introduction - film education · it gives an insight into life behind the cloistered walls of the...

Introduction

Celebrating cinema as a ’passport to the world’, this strand includes films from Iran,France, Africa, New Zealand, Tibet and Mongolia. This resource aims to give these films acontext, and to challenge children to think about how the language of film is a universallanguage that helps us to understand and accept different cultures. The resource willaddress aspects of P.S.H.E. and Citizenship as well as Literacy, Science and Geography.

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1©Film Education 2006

Aliens of the Deep 3D

Running Time: 50 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Geography, Science

SynopsisA team of young scientists and marine explorers guideus through a journey to some of the Earth's deepest,most extreme and unknown environments in search ofthe bizarre and alien creatures that live there. Lookingat ecosystems, intensely hot oases and oversized sea-creatures, you are invited to consider these strange lifeforms and decide what they could represent.

Film FactsThe director of Aliens of the Deep, James Cameron,directed the box office smash, Titanic in 1997. In thisdocumentary, he worked with a team of NASAscientists to explore the Mid-Ocean Ridge, asubmerged chain of mountains that band the Earthand are home to some of the planet's most unusual lifeforms.

Pre-viewing activities1. Where do you think the Earth’s ‘deepest, most extreme and unknown environments’could be? Look at a globe or in an atlas to find out where the Earth’s deepest oceans,highest mountains and hottest deserts are.

2. Search the internet for information about the Mid-Ocean Ridge.

3. Cameron’s team of scientists and explorers are made up of:

• an expedition leader • marine animal physiologists• pilots • a marine seismologist• astrobiologists • an astronaut• astronomers / planetary scientists • a science observer

Find out what these people do. Which one of these jobs would you like to do?

Post-viewing activities1. Draw a picture of your favourite underwater creature.

2. Aliens of the Deep is a documentary. What are the differences and similarities betweena documentary and a film like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

3. Which of the creatures would you use to feature in an adventure movie? Why? Write astory outline of your film starring the alien of the deep that you chose.

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The Apple

Running Time: 84 minutes Cert: U SubtitledSuitable for: KS2 Literacy, Geography, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship

SynopsisDirector Samira Makhmalbaf’s fascinating bittersweet Iranian film, this poetic and dramatictale tells of two sisters who, after twelve years of imprisonment by their own parents, arefinally released by social workers to face the outside world and all its beauty andwonderment for the first time.

Film FactsSet in Iran, this film is based on real events, and the principal characters play themselves.An eighteen-year-old Iranian woman, Samira Makhmalbaf, directed it.

Pre-viewing activities1. If you were hidden away from the world against your will, what would you miss themost? Write a list, giving reasons for your choices.

2. Find out where Iran is and five facts about its recent history.

Post-viewing activities1. Why do you think the girls’ parents locked them up for twelve years?

2. The girls in the film have to learn how to make friends. What guidelines would you givethem? How do they do it in the film?

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The Cup

Running Time: 93 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS2 Literacy, Geography, P.S.H.E. and CitizenshipWebsite: www.the-cup.com/start.html

SynopsisThis is the first motion picture ever to emerge from the tiny central Asian country of Bhutan.It gives an insight into life behind the cloistered walls of the Chokling Monastery. Twoyoung exiled Tibetan refugees arrive at the monastery/boarding school. Soccer enthusiastOrgyen soon arouses a soccer fever amongst students. During the 1998 World Cup,Orgyen and several companions sneak out of the monastery by night and make their wayto a shop in the local town where they can watch the matches. They are punished for this,while the head of the monastery faces difficulty in bringing Buddhism into modernity.

Film FactsThe Cup is the first film ever produced by the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It isbased on a true story.

The soccer games featured in the movie are from the 1998 World Cup in France. The firstgame is the quarter-final between France and Italy (France won on penalties), and thesecond is the final in Paris where France beat Brazil 3-0.

Pre-viewing activities1. The two main characters of the film are refugees. Find out what the word ‘refugee’means.

2. The two refugees in the film are from Tibet. They find refuge in a monastery in India. FindTibet and India on a map. How far away from each other are they? How far away are theyfrom the UK?

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http://www.the-cup.com/start.html

3. The film’s tagline is: ‘Buddhism is their philosophy. Soccer is their religion.’ Research themain ideas behind Buddhism. Are there any links that can be made between Buddhismand football?

Post-viewing activities1. Soccer is said to bring the world together. No matter where you are from, you can enjoya game of football. What is it about the game that is so special?

2. The Cup is based on a true story. Whilst the characters are played by actors, we see lifegoing on in the background that is ‘real’. List some of the real events that you saw.

3. Describe how the monks lived without modern technology. How does their life compareto yours?

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Deep Blue

Running Time: 91 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Science, GeographyWebsite: www.deepbluethemovie.com/main.html

SynopsisA unique documentary, based on the BBC series ‘Blue Planet’, Deep Blue allows a fascinatingview of the world’s oceans. The filmmakers have captured images of species that have neverbeen seen before, all in their natural habitats. The film emphasises the diversity of the planetand the importance of furthering our understanding and preservation of it for the future.

Film FactsThe documentary Deep Blue is based on the BBC series ‘Blue Planet’ which was aired in2001. Over twelve million people watched the series when it first aired in the UK. It hassince been screened in over fifty countries.

The underwater photography set new standards, both for its beauty and for never-before-photographed sequences of ocean life. Recently discovered species were shown for thefirst time, and behaviour that had hitherto never been witnessed was captured on film.

Pre-viewing activities1. Find out how much of the Earth is covered in ocean.

2. Imagine a species of ocean creature that has never been seen before. What will it looklike? Draw a picture.

Post-viewing activities1. What can you do to help preserve our oceans for future generations?

2. Before the age of the cinema, natural historians would have to record details of thenatural life by making notes and drawing diagrams in a notebook. What does the film DeepBlue show you that could not be recorded in a notebook?

3. Describe the most interesting species of animal that you saw in the film. Whilst you aredescribing it, think about the five senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

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http://www.deepbluethemovie.com/main.html

Deep Sea 3D

Running Time: 50 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Science, GeographyWebsite: www.imax.com/deepsea/

SynopsisThis undersea adventure offers up-close exploration of the planet’s deepest unknownoceans. Introducing some of the most strange and unusual beings on the planet, filmgoerswill glide underwater with exotic, dangerous and colourful creatures with explanationsoffered about this exciting underworld. Issues such as survival, dependency andrelationships are looked at as each animal relies on another in order for all of them to thrive.

Film FactsThe fact that this is a 3D IMAX® film means that the audience can get a real insight intothe mysterious world of the deep sea. Whilst watching through your 3D specs, youexperience waves rushing towards you and the feeling of being momentarily engulfed inthe ocean; a jellyfish field appearing to fill the whole theatre; a shark powering towards youand predators pouncing from behind rocks and devouring their prey.

Pre-viewing activities1. What type of creature do you think could be one of the planet’s most ‘strange andunusual beings’? Draw what you imagine this deep-sea creature to look like.

2. Find out how 3D vision works at an IMAX® theatre. How do you think it will be differentto going to see a film at a regular cinema?

Post-viewing activities1. Write about the most exciting part of the movie for you.

2. Deep Sea uses 3D to its maximum potential. What other subjects do you think would begood filmed this way?

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http://www.imax.com/deepsea/

Eight Below

Running Time: 120 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS2 Literacy, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship, Geography, Science, HistoryWebsite: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/eightbelow/

SynopsisInspired by a true story, Eight Below is an action-adventure about loyalty and the bonds offriendship set in the extreme wilderness of Antarctica. The film tells the story of threemembers of a scientific expedition: Jerry Shepard, his best friend, Cooper, and a ruggedAmerican geologist, who are forced to leave behind their team of beloved sledge dogs dueto a sudden accident and perilous weather conditions in Antarctica. During the harshAntarctic winter, the dogs must struggle for survival alone in the intense frozen wildernessfor over six months until the adventurers can mount a rescue mission. The film is inspiredby the events of a 1958 Japanese Antarctic Expedition.

Film FactsAn ill-fated Japanese expedition to Antarctica in 1958 inspired the movie Eight Below. In1958, a scientific expedition to the South Pole ended with a dramatic rescue from theimpossible weather conditions the team encountered on the return journey. The scientistshad to leave their hard-working and loyal Sakhalin Huskies behind until the weatherimproved. In Antartica, this can mean months. Despite being left on their own, two of thedogs, Taro and Jiro, managed to survive for months in the extreme conditions.

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http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/eightbelow/

In the 1958 event, twelve Sakhalin Husky sledge dogs were involved. In Eight Below, eightdogs were used – two Alaskan Malamutes, Buck and Shadow, plus six Siberian Huskies.Many more dogs were needed to act out difficult scenes; each actor-dog had help fromother dogs who performed stunts and pulled sledges. In all, thirty-two dogs were used toportray the film's eight canine characters.

Pre-viewing activities1. Find out where Antarctica is and why it is described here as an ‘extreme wilderness’.

2. Do some research on the internet to find out more about the real story behind the filmEight Below.

Post-viewing activities1. How did the filmmakers convey the sense of freezing cold that is prevalent inAntarctica?

2. Which of the dogs is your favourite and why? Dewey, Old Jack, Buck, Max, Maya,Shadow, Shorty or Truman.

3. Having seen the film, why do you think Huskies are used to pulling sledges?

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Forces of Nature 2D

Running Time: 50 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS2 Literacy, Geography, Science

SynopsisIt is one thing to contemplate the immense power of nature, another to experience theseforces first-hand. Forces of Nature showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes,volcanoes and severe storms as you follow scientists on their groundbreaking quests tounderstand how these natural disasters are triggered. Learn what is being done to predictand prepare for these events – and minimise their deadly effects – as you come face-to-facewith Earth's most destructive forces.

Film FactsVolcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes can all cause enormous damage, so predictingwhere and when they will strike is of great importance. This film shows how scientists areworking to understand volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes better. We see howvolcanologist Dr Marie Edmonds has devised sensors that monitor the undergroundactivity of magma to better predict future eruptions; geophysicist Dr Ross Stein studied theearthquake repair records in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia over the centuries to find clues aboutthe history of earthquakes in Turkey. He discovered a pattern in quakes along the longNorth Anatolian Fault system, including the massively destructive quake at Izmit in 1999,and predicts the next earthquake just a few miles south of Istanbul. Dr Joshua Wurman andhis team chase tornadoes in trucks equipped with Doppler radar in an attempt to probethe interior of a tornado just as it is born.

Pre-viewing activities1. Create a fact sheet on earthquakes, volcanoes and severe storms.

2. Write a story about a bad storm that you have experienced – starting with the eventsleading up to the storm and then the aftermath.

3. What do you think are the pros and cons of being a volcanologist, geophysicist or a‘tornado chaser’?

Post-viewing activities1. The famous actor, Kevin Bacon, narrates this movie. What do you think the narrationadds to the movie? Would it have been harder to understand without the narration?

Forces of Nature is a ‘National Geographic’ film, made with funding from the NationalScience Foundation. Why do you think it is important that films like this are made?

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Greyfriars Bobby

Running Time: 104 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, History, P.S.H.E. and CitizenshipWebsite: www.bobbythedog.co.uk/

SynopsisThe story of friendship between a young boy, Ewan, and his dog, Bobby. Set in nineteenthcentury Edinburgh, the two embark on many adventures that will change their lives and thecity forever. The film is adapted from the true story of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier whosat beside his master’s grave for fourteen years, only leaving to forage for food. The nameGreyfriars Bobby has become a byword for loyalty and friendship.

Film FactsBobby was a Skye terrier dog that became famous in nineteenth century Edinburgh,Scotland. Bobby's owner, John Gray, was a policeman who died in 1858 and was buriedin Greyfriars Kirkyard, the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars church in the Old Town ofEdinburgh. Bobby, who survived John by more than a decade, is said to have spent therest of his life sitting on his master's grave.

The film Greyfriars Bobby was released in the UK in February 2006. The famous EdinburghCastle scenes were actually shot in nearby Stirling Castle.

Today, a small statue of Greyfriars Bobby stands in front of a pub, also called GreyfriarsBobby, which is located in front of Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Pre-viewing activities1. Bobby the dog is famous for his loyalty and devotion. What do these words mean? Towhom are you loyal?

2. Greyfriars Bobby is set in Edinburgh. Locate Edinburgh on a map of the UK and find outhow far away it is from your home or school. If you live in Edinburgh, find out how far awayyou are from Stirling, where some of the scenes were shot.

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http://www.bobbythedog.co.uk/

Post-viewing activities

1. The central character of the film is Bobby. How does the West Highland Terrier whoplayed him help to tell the story? How do you think you would get a dog to ‘act’?

2. The film is shot in Scotland. Which landmarks did you notice and how were theyimportant to the story?

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Heidi

Running Time: 100 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship

SynopsisHeidi is the story of a little Swiss girl with a gift for happiness. Heidi is five when she is sentto live with her grandfather in his lonely hut high in the Alps. She quickly grows to love hercarefree new life with him in the mountain air, and the old man comes to love her too. Theyare both unhappy when Heidi is sent away again, to a family in town, but she soonmanages to get home to her Alps - and to share her happiness with her new friends.

Film FactsHeidi is a story focusing on events in the life of the title character, a young orphan girl, inSwitzerland. It was written as a children's book in 1880 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri.

Children all over the world love the Heidi books.

The film Heidi (2005) was filmed in Slovenia and Wales.

Pre-viewing activities1. Heidi is described as having a ‘gift for happiness’. This means that her sunny personalitymakes others happy. How can you make people happy? Do something today that makessomebody smile and start a ‘Happy Gifts’ diary.

2. Find the Swiss Alps on a map. Which is the tallest mountain?

3. Find out more about the Heidi book by Johanna Spyri. What else did Spyri write? Werethere any sequels to Heidi?

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Post-viewing activities1. The actress who plays Heidi (Emma Bolger) was interviewed by reporter David Savage.The interview can be seen here: www.popcorn.co.uk/page.asp?partid=122

One of the questions he asks is:

‘There are lots of different versions of Heidi, like the famous one from the 1930s, starringShirley Temple. Why do you think they keep remaking the story?’

Emma replies:

‘It's so innocent and sweet, and most films these days are like (SHOTGUN NOISE) "Die!"And this is very innocent. Heidi is innocent. She does nothing wrong. That's what keeps italive. The love that's in it. It's a children's film. There's no killings or weird things like that.’

Do you agree with Emma? Is Heidi ‘very innocent’? Does she do anything wrong? Is theretoo much violence in modern stories?

2. How does the camera shoot the mountain scenery? Where is the camera placed toshoot the mountain scenes?

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http://www.popcorn.co.uk/page.asp?partid=122

Hue and Cry

Running Time: 82 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS2 Literacy, History

SynopsisOne of the first successful post-war Ealingcomedies, Hue and Cry is set around thebombsites of London's East End. A gang ofkids excitedly realise that their favouriteblood-and-thunder comic is being used as ameans of communication by crooks, and(since the police turn a deaf ear) they set outto discover more. Through their nosing, thekids enter another world: capturing a blondelady and torturing her for information byusing a feather and dealing with the wicked and eccentric Felix H Wilkinson (Alistair Sim)along the way.

Film FactsIn common law, a ‘hue and cry’ is the process by which by-passers were summoned tohelp the police stop and catch a criminal who had been witnessed in the act of committinga crime.

Most of the film Hue and Cry was shot on location in post-war London and the kids’playgrounds were the bomb-damaged buildings. The film is used today as a historicdocument because of its images of a war-damaged London.

Pre-viewing activities1. The ‘Blitz’ was a time in the Second World War when bombs were dropped on key cities.London was bombed heavily. Find out where the bombsites of London were, and how thebombing affected city life.

2. Many famous films were made at Ealing Studios in London. Find out where the studiosare and list the hit movies that were made there.

Post-viewing activities1. Hue and Cry is described as a ‘thriller for children’. Would you agree with thisdescription?

2. How would the film be different if it were made in modern-day London?

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Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot)

Running Time: 114 minutes Cert: U Mostly silent, some subtitlesSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Geography, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship

SynopsisJacques Tati’s character Monsieur Hulot takes a trip to the seaside, where he unfortunatelycauses havoc. His intentions are always good, but the outcome is usually far from that. Tatimade virtually silent films long after sound was invented as he used visual and physicalcomedy to amuse his audience rather than scripted jokes – this film was made in 1953.

Film FactsLes Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, also known as Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (UK) and MrHulot's Holiday (US), is one of Jacques Tati's most famous films.

The film was originally recorded with both French and English soundtracks.

The character of Monsieur Hulot was reprised in a number of Tati's later films, includingMon Oncle (1959), Playtime (1967) and Trafic (1971).

Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot was filmed in the town of Saint-Marc-sur-Mer in theLoire-Atlantique region of France, and a bronze statue of Monsieur Hulot was later erectedoverlooking the beach where the film was made.

Pre-viewing activities1. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday is a comedy about how people behave on holiday. Where didyou go on holiday this year? What funny stories can you tell about your August vacation?

2. Where is Saint-Marc-sur-Mer? What do the words ‘sur-Mer’ mean?

Post-viewing activities1. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday is a series of funny sequences. Which was the funniest and why?

2. How is sound used to add to the comedy?

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Princes et Princesses

Running Time: 70 minutes Cert: U SubtitledSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Geography, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship, R.E.

SynopsisDirected by Michel Ocelot, the internationally acclaimed creator of Kirikou and theSorceress, Princes et Princesses is an episodic anthology film. It offers six tales, withstories that stretch the centuries from the majesty of ancient Egypt to the light years of aspace age future, with stops in medieval Europe and Japan along the way. Featuring ThePrincess of Diamonds, The Fig Boy, The Sorceress, The Old Lady's Coat, The Cruel Queenand the Fabulo Trainer, and Princes and Princesses, each story presents the beauty,poetry, romance and the wonders of places around the globe.

Film FactsIn Princes et Princesses, a man and woman use a fantastic machine to stitch them into thecostumes of various figures of ancient and future royalty. Created in a style of silhouetteanimation, the film uses shadow puppetry to tell the stories.

Pre-viewing activities1. Create a fact file on the film’s director Michel Ocelot. Who is he and where was he born?What other films has he made? Has he won any awards?

2. The film tells six different stories about princes and princesses. Do you know any storiesabout royalty? Choose one and storyboard it for an animation.

Post-viewing activities1. Which of the six tales was your favourite? Why?

2. How does the style of animation add to the magic of each tale?

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Racing Stripes

Running Time: 94 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, History, Art and Design, Geography, ScienceWebsite: http://racingstripesmovie.warnerbros.com/home.html

SynopsisThis is the next big thing in talking animals! Combining live action with CGI animation, thisis the heroic and heart-warming adventure of a zebra called Stripes who thinks he’s aprize-winning racehorse! In the middle of a thunderstorm, a travelling circus accidentallyleaves behind a baby zebra. The gangly foal is rescued by a farmer, a retired horse-trainer,and ‘Stripes’ is taken under the wing of the farmer’s daughter who has the same aspirationas her new pet – to ride in the big race, the prestigious Kentucky Open, as her father initiallywon’t let her ride in the potentially dangerous sport. With the help of his new farmyardbuddies Stripes overcomes the problem of his appearance and why the other horses treathim as an outcast. Some champions are born not bred!

Film FactsRacing Stripes is an adventure/comedy movie, directed by Frederik Du Chau. The moviewas filmed in Pietermaritzburg and Nottingham Road, South Africa.

There are many animals featured in Racing Stripes: Stripes is the star of the movie. He’s azebra. Tucker is a vertically challenged horse. Franny is a goat. Sandy the horse is aprofessional show jumper – and Stripes’s special friend. Buzz and Scuzz are a pair ofhorseflies. Reggie is the Walsh farm's rooster. Goose is a pelican from the big city. SirTrenton, Pride and Roughshod are horses – they are the baddies in the film.

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http://racingstripesmovie.warnerbros.com/home.html

Pre-viewing activities1. Where in the world would you need to go to in order to see zebras in the wild?

2. Create a fact file on zebras – are they fast runners in real life?

Post-viewing activities1. How do Buzz and Scuzz help Sandy escape from Sir Trenton? What part do they playin helping Stripes out in the race?

2. During the race, how do Roughshod and his rider try to stop Stripes? How does thecamera capture the action?

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Sharks 3D

Running Time: 50 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Science, Geography, LiteracyWebsite: www.sharks3d.com/

SynopsisSharks 3D offers an astonishing up-close encounter with the lions and tigers of the ocean.Come face-to-face with a multitude of shark species, including the Great White,Hammerhead and Whale Shark. Witness them as they really are: not wicked man-eatingcreatures, but wild, fascinating and endangered animals that have been in existence sincea million years before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. You can join the expert team of oceanexplorers on this unique round-the-globe expedition documenting the life of the ultimatepredator.

Film FactsSharks 3D is a 3D IMAX® theatre film experience. The abbreviation IMAX stands for ImageMaximum. It is a film format created by IMAX® Corporation that has the capacity to displayimages of far greater size and resolution than conventional film display systems. Astandard IMAX® screen is 22m wide and 16m high but can be larger.

Pre-viewing activitiesDownload the Educator’s guide from www.sharks3d.com/

1. Carry out some research with your classmates to find out how people feel about sharks.Why do you think sharks are feared so much?

2. Find out as much as you can about the different types of sharks there are.

Post-viewing activities1. Now that you have seen Sharks 3D, do you feel differently about sharks?

2. What can you do to help preserve marine life?

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http://www.sharks3d.com/

http://www.sharks3d.com/

Space Station 3D

Running Time: 50 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS2 Literacy, P.S.H.E. and CitizenshipWebsite: www.imax.com/spacestation/

SynopsisNarrated by Tom Cruise, this is theexciting story of the world’s first SpaceStation. The audience is whizzed at17,500 mph, 354km [220 miles] aboveEarth to experience the wonders of howsixteen nations combined to construct alaboratory in outer space.

Film FactsSpace Station 3D is a documentary filmabout the International Space Station. Itis the first IMAX® 3D production filmed inspace.

IMAX® Technology is the most powerful film technology in the world: it features giantscreens up to eight storeys high and specially designed theatres which immerse you innew worlds.

Pre-viewing activities1. Research the film at www.IMAX.com/spacestation/

2. Pretend to walk in ‘zero gravity’ in a PE lesson.

Post-viewing activities1. What three things did you learn about life on board a laboratory in outer space?

2. What was the best bit about seeing the film in 3D?

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http://www.imax.com/spacestation/

http://www.imax.com/spacestation/

Stuart Little 2

Running Time: 78 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, P.S.H.E. and CitizenshipWebsite: www.sonypictures.com/cthe/stuartlittle3/site/

SynopsisStuart's mother is over-protective of him, especially when henarrowly escapes injury in a soccer game. His brother Georgehas also made a new friend so Stuart is feeling lonely. Stuartrescues a canary, Margalo, from a falcon; she moves in with theLittles. One day, Margalo is nowhere to be found, so Stuart andSnowbell set out across the city to find her.

Film FactsStuart Little 2 is a 2002 film, directed by Rob Minkoff. It is a sequel to the 1999 film StuartLittle, and includes characters from the children's book by E B White such as Margalo thebird.

Pre-viewing activities1. Find out about the author of the Stuart Little stories, E B White.

2. If you have seen the first Stuart Little film, have a guess as to what might happen in thissequel. Read the synopsis to help you.

Post-viewing activities1. How does the cat Snowbell feel about Stuart living in his house in Stuart Little 2? Howis this different to the first Stuart Little film?

2. The film is shot in a typical American city, a lot like New York. In fact, some of the filmwas shot in New York. What types of buildings and backdrops did you notice? Draw atypical setting for the film.

3. If Stuart Little were to come to your locality, what kinds of adventures would he have?What would be the title of your Stuart Little movie?

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http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/stuartlittle3/site/

Tarka the Otter

Running Time: 87 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy

SynopsisWhen Tarka the Otter is born, his mother protectshim against the dangers of the Englishcountryside. When his mother is killed byDeadlock, the evil leader of a pack of bloodthirstyhounds, Tarka is left to look after himself. Tarkagrows up fast and falls in love and raises a family.Eventually he is forced into a confrontation withthe dreaded Deadlock, in a battle Tarka’s lifedepends on.

Film FactsTarka the Otter is based on the book: Tarka the Otter: His Joyful Water-Life and Death inthe Country of the Two Rivers by Henry Williamson. The book narrates the experience ofan otter. The movie, narrated by Peter Ustinov, was released in 1979, with a screenplay bythe famous conservationist and author Gerald Durrell.

Pre-viewing activities1. Create a fact file about otters.

2. Find out about the author of the original novel, Henry Williamson. Read the openingpages of the book. What type of film do you think Tarka the Otter will be?

Post-viewing activities1. What does the film Tarka the Otter teach us about the natural world around us?

2. What emotions did you feel as you were watching the film?

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The Wild

Running Time: 94 minutes Cert: USuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, P.S.H.E. and Citizenship, Geography, Science, HistoryWebstie: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/thewild/

SynopsisRyan, an adolescent lion, is struggling with his inability to roar. Feeling like he doesn’tbelong, he jumps onto a crate and is accidentally shipped from his New York Zoo to Africa.Now running free, his zoo pals must put aside their differences to help bring him back.

Film FactsThe Wild is a CGI animated film about escaped zoo animals. The main characters include:

• Samson the Lion • Larry the Anaconda

• Benny the Squirrel • Ryan the Lion Cub

• Bridget the Giraffe • Kazar the Wildebeest

• Nigel the Koala • Blag the Wildebeest

Pre-viewing activities1. Create an animal directory of The Wild, by putting together a fact file on each of theanimals listed above.

2. The film takes place in the city of New York and in Africa. Describe the similarities anddifferences between these two locations.

Post-viewing activities1. Which was your favourite animal and why?

2. How did the animators show the contrasts between the different settings?

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http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/thewild/

Winged Migration

Running Time: 85 minutes Cert: PGSuitable for: KS1/2 Literacy, Geography, ScienceWebsite: www.sonyclassics.com/wingedmigration/index_flash.html

SynopsisWinged Migration is made up of a series of journeys around the world with migratory birds.More than 450 people using planes, gliders, helicopters and balloons were necessary tofollow a variety of bird migrations through forty countries and all seven continents. The filmcovers landscapes that range from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the remote reaches of theArctic and the Amazon. The result is an eye-opening experience of the wonders of thenatural world.

Film FactsWinged Migration shows the huge journeys commonly made by birds during theirmigrations.

The movie was shot over the course of three years on all seven continents. Shot using in-flight cameras, most of the footage is aerial, and the viewer appears to be flying alongsidebirds of successive species. They traverse every kind of weather and landscape, coveringvast distances in a flight for survival.

The film was shot from ultralights, paragliders and hot air balloons, as well as trucks,motorcycles, motorboats, remote-controlled robots and a French Navy warship.

Filmmakers exposed the eggs of some of the birds to the sounds of people and filmcameras so that the birds would not be afraid of them later.

THE WORLD AROUND US


www.sonyclassics.com/wingedmigration/index_flash.html

Pre-viewing activities1. What types of birds migrate to and from your locality?

2. Watch the skies for birds over one day. Note down the different types of birds that yousee, paying attention to their behaviour and actions.

Post-viewing activities1. Which birds impressed you the most?

2. Storyboard the flying sequence of one of the birds from your locality as it flies aboveyour school.

THE WORLD AROUND US


introduction - film education · it gives an insight into life behind the cloistered walls of the...

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