This semester your Intertextual Study will involve the comparison of two texts against one another. I intend for us to look at two films:

• Pleasantville (1998) directed by Gary Ross; and 

• The Truman Show (1998) directed by Peter Weir.

Trailers for both are below.

We’ll watch both films in class and look at a number of thematic and structural elements they have in common. Then you’ll have a choice. You can either:

• Compare these two texts in your assignment; or

• Choose one of these texts, and compare it to another text of your own choice.

So, what’s the format for the comparison? You’ve got options:

1. Write a conversation between the directors (eg Peter Weir and Gary Ross) in which they discuss the messages they wanted to communicate and the decisions they made about the film-making to help make these messages clear. Include discussion of elements such as film techniques, characterisation, specific story elements, and so on.

2. Imagine a scenario in which the two main characters (eg Truman and David) meet. Write a script in which they discuss their experiences living in a TV show (or artificial reality). Have them discuss their motivations, values and beliefs, past experiences, hopes for the future, and so on. What do they have to teach each other? Make sure you refer to specific events and features of both films.

3. In the aftermath of their respective defeats, the two principal antagonists (eg Christof and Big Bob) get together to commiserate and compare notes on how their ‘perfect’ worlds were ‘ruined’. Write the script of their conversation. Have them discuss their motivations, values and beliefs, past experiences, hopes for the future, and so on. Make sure you refer to specific events and features of both films.

Features Your Assignment Should Include:

·        Script format

·        Discussion of both texts should be equally weighted

·        Maximum 1000 words

Discussion could include elements such as:

·        the ideas and perspectives explored in the texts

·        the sociocultural context (i.e time and place) in which the texts were generated

·        the form, medium, and mode of the texts

·        the language and stylistic techniques used by the directors

As we watch (and afterwards) use the table below to take notes on relevant aspects of the films for comparison. You should discuss (but are not limited to) elements such as:

• Constructed/artificial realities

• Distinctive features in the visuals and soundtrack

• Main characters

• Antagonists &/or controlling figures

• Anything else that stands out

Consider how all of the above might address the major THEMES of both films, such as:

• control & oppression

• freedom of choice

• the world is not perfect

• individual expression

• Fear of change

• others?