American Beauty

Superb direction, acting and screenplay, served by some of the best cinematography you will ever see.

Contents

Teaching Guide		Study Guide
Introduction	3	Plot and Narrative Structure	2
Suggested teaching approach	4	Initial Quiz	4
Plot Analysis and Narrative Structure	5	First Impressions	5
Initial Quiz	10	Close Reading Checklists	6
First Impressions Answer Guide	11	Design and Setting	10
Scene by Scene commentary	14	Characterisation	11
Close Reading the Text	31	Behind the Camera	14
Detailed Analysis: Opening Sequence	32	Lighting	15
Detailed Analysis: the Spartanettes	35	Motifs, Symbols, Allusions	16
Detailed Analysis: Ricky Films Jane	36	Useful Quotations	17
Design and Setting	38	Cast List	20
Characterisation	39	Soundtracks	21
Themes	47	Scene List	22
Behind the Camera	50	Glossary of Film Terms	24
Motifs	55	Write on Worksheets
Allusions	56	Study Record	27
Responding to Critics	57	Motifs	28
Genre	59	Direction and Cinematography	30
Writing an Essay Answer	60	Scene Analysis	32
Quotation Test	63	Extras
Interesting Trivia	65	over 100 photos from the film
Selected Awards	66	'American Beauty as Melodrama'
Unit Outline	67	Film Styles
Scene-by-scene	38	the abridged script
		song lyrics