WAR/DANCE
(2007,
Please jot down answers to the following questions and answer three in detail. One of the three longer answers should be to the final question.
1. Your thoughts on the title? By the way, in its original conception, it had the slash mark between the two words, which then was dropped.
2. Describe the setting of this film, the
physical setting of northern
3. This film doesn’t give us a lot of background into the history of the conflict between the Lords Army rebels and the government. Should it have given more? Do you feel that you know enough about the background for the film to be effective?
4. When we think of the documentary genre, we think of “reality.” Of course, we know going in that this film is telling a real story. But beyond that, what are some of the ways in which the film is made to feel real, made to feel not a “movie”?
5. Many
documentaries tell their story via a narrator, as a way of getting a variety of
information across to the viewer. How
does this film provide you with the information that you need to know?
6. Like all
films, documentaries have structure. Some
of the structure may have been outlined in advance, but much of it takes shape
during the editing process. Think of the way that this film is structured. When does it begin? When does it end? Does this structure work?
7. More on
editing. Editing is especially critical
in a documentary. Think about the way
that this film was edited. We get to see
lots of this experience, but obviously lots was left
out. What are some of the things that
you notice (in terms of what’s left in and what’s left out)? In other words, what are some of the editing
decisions?
6. The film focuses
on three of the children: Dominic (the
xylophone player), Nancy (whose mother survived the massacres), and Rose (who
lives with her aunt). What can you say
about each of them? Discuss him or her
as a “character” (e.g.,
motivation, development, complexity, what’s interesting about him
or her).
7. Discuss the
cinematography of the film. You’ll see
that many of the reviewers felt that the cinematography was too pretty. Do you agree?
Do you see any pattern to when the really striking shots occur?
8. Discuss the competition itself. What is the effect of having the Western piece competition first, followed by the instrumental, then finally by the traditional dance? How does the school do?
9. War/Dance
can be situated within a subgenre of the documentary, what we might call the
“competition” documentary. Examples are Hoop Dreams (1994), Hands On a Hard Body (1997), Spellbound (2002), Murderball (2005), Mad Hot Ballroom (2005), and Wordplay (2006), not to mention the “mockumentary” Best In
Show (2000). What would you say are
some of the characteristics of this genre?
What makes it interesting?
10. What are some of the things that you learned from this film?
11. Compare/contrast the five reviews of the
film. Which was your favorite, and why?