by Laura Lai/ Uncategorized
After having
written an essay as the homework for the ‘Academic and Business Writing’ course
– Week 4 on writing difficulties, posted it on my Writing Blog and some
excerpts on the virtual class’ discussion forum, after having read it with lots of
interest and having replied to some of my classmates, I was preparing myself
for the optional homework. But wait! One of the check questions was: ‘I wrote
about my final writing project in my journal’ or ‘I didn’t have time.’ Actually, this caught me by surprise. I did not know that I had to. Now that I
know, guess what? I make time! J
WHO?/WHAT? For
the final writing paper, I had to choose among several types of writing formats
belonging to the academic or business genre. One of the choices was
‘movie or book review’. Theoretically, it belongs to general/academic writing.
And I have decided to review the movie The 39 Steps (1935) directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This movie was
considered by film critics as the best adaptation of the novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John
Buchnan (1915). Although my focus will be on the movie review, I want to make a
short parallel to the book as well – a kind of two-in-one review. J
WHY? First, this movie was an excellent choice for a
review of an old movie made in 1935. I started long ago reviewing old movies
for the ‘review’ section of this Writing Blog. And I reached the year 1935. For
each year, I watch as much as I can from among those awarded or not by the
American Film Academy, from among the blockbusters, etc.
Second, I made this choice because I am a great lover of cinema art. I have always loved the way this art tells a story. I was a child when going with other children to the cinema. I was so passionate that in the pupils’ summer holidays, I was going in the morning to the cinema because the ticket was free for pupils. I watched Hollywood and Bollywood movies, Chinese, Russian, Western, etc. And I loved them all!
Third, when I was 12 or 14 I had the chance to follow on the national television program a series of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies broadcasted weekly. And I was fascinated by this director: by the way he conveys the message of the movie and by the psychoanalysis scenes. I am a Sign Language speaker and I do not know if it is because of Sign Language that I have always understood certain cognitive processes behind the movement – I think so – and I have understood those psychoanalysis scenes of Hitchcock as speaking my mind, although it went straight to my heart.
Fourth, I made this choice because in this ‘Academic and Business Writing’ course I am learning lots and useful things about writing in English. But by the end of it, I want to have deepened one format. I thought it would be the essay, but I see that it is going to be the review. I use this course opportunity to read and learn more about film reviews.
WHERE? Once
my final review is done, it will be posted on the course’s website and subject
to peer analysis. I intend to post it on my Writing Blog, too, in the ‘review’
section two-three weeks after this course will end – let us consider it as the
last post for the month of April. I think it is wiser to wait until after the course
ends and it is a great decision to leave it as the last post for April,
especially since I intend to continue reviewing movies the entire month of May.
WHEN?/
HOW? But with less than two weeks to go until the end of
this course, last week I have already taken the time to watch the movie and
read the book so that my review draft to be as close to completion as possible.
And the draft was submitted. This gives me time to enjoy optional homework,
start a new studying week, and watch again the movie to improve the first film
review draft for a better final written paper.
Now, that I have
also written about my final written paper in my journal that I keep on my Writing Blog, I cannot wait to check ‘I wrote about my final paper in my
journal.’ And to continue my writing journey with the course on Academic and
Business Writing! J
#cw2p #edx #FilmReview #AlfredHitchcock #writing #amblogging
No comments:
Post a Comment