EN 101
Instructor: Adam Weinstein
Essay 3: “The Cinema is Truth 24 Frames Per Second”
Type of Paper: Evaluation and Compare+Contrast
Length: 1000 words
Due Tuesday, October 9, by midnight
Essay Model: “In Defense of Dawson’s Creek: Teen Heroes Inspire Youths Seeking Answers” (FW 120)
In this next essay, we’re going to be taking a look at the “classic” film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, from 1956. When this movie came out, it was not only a big sci-fi/horror hit, but was also interpreted as a political allegory and social satire. For instance, in “Tale For our Times,” John Whitehead says, “Body Snatchers invokes at least a double reading. It was both a mirror of a particular moment in history and a compass indicating the symptoms of a growing societal illness [McCarthyism].”
As in all essays you write, the form/organization will vary. However, I will be looking for these criteria:
First, report on some of the critical reception for the movie. This will include the essay from John Whitehead, along with a general review by Tim Dirks. You are by no means limited to only these two critical interpretations—if you find another article you’d like to use, go for it! (But make sure you evaluate the essay as credible.) You want to lay the groundwork for where you’re coming from.
Next, watch the movie—and compare and contrast your expectations (having read some of the criticism) with the experience of watching the movie. Does the criticism seem accurate? Is it overblown (making too much out of the McCarthyist themes)? Is the movie simply horror/sci-fi?
Depending on how you watch the movie, the next part of your essay will evaluate the movie. If you go the political allegory route, the question becomes: is it relevant to audiences today? There are certainly parallels that can be drawn between the McCarthy witch-hunts and the after-effects of 911 (like the Patriot Act). Should audiences today watch this movie? Does it speak to us? Or is McCarthyism a thing of the past? Is our situation today unique and different (thus making the movie an interesting sociological/archeological artifact, but not relevant)?
If you go the horror/sci-fi route, evaluate the movie based on what audiences might expect from good horror, and what they are likely to get in Invasion. And then determine whether or not you’d recommend the movie as a truly great piece of horror cinema, or a campy b-movie horror flic, or just trash.
Remember—because this essay deals with critical reception of a particular work, there will be conflicting opinions—not everyone agrees that the movie is a political allegory. Furthermore, because I am asking you to include research, all research must be properly cited according to MLA standards.