English Through Film Adaptation Across

Cultures

Juanita Huan ZhouYork University English Language Institute

Toronto, Canada<juanitaz@yorku.ca>

OutlineA Special Kind of Film AdaptationRationaleObjectivesApproachTasks of Comparison and ContrastGroup Presentation AssignmentSample AnalysisConclusion

A Special Kind of Film Adaptation

Hollywood Remakes of Films from Other Countries

FilmographyNo Reservations (USA, 2007) Mostly Martha (Germany,

2001)The Departed (USA, 2006) Mou gaan dou (Hong Kong,

2002)The Lake House (USA, 2006) Il Mare (South Korea, 2000)Shall We Dance? (USA, 2004) Shall We Dansu? (Japan, 1996)

Vanilla Sky (USA, 2001) Abre los ojos (Spain, 1997)The Birdcage (USA, 1996) La cage aux folles (France,

1978)Point of No Return (USA, 1993) La femme Nikita (France, 1990)

Sommersby (USA, 1993) Le retour de Martin Guerre (France, 1982)

Three Men and a Baby (USA, 1987)

Trois hommes et un couffin (France, 1985)

Breathless (USA, 1983) A bout de souffle (France, 1960)

Rationale

Advantages over Literary Adaptation‣ Length, scope, vocabularyAdvantages over Stage Adaptation‣ Availability Advantages over Hollywood Remakes of Classic Hollywood Films‣ Cultural diversity‣ Affective filter hypothesis

ObjectivesDeveloping cultural awarenessDeveloping critical thinking skills Improving English language skills

ApproachA content-based seminar

In a university preparation program for ESL students

To students of lower-intermediate level and up

12 lessons over six weeks, two lessons per week, 105 minutes per lesson

Limited to two pairs of films per session: First pair led by T; second pair led by Ss

Two-part viewing for each film

Rotate the pairs from session to session

Which Pair?

Selection of the pairs of films to study in depth will factor in the following

Variety of Film Genres

Students’ PreferencesStudents’ NationalitiesStudents’ AgesStudents’ Religions

Tasks of Comparison and Contrast

Compare the characters in age, occupation, marital status, personality, problems, motivations, etc. Compare the casting decisionsIdentify omitted, added, and combined characters Identify omitted, added, rearranged, and modified scenes Compare the endings Compare the social issues raised Compare the cinematic treatment of major scenes in terms of length, number of shots, type of shots, mise-en-scène, lighting, editing, soundtrack, etc.

Why?

Group Presentation Assignment

Choose one of the non-American films shown in class; or one not shown in class; or a famous Hollywood movie. Imagine yourself as a filmmaker. If the original film were to be remade by you for audiences in your country, what changes would you make in the plot and characterization? Why? Who would you cast to play the main characters? Why?

Sample AnalysisShall We Dance? Vs. Shall We Dansu?

(USA, 2004) (Japan, 1996)

Task One: The Heroes

Estate Lawyer AccountantMarried to an attractive,

highly educated, successful career woman

Married to an ordinary housewife

Has a daughter, a son, and a dog Has a daughter

Lives in a beautiful two-storey estate home

Lives in a nondescript two-storey house

Cause of unhappiness: Wife’s neglect

Cause of unhappiness: Losing self while living up to

society’s expectations

Task Two: The Heroines

Daughter of a dry cleaner Daughter of the owner of a dance school

Initiated into the world of ballroom dancing by a blond,

Caucasian “goddess”

Initiated into the world of ballroom dancing by a visit to

Blackpool with her parents

Wardrobe: Tight outfits showing nipples and breasts

Wardrobe: Elegant long skirts with matching blouses

Sex appeal Dance techniques

Task Three: Added ScenesScene of the Rumba

Scene of the Tango

Task Four: The EndingsSimilarities Differences

USA JAPANGoes home, changes,

and buys a rose/goes to wife’s workplace,

presents rose & invites her to dance/goes to

party with wife & dances with the heroine after

wife’s approval/introduces the two women/dances with wife/the other couples cheer them on & the heroine is partially in frame and not easily recognized/epilogue:

happy ending for everyone

Goes to the party and

dances with the heroine/the

other couples join them/the hero and the

heroine disappear in the crowd/film ends

with a wide shot of the dance floor

✓Morning: Wife’s note

✓After work: Undecided

✓On the train: Sees invitation

Task Five: Film StylesLength with

Credits 104 min 119 minLength w/o

Credits 100 min 114 min# of Shots 1,337 748

Ave. Length of Shot 4.5 sec 9 sec

Mise-en-scène One depth of fieldLong takes with three depths of fields

Types of ShotsDominated by

close shots and close-ups

Dominated by full shots and long

shots

Editing

Dominated by cross-cutting and reaction shots;Obsessed with Continuity editing

Cross-cutting and reaction shots limited in number;Unconcerned with continuity editing

USA JAPAN

Culturally Embedded Film Styles

Personal SpaceEye ContactNeed for Sensory Stimuli Attitude Towards the Audience

Conclusion

It is not the purpose of the course to evaluate which film, culture, or ideology is better.It is the hope of the course to help students understand how a culture or ideology presents itself and why it does so.

Credits of Imageshttp://www.bennadel.com/resources/uploads/no_reservations_movie_poster.jpghttp://richkleber.com/family/rich/moviereviews/moviereviews/movieimages/thedeparted.jpghttp://www.impawards.com/1993/posters/sommersby.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4nfE_zw3Tnw/S2ZvlbIBmrI/AAAAAAAAAO8/0ppzP7ArEeY/s400/the_lake_house.jpghttp://www.impawards.com/2001/posters/vanilla_sky.jpghttp://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c200/dreamersball/birdcage.jpghttp://www.disneydreaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Three-Men-And-A-Baby1.jpghttp://www.impawards.com/1993/posters/point_of_no_return.jpghttp://content7.flixster.com/movie/10/89/98/10899813_det.jpghttp://www.impawards.com/2004/shall_we_dance_ver2.htmlhttp://www.movieactors.com/freezeframes33/ShallWeDanceUSA5.jpghttp://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsG/6473-27248.gifhttp://images2.cinema.de/imedia/2695/2302695,cco3qxjLvMXjAo3gDnzRhOFI61LbD0zPjeNoyonQG0juBIdgcna4JL5SCXXB2wTq8H0SWOYoM3UXHtvYWCQ3+A==.jpghttp://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews37/shall%20we%20dance%20blu-ray/HF7Y2758_shall_we_dance.jpghttp://images1.asianmediawiki.com/images/thumb/d/d5/Shall_We_Dance%3F.jpg/250px-Shall_We_Dance%3F.jpghttp://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040927/040927_jlo_vmed.grid-4x2.jpghttp://www.torito.nl/tango/video/shallwedance_trailerpic100.jpghttp://www.pymmik.com/Shohei_Sugiyama1.jpg