ASSIGNMENT: Films to Compare

Below are some topics/themes that could tie similar films together.  There are a great deal more than just these suggestions.  I would recommend that you find a topic and related films that YOU would enjoy investigating.  Look at reviews, research directors, even search film related topics/themes that would interest you.

Also keep in mind that in your investigation that you need to select films (2 for SL; 4 for HL) from differing countries.  Due to this artform involving a collaboration of efforts that could have investment from a number of countries, a film's origin could be questionable (example:  director from France, but financing from USA).  A great source to identify what the country of origin is for a film would be IMDB.COM

Note:  Upon further research, simply examining films with similar content, but produced in differing countries is not recommended.  Therefore, consider themes, narration, styles, etc. 

Please note:  some films should only be viewed with parental consent (rated R):

Psychology of protagonist (madness)        Aguirre, Wrath of God & Apocalypse Now

Horror mastery/deconstruction                 Halloween & Scream

Likable but "bad” protagonists                  Searchers & Taxi Driver

East/West storytelling                               Hidden Fortress & Star Wars

Avant Garde Filmmaking                          Un Chien Andalou & Eraserhead

East/West storytelling                                Seven Samurai & Magnificent Seven

East/West storytelling                                Yojimbo & Fistful of Dollars/Last Man Standing

Mind vs Reality                                         Matrix & Inception

Dystopian Society                                     Metropolis & Blade Runner/Brazil

Expressionism                                           Cabinet of Dr. Caligari & Frankenstein/Edward Sissorhands

Horror/Zombie Genre                               Night of the Living Dead & Nightmare City    

Class warfare                                            Metropolis & Elysium

Italy vs USA storytelling                            Blow Up & Blow Out

Visual imagery as narration                        2001 & Tree of Life

Monster Genre                                         King Kong/Godzilla & Cloverfield

Horror/Suspense:                                      Psycho & Halloween/Friday the 13^th

German/British storytelling                         Nosferatu & Dracula

Teenage Crime Spree                                Breathless & Bonnie and Clyde/Rebel Without a Cause

Corruption of youth                                   400 Blows & Thirteen/Once Upon a Time In America/Rebel...

Italian/USA Gangster Film                         Once Upon a Time In America & Godfather II

USA/Czech storytelling                              Alice In Wonderland & Alice

Audience Expectation                                 L’Avventura & Psycho

East/West storytelling                                  Battle Royale & Hunger Games

Expressionism                                             Dr. Caligari & Taxi Driver

French/Italian storytelling                            Le Mepris (Contempt) & Journey to Italy

French/USA class warfare                          The Rules of the Game & Gosford Park

French/British anti-war                               Grand Illusion & The Bridge on the River Kwai
Psychology of protagonist (madness)          Repulsion & Black Swan/Pi

Horror Genre Resources:
100 Resources to Research Horror