars, they sometimes have to take place.

4. Do an analysis of a still from each of these films from Stills analysis.

Detailed lesson plans for KS3/4.

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Activities on Forrest Gump

1. Watch the film, over several sessions if necessary, and storyboard the main scenes. Pupils could use the Storyboard sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

2. How do the filmmakers use:

a) flashbacks to tell the story?

b) Forrest's narrative to involve the audience?

3. List the main features of Forrest Gump's character.

4. In what ways do the filmmakers let you know Forrest has a learning difficulty? Is this a realistic portrayal of a person with learning difficulties? Give the reasons for your answer.

5. Lieutenant Dan becomes physically disabled. How does Forrest help him come to terms with his impairment?

6. The filmmakers are taking a satirical look at recent American history, using actual documentary of events. How do they include Forrest in these events?

7. Do you think it likely that the events in the film could happen to one person? Why do you think the filmmakers used a character with learning difficulties as the main character?

8. Take two of the following scenes and itemise:

a) how the filmmakers are portraying Forrest;

b) how the events are related to this portrayal.

Scenes:

  • The running scene up to the end of Forrest being in the college team
  • (15''-24'');
  • In Vietnam (37"-44");
  • In Washington for the medal ceremony, up to end of the Peace Rally
  • (59'-1'04");
  • The last scene in the film after Jenny has died and Forrest is looking after young Forrest (2' 02"-2' 06").

10. How might someone with learning difficulties be included in a film without making fun of them or showing them doing unrealistic things? Can you give an outline of the plot? Pupils could use the Write a scene/storyline sheet (PDF) in Student handouts.

11. Do an analysis of a still from this film from Stills analysis.

Detailed lesson plans for KS3/4.

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Activities on My Left Foot

1. Watch extracts from the film and read extracts of Christy Brown's life story, My Left Foot. How are they different and how similar?

2. Why do you think the filmmakers made the changes they did?

3. Which is more successful at conveying Christie's life, and why?

4. Do an analysis of two stills from this film from Stills analysis.

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Activities on Frida

1. Watch selected scenes from Frida which give insights into her life. Get the class to look at Frida Kahlo's pictures and discuss what the pictures are conveying.

2. How well do you think the filmmakers capture Frida's experiences, which drove her to express herself in painting?

3. Look at the clips again. What techniques are used in the film to make the audience see things from Frida's point of view?

4. Do an analysis of a still from this film from Stills analysis.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 06-Feb-2008 14:09:55 GMT