Brookdale Community College Big Lebowski Film Analysis

Typed, Double spaced, 12pt. Times new roman, 1” margin using complete sentences in essay form.

Use the following questions to write an analysis essay in a minimum of 750 word. Remember deeper analysis allows for the opportunity for higher grades. Give explanations WITH EXAMPLES to help describe all details. Highlight 10 terms from the Keywords to help create an essay that utilizes the language of film in its analysis.

DO NOT PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE STORY, WE’VE ALREADY SEEN IT. DO NOT REVIEW THE FILM.

1. How does the editing contribute to this film? Does this film mostly use continuity or discontinuity editing? Is the editing seamless and nearly unnoticeable, or does it call attention to itself? Why do you think the filmmakers made these choices? Give examples of specific editing techniques the filmmakers chose.

2. Select a pivotal scene and identify those moments when the sound creates emphasis by accentuating and strengthening the visual image. What are the specific sources of sound in that scene? What types of sounds that are used in the scene? Does this film use silence expressively?

3. In the film overall, how is music used? In a complementary way? Ironically? Does the use of music in this film seem appropriate to the story? Are there scenes that contradict this overall feeling of the film?

4. Do image and sound complement one another in this film, or does one dominate the other?

Key words:

Film sound

Sound crew

Sound production

Sound design

Soundtrack

Recording

Digital format recording

Boom

Double-system recording

Sound editing

Dailies

Outtakes

Rerecording

Automatic dialogue replacement

Mixing

Pitch

Frequency

Loudness

Amplitude

Quality

Harmonic content

Fidelity

Sound sources

Diegetic sound