Great Films by Constanzo

Great Films and How to Teach Them by William V. Constanzo has really opened by eyes to film. I remember in high school we would watch a movie after we read the book (To Kill a Mockingbird, A Separate Piece, The Great Gatsby, and Of Mice and Men). I honestly thought that was the only time you could show a film in class. But Costanzo has taught me otherwise.

In my Multi-Modal class, Dr. Kist has us watch a clip from the film North by Northwest and watch the different shots, notice the lighting, the sounds etc. I viewed the film in a totally different way. This is how Costanzo shows how to teach film in his book. My favorite part of Costanzo's text was The Technology of Film chapter. It amazes me how lighting can truely effect the mood of a movie. For example, most comedies use high-key lighting to brighten the mood of the film, while horror films use low-key lighting to create an omnimous atmosphere.