FILM COMPARISON
1.) How does the film version of the historical incident, personage, period, etc., relate to the written
source?
2.) Please compare the film version to the “written” history. Pay close attention to how the history of
the period, place, persons, etc., are handled in the film—is there significant time compression, are the
events dramatized greatly in comparison to the way they are portrayed in the written historical works,
are they “distorted” for dramatic or political reasons, are characters added or subtracted from the film
version, etc.?
3) In addition to discussing the actual history, characters, settings, periods, etc., please also explore
the cinematic elements in the movie version—that is, the way the story is narrated, the way it is
filmed or edited (for example, what shots are used, and how they are edited together to create
effects or emotional reactions), the way the actors are directed, the way color, music, lighting,
camera angles, or other elements are employed, and so forth.
4) What is your perspective on the film/article combination and the themes they explore? Be sure
to analyze the importance of the film to the topics and themes covered in our course: What or how does
the material contribute to our understanding of Latin American history? How does their approach differ
from or complement other sources we have studied? What interests or point of view might shape the
points/argument they present? Another approach would be to offer a critique. Critiques can sometimes
be an easier starting point when confronting a new work.
