Ask the Professor: How does “I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang” comment on rigid class structures?
"I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" underlines society’s strict class indicators and denial of any possible social mobility. Allen (Paul Muni) was able to get out and be a productive…
Ask the Professor: Did “Jaws” establish the tyranny of the happy ending?
In the late 60s to early-to-mid-70s, movies faced less pressure to reach a happy ending and keep main characters alive. But with the success of "Jaws" studios saw the bright side of happy…
Ask the Professor: What does “Winter’s Bone” reveal about extreme poverty in the US?
"Winter’s Bone" is set in a world that the majority of mainstream America knows nothing about: the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. By bringing this harrowing world to life, it illuminates…
Ask the Professor: Why is the downbeat ending of “Easy Rider” crucial to its artistic value?
"Easy Rider" celebrates the counterculture only to condemn it at the end. The power of the movie is that it's the rise and the fall of the hippie movement all in one film.
Ask the Professor: Did “Jaws” invent the modern-day Hollywood film franchise?
The monster success of "Jaws" revealed the financial potential of blockbusters, and intrigued studios with the prospect of franchises.
Ask the Professor: How does early talkie “I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang” use sound creatively?
Although it is one of the earliest films to use sounds, the real power of "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" comes from its silence.
Ask the Professor: How does “Winter’s Bone” comment on gender roles?
"Winter's Bone" looks at poverty from an oft-ignored women's perspective.
Ask the Professor: Is Spielberg one of the all-time great directors?
What makes Spielberg one of the greatest directors of all time?
Ask the Professor: Did “Jaws” demonize sharks?
How "Jaws" changed people's perceptions of the great animals.
Ask the Professor: In “Jaws,” how does Spielberg exemplify a new generation of directors?
What was different about Spielberg and his generation of directors?
Ask the Professor: How did problems with the mechanical shark in “Jaws” lead to a brilliant moment?
When things went wrong with the film's mechanical star, Spielberg used them to his advantage.
How is “Me Before You” different than the book?
With a screenplay written by the novel's author, "Me Before You" sticks very closely to its source material, except for these changes.