Background Information 1. Give the title and release date of the film. Is the f

Background Information
1. Give the title and release date of the film. Is the film a comedy, a western, a thriller, or what?
2. Give a short summary of the basic plot of the film and the main characters, including the names of the major actors. Is the point-of-view of the film based on a male or female character.
3. Consider what the major characters in the film represent. Who are the good guys/gals? Who are the bad ones? How are they portrayed?
Sociological Perspectives in the Film
4. Identify the major sociological perspective exhibited in the film. Confine your attention only one of the three perspectives discussed in class: interactionist, conflict, or functionalist. (Although any given film may exhibit all three perspectives, a film will take a particular slant.) Be sure to describe why you chose a particular sociological perspective. You may want to use specific scenes or dialogue to illustrate your position.
Culture
5. What U.S. values seem to be promoted in the film? Explain how the film reflects these specific values.
6. What subcultures or countercultures are presented in the film? Are they presented in a positive or a negative light? Give examples to illustrate your point.
7. What norms govern the actions of the major characters? Give specific examples in your discussion. How did characters violate the norms? How were the characters treated when they violated the norms?
Socialization
8. What are the distinguishing characteristics of the main male and female characters? Is there an “ideal” man and an “ideal” woman being promoted in the film? What are they? Do you see examples of men and women defining themselves according to others’ reactions to them (consider Cooley’s “Looking Glass Self”)?
9. Does there seem to be a political message in the film? What is it? Is it presented at a surface level or does it seem to be buried in the “deep structure” of the film.
10. What agents of socialization influence the major characters of the film? Consider the family, media, sports, education and peers as you respond to the question.