Movie review

Watch The shape of water, the movie, then address three
of the following questions. You may also take the
conversation in new directions. Be sure to apply concepts
studied in this week’s reading and respond to at least one
other student’s original post.
Must:
Addresses prompts in depth and detail. Points are
insightful, objective, and supported by specific, relevant
examples from the movie. The post clearly demonstrates
careful viewing of the assigned movie.
Correctly applies multiple concepts studied, clearly
demonstrating careful reading of the assigned chapter(s).
The post uses vocabulary and ideas from the reading, and
it references specific pages (with in-text citation: the page
number in parentheses). The reference does not repeat
what another student has already posted. Any borrowed
language is in quotation marks, though the post does not
over-rely on quotations.

RULES WHEN WRITING ABOUT A MOVIE:
• The title of a movie should be in italics: Juno — not

“Juno.”
• Discuss events in the film itself in present tense, as if

they are still going on.
◦ correct: “Dorothy clicks her heels together”
◦ incorrect: “Dorothy clicked her heels together.”

• Refer to characters by their names in the movie, e.g.
“William Munny” rather than “Clint Eastwood” – unless
you are discussing Eastwood’s acting.

• When writing about actors, refer to them by their last
name, e.g. “Norris” rather than “Chuck.”

• Provide specific examples from the movies to support
your ideas. For example, if you claim that “Benjamin
Braddock seems disconnected from members of his
generation,” add the reasons you have drawn this
conclusion: “Nobody his own age attends his graduation
party; all the guests seem to be his parents’ friends. The
film never shows him in contact with friends of his own.
When Benjamin and Elaine go the hamburger stand, he
appears annoyed by the music and behavior of the
younger people in the next car, and he raises the roof of
his convertible to escape them.”

• The terms “film” and “movie” are interchangeable.
• Do not address the reader as “you.” For example, if

someone writes, “You see how Juno changes her mind”
– well, maybe the reader didn’t see it! Rephrasing
suggestions:
◦ “The film shows us Juno’s attitude when . . .”
◦ “Viewers may observe that . . .”
◦ “We might notice . . .”
◦ “Juno acts differently, starting when she . . .” or,

• Don’t start sentences with or over-used phrases like “I
think” or “I feel” or “I believe” or “to me” or “ in my
opinion.” Readers assume that your answers represent
your thoughts, feelings, and inferences. Write in third
person as much as possible.

• Do not refer to film-makers as “they,” as in, “They use a
lot of dark lighting” or “They want you to feel the
protagonist’s misery.” People have specific jobs in

making a movie, e.g. director, screenwriter,
cinematographer, or editor. To refer to the combined
efforts of everyone involved, refer to the film as a whole,
e.g. “The movie has a lot of dark lighting,” or, “The film
helps us experience the protagonist’s misery through the
dark lighting and by showing us events through her point
of view.”

QUESTIONS

1. Like many of Guillermo Del Toro’s films, The Shape of
Water creates two separate worlds: a harsh world
represented by the happenings in the lab and the
somewhat magical world of fantasy that is often set in
and underwater. How does the cinematographer/
director move from one world to another? Consider
implied camera distance, camera angle, camera
movement, and composition. Choose a specific scene
and provide examples.

2. What are the colors used in the real world and the
fantasy world? A good comparison would be the room
in the lab where the creature is held vs. the
underwater dreamlike sequences of when Elisa and
the creature are together.

3. Note the direction and quality of lighting in a specific
scene. Consider also the lighting ratio. Again, use the
two settings above.

4. What patterns and tropes can you spot from
mythology and fairy tales? How are they significant?
Were you expecting the end and how what the world

had perceived as a disability is in fact explained in the
beautiful end to the film?

5. Consider how many of our characters seem to be
victim to the time period in which they live. Modernity
seems to be leaving some of them behind, though
their reactions are vastly different from one another.
Specifically discuss Strickland and Giles.

6. Camera movement and framing enhance the feeling
of fear and danger in several scenes. Choose a scene
and describe how camera movement is used. For
example, the scenes where Elisa is sneaking to see
the creature and the great escape scenes are all
worth discussing.

7. Discuss one wipe from the film that involves water.
How does this type of transition enhance the scene?
How does add to the tone of the scene? How does it
add significance to the scene and contribute to the
overall meaning of the film?

8. What it means to do the right thing and to “be
human,” is at the heart of this film? For example,
when Elisa asks Giles to hep the creature escape,
Giles scoffs and says that the creature is not even
human. Elisa tells Giles that if they don’t help, they will
also not be human. What does it mean to “be human”
in this context? Some of our characters have been
treated less than human. Why? Discuss one to two
characters and discuss their plight(s).

Film Vocabulary

Art director
Production designer
Framing
Closed frame
Open frame
Moving frame
On location
Set
Sound stage
Cinematic language
Shot
Editing
Cut
Fade in/fade out
Cutting on action
Implicit meaning
Explicit meaning
Cultural Invisibility
Form
Theme
Motif
Point of view
Content
Form
Formalism
Cinematic language
Mediation

Verisimilitude
Realism
Anti-realism
Mise-en-scene
Narrative
Frame
Shot
Sequence
Scene
Instructional film
Persuasive film
Propaganda film
Direct cinema
Stream of consciousness
Genre Stanislavsky system
method acting
typecasting
casting
screen test
major role
character role
distancing effect or alienation effect
improvisation

• Cinematography
• Take
• Set up
• Film stock
• Colorization
• Widescreen
• Lighting ratio

• Rule of thirds
• Three-point system

◦ Key light
◦ Low-key lighting
◦ High-key lighting
◦ Fill light
◦ Back light

• Iris
• Focal length
• Zoom lens
• Deep focus cinematography
• Dept of field
• Aspect ratio
• Rack focus
• Types of shots

◦ Establishing shot
◦ Extreme long shot
◦ Long shot
◦ Medium long shot
◦ Medium close-up
◦ Close-up
◦ Extreme close-up
◦ Two shot
◦ Three shot