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Stranger Than Fiction

PDVD_055

 

 

When an inoffensive tax assessor hears a voice-over narrating his story – and then signposting his imminent death – he is in a race to find his author before she can kill him. 

What makes it worse – he has just fallen in love.

 

A wonderful postmodern fable about fate, taxes and living your life while you can.

A witty script by Zach Helm, fine directing by Marc Forster, some cool special effects, and superb performances from Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman add up to a film that will be wonderful to teach.  One of the best films of recent years.

 

Contents Page

 

Teaching Guide

 

Study Programme

 

Introduction

3

Introduction

2

Suggested Teaching Plan

4

After the First Viewing

3

After the First Viewing

5

Initial Quiz

4

Initial Quiz Answers

7

Analysing the Plot

5

Plot Summary

8

Narrative Structure

6

Plot Analysis

9

Conflict

8

Narrative Structure

10

Film Technique Checklists

9

Scene-by-scene Commentary

13

Close Reading Task Sheets

11

Close Reading the Text Answers

29

Design and Setting

14

Design and Setting Answers

34

Characterisation

15

The Visual Design

36

Motifs, Metaphors and Symbols

17

Character Answers and Notes

38

Postmodernism

18

Themes – an approach

42

Genre

19

'It is Written'

43

Analysing the Comedy

20

Motifs, Metaphors and Symbols

45

Planning and Writing an Essay

21

Postmodernism – an Overview

47

Useful Quotations

22

Postmodernism Task Sheet Answers

48

Cast List and Other Facts

26

Genre

50

The Complex Make-up of a Movie

27

Analysing the Comedy

51

Scene List

28

Extension

52

Glossary of Film Terms

30

Interesting Facts

53

Worksheets

 

Sample Essay

54

Study Record

2

Multi-choice Quiz

55

Plot Summary

3

Quiz: Noticing the Details

56

Character Match-up

5

Quiz Answers

57

Professor Hilbert's Questions

6

Appendix: Plot Diagram

58

Scene-by-scene

7

Extras: appendices on genre, postmodernism, scene analysis, setting, Magritte and a huge library of shots from the film

 

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