Kategorie: Course Material in English
"Dances with Wolves" and other Westerns – Worksheets
Three exercises concerning Westerns recommended for school subjects English, German, Politics, History and Ethics, Religion from Grade 8 and for Senior Classes
Exercise 1: Introduction to "Dances with Wolves"
Subjects: German, English, History, Politics, Ethics from 8th Grade, from 13 years
Before the Screening:
a) Collect the titles of Zum Inhalt: Westerns you know in class.
b) What kind of character drawing, narrative means or film-aesthetic devices (for example, Zum Inhalt: camera angles, Zum Inhalt: film music, Zum Inhalt: settings) distinguish these films? Exchange views in class, using the Zum externen Inhalt: Blitzlicht method (öffnet im neuen Tab). Write down the results of your deliberations on the blackboard or whiteboard.
c) The following table provides an initial introduction to the difference between Western and Anti-Western (also known as Revisionist Western). Note: This list does not aim to cover everything.
| Classic Western | Anti-Western |
|---|---|
| Settings: small towns or "frontier land" (on the territory not yet or hardly occupied by White settlers) | Settings: small towns or "frontier land" (on the territory not yet or hardly occupied by White settlers) |
| Protagonists: sheriff, White settlers, "cowboys", trappers – with characteristics with positive connotations | Protagonists: sheriff, White settlers, "cowboys", trappers, indigenous people, people of color – protagonists can also be anti-heroes |
| Antagonists: bandits, indigenous people | Antagonists: bandits, government officials, US military |
| Camera angles: panoramas that illustrate the vastness of the prairie | Camera angles: panoramas that illustrate the vastness of the prairie |
| Narrative motifs: loneliness, roughness of nature, constant danger | Narrative motifs: crimes against indigenous population, criticism of exaggerated masculinity, depiction of perspectives of indigenous people and other presumed "minorities", critical stance toward US military and government |
| Violence: by the protagonist in response tot he antagonist | Violence: appears to be constantly present, emphasis on lawlessness |
| Humor: plays no significant role | Humor: black humor or parodying of Western clichés |
d) Watch the following two Zum Inhalt: scenes, which are from the first third of the film DZum Filmarchiv: "ances with Wolves". The second scene shows the protagonist John Dunbar in Fort Sedgewick. Express your inititial suspicions. Is this scene dominated by element of the Classic Western or the Anti-Western? Back up your results with criteria from the table in Exercise c).
Timecodes of the scenes: 00:32:10-00:35:43 and 00:39:08-00:42:07
e) The Western "Dance with Wolves" is set in the year 1863 during the American Civil War, partly at Fort Sedgewick on the edges of frontier territory. Divide your class into two groups (A) and (B). Students in Group A conduct research into the American Civil War; Students in Group B look into the myth of the frontier. Display the results of your work in the form of an Zum externen Inhalt: impulse presentation (öffnet im neuen Tab). Begin your research at the following sources:
American Civil War:
Zum externen Inhalt: bpb.de: Bürgerkrieg und Sklaverei (öffnet im neuen Tab)
Zum externen Inhalt: BR 2: Freiheit für die Sklaven (öffnet im neuen Tab)
Frontier Myth:
Zum externen Inhalt: bpb.de: Politische Mythen (öffnet im neuen Tab)
Zum externen Inhalt: nzz.de: Das Ende des Mythos der amerikanischen Grenze (öffnet im neuen Tab)
During the Screening:
f) Pay attention to the characteristics of the Classic Western and the Anti-Western as well as the development of the protagonist John Dunbar.
After the Screening:
g) Exchange views on what elements of the Classic Western and the Anti-Western characterize Dances with Wolves.
h) John Dunbar is serving the Union Army in the American Civil War. Summarize what you learn about Dunbar‘s everyday working life and his personal circumstances. Discuss in class to what extent Dunbar’s character is drawn differently to figures in Classic Westerns.
i) Analyze the dialogue of the indigenous characters to find out whether they are (not) different to the Zum externen Inhalt: stereotypes (öffnet im neuen Tab) often used in Westerns.
j) Imagine you are preparing a film evening for school at which Dances with Wolves is to be screened. Prepare an introduction to the film in which you
• provide important background information such as "the frontier myth" and the American Civil War – Exercise e)
• address the character drawing of the indigenous population – Exercise i)
• elaborate on the film’s historical place at the interface of Western and Anti-Western – Exercise g)
Note: As part of your preparations, read the Zum Filmarchiv: "Film Review by Stefan Stiletto" on kinofenster.de.
k) Present your introductions and give each other criteria-based feedback. These criteria include
• completion of the various points in Exercise j),
• clear and comprehensible speech,
• the use of bullet points instead of reading out a pre-formulated script and interaction with the audience.
Exercise 2: Introduction to the Film "Dead Man" (USA 1995)
Subjects: English, German from 16 years, Senior Courses
Before the Screening:
a) Watch the opening sequence of the film "Dead Man" an. Analyze what the audience learns about the protagonist William Blake and his journey from the Zum Inhalt: photography composition, Zum Inhalt: camera angles, Zum Inhalt: camera movement, Zum Inhalt: editing and Zum Inhalt: costumes.
Timecode: 00:00:00-00:04:45
b) Discuss in class to what extent abstention from dialogue in this part of the Zum Inhalt: exposition underlines Blake’s emotional state.
c) Watch the Zum Inhalt: scene in which William Blake arrives to take up his position as book-keeper in Mr. Dickinson’s firm in the small town of Machine in western America – the American fronitier. Describe the town and its residents. Characterize Blake in this scene and explore afterwards how it is made clear that different value systems are colliding. Address in particular what you learn about the value system on the American frontier.
Timecode: 00:09:57-00:16:22
d) The American frontier is the setting for both Classic Westerns and Anti-Westerns.
If you have already completed Exercise 1, summarize the characteristics of the Anti-Western.
If you have yet to complete Exercise 1, discuss in class what the characteristics of an Anti-Western could be. Then compare the results of your work with the table in Exercise 1c) and the entry on Zum externen Inhalt: www.film-lexikon.de (öffnet im neuen Tab).
e) Mr. Dicksinson, William Blake’s antagonist, is played by Robert Mitchum. Blake’s later companion Nobody is played by Gary Farmer. Research the biographies of the two actors, beginning with the following sources.
Zum externen Inhalt: Robert Mitchum (öffnet im neuen Tab)
Zum externen Inhalt: Gary Farmer (öffnet im neuen Tab)
Discuss the cast against the background of the Anti-Western genre.
During the Screening:
f) Pay attention to the use of death symbols, the development of the protagonist and elements of the Anti-Western.
After the Screening:
g) Compile the results of your work. Discuss the choice of title, "Dead Man" .
h) The protagonist hast he same name as the English poet and painter William Blake (1757-1827), a fact pointed out by the indegenous character named Nobody, who is familiar with his work. In additional to spiritual exploration and criticism of religion (for example, in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1970-93)), Blake’s works also addressed the revolutions in France and America. Zum externen Inhalt: America: a Prophecy (öffnet im neuen Tab) (1793) emphasizes the fight for freedom from the British crown and highlights the Utopian potential of the US. Discuss the picture of America-painted by director Jim Jarmusch in "Dead Man" .
i) Compile the results of your work on Exercises c, f and h in a Zum externen Inhalt: film review (öffnet im neuen Tab). This can take the form of a text, podcast or Video-Blog.
j) Present your film reviews and give each other criteria-oriented feedback.