ABSTRACT

Teaching a film class, or incorporating a commercial film into a literature class-or any other text-based class-can be a wonderful experience for teacher and students. As the title suggests, combining centuries-old methodology with today’s popular entertainment gives the instructor a feeling of peacemaking between two alien cultures. Also, the student benefits highly. “Going to the movies” still summons embedded cultural notions of being out with friends for fun and relaxation. Even better, students frequently have strong reactions to film-at least, far stronger than they might have about more literary texts and certainly all other written texts! Benefits of film viewing are great; student interest and involvement with the material is high, writing improves, ideas blossom, and the arguments that develop are strong and persuasive.