III. WATCH THE MOVIEWatch the movie The Great Gatsby (1974) starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. You can download it from here: http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2690001 After watching the movie, write down your ideas and brief descriptions of the characters. I kindly ask you not to watch it in Russian. 4. Watch and listen to two lectures on The Great Gatsby by Professor Wai Chee Dimock (Open Yale Courses) – Make a transcript (a summary) of the main points. http://oyc.yale.edu/american-studies/amst-246/lecture-4 http://oyc.yale.edu/american-studies/amst-246/lecture-5 Dear students! I suggest that you first read some information about the novel, and then you can watch the movie and read the book after it paying special attention to the points above (making notes, answering the questions). If you watch the movie first it will be easier for you to read and understand the text. However, you can first read the book. You have to compare the book and the movie and form your own opinion in this comparison. We will devote one seminar to The Great Gatsby and discuss everything according to the plan I have given you above. IV. RESEARCH: Find some information on the following issue: 1. How did the Beat Generation interpret the American Dream? What was so special in their interpretation? (include the answers into your portfolio) 2. Find info about Hunter S. Thompson and Gonzo journalism (to be included in the portfolio) V. WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY: “America... just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable.” Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Some info about the documentary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzo:_The_Life_and_Work_of_Dr._Hunter_S._Thompson) You can download this documentary in English from here: http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2065313 Study the film (note down the most important details and quotes about Hunter in the film. Make a list of issues you’d like to talk about!!!): Focus on: · Hunter and his personality · Hunter and Hell’s Angels · Hunter in the eyes of his friends/relatives/journalists · Hunter and The Great Gatsby: Why did he use to type this novel on his typewriter? Why was The Great Gatsby on his mind continuously when he was working on “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”??? Could you please connect the dots now that you have read the book yourself! · Hunter and his vision of America · Hunter and The American Dream · Hunter and his contribution into modern journalism (To study these points you have to watch the documentary and find more information in other sources to your choice) Find and Read at least ONE article by Hunter Thompson (bring the text to the seminar, try analyzing the key points) 4. Read the following article from New Yorker written after Hunter’s death (What image of Hunter do we get from this article?) 5. Read Hunter’s cover letter for a newspaper job (it is a great piece of writing! Make use of it when preparing your own cover letters! Have the guts!) http://boingboing.net/2010/10/05/hunter-s-thompsons-1.html 6. Find some quotes of Hunter Thompson, share your opinion on them (minimum – 5) 7. Follow the link and watch Charlie Rose’s interview with Johnny Depp and Terry Gilliam about the movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (What do they say about the movie? What does Depp say about his experience of living with Hunter?) Optional stuff for your pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLH0Y7L6UQs V. WATCH THE MOVIE: “And that, I think, was the handle - that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of old and evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply prevail. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look west, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark - that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back” Raoul Duke.
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