Capstone Project: Paper Assignment Sheet
“Madness in Movies” Coordinated Studies
Brian Holt & JC Clapp, North Seattle Community College, 2013
Purpose & Overview: To integrate the content and skills learned in this class, you will be creating a
capstone project. It has multiple parts and pieces of it will be turned in all through the term. This
assignment will require skills and knowledge gained from studying movies, psychopathology, and
writing. As a broad overview, this final project asks you to:
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choose a film demonstrating a psychological disorder
analyze the accuracy of the disorder’s portrayal in the film
analyze how the director used filmmaking techniques to portray the character/disorder
discuss the cultural message about the disorder that the film communicates
Choose Your Film: You need to choose ONE film from the list (at the end of this assignment sheet) to
work with for this entire project. Choose carefully! You may have to watch several of the films before
you chose.
Details for the One Page ID Sheet (5 points – due Week 3): Type up a one page ID sheet that identifies
the film that you chose to work with by title, director, and year. Identify the disorder from the film that
you’ll focus on. Explain why you chose the film you did.
Details for the Annotated Bibliography (about 2-3 pages – due Week 6) 25 points: Find five academic
sources that might work for the various parts of your Capstone project. Write a Works Cited entry for
each, using MLA guidelines, and then beneath the entry write a 2-3 sentence summary of the source
(label it). Beneath that, write at least 5 sentences of analysis of the source that explains how the source
is applicable to your paper (in what part of the Capstone will you use each source?) and how you see it
fitting in (label that, too).
Grading Criteria for Annotated Bibliography:
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Bibliography is properly formatted using MLA guidelines
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Includes five academic/scholarly sources
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Sources are all appropriate for inclusion in the project
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Under each source entry there is a 2-3 sentence summary of the source
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Under each source’s summary there is at least 5 sentences analyzing how the source is connected to
the project
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Summary and Analysis of each source is labeled
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There are no popular/pulp sources – all sources are academic/scholarly
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Edited and proofread carefully
Part 1: Empirical Report (about 2-3 pages – due Week 5) 20 points: An empirical report on the actual
disorder that is referenced in the film. You will need to decide which disorder you want to work with in
the film, and then do some basic research to complete the empirical report. This will include a
description of how the disorder typically presents itself in life (not in the movie), its prevalence, and the
theoretical causes or explanations (etiology) and/or risk factors, and treatment options for the disorder.
Any research sources you use must be appropriately cited using MLA documentation.
Grading Criteria for Part 1:
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Identifies the disorder using the DSM-5 name and code
Includes a description of how the disorder typically presents in real life
Explains the prevalence, theoretical causes or explanations (etiology), and/or risk factors for the
disorder
Discusses the treatment options for the disorder
At least 2-3 pages and no more than 4 pages in length
Research sources are listed at the end of Part 1 in proper MLA format
Carefully edited and proofread
Part 2: Analysis of Disorder in the Film (about 4-5 pages – due Week 7) 50 points: An analysis of how
the disorder and its symptoms were portrayed in the film. Here you will be looking at how the character
behaves, what the character says, and what the character thinks (if we’re given insight into that). Were
the character’s behaviors accurate based on the empirical report on the actual disorder? In what ways
does this character behave on screen like a typical, real-world person dealing with the disorder? In what
ways does this character differ from a typical, real-world case? Provide detailed examples from the film
to illustrate your assessment of how the character is/isn’t portrayed accurately/realistically. This will
require information on the disorder’s differential diagnosis. Use specific and detailed examples from the
film to illustrate your analysis.
Grading Criteria for Part 2:
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Focused solely on the character’s behavior (body movements, words/dialogue, treatment of
others/self, and thoughts)
Analysis of how the character’s behaviors, words, and thoughts are accurate portrayals of a typical
person in real life with the disorder – including specific examples from the film to illustrate the
points
Analysis of how the character’s behaviors, words, and thoughts are not typical or accurate portrayals
of the disorder (and referring to differential diagnosis as necessary) – including specific examples
from the film to illustrate the points
At least 4 pages and no more than 6 pages in length
Research sources are listed at the end of Part 2 in proper MLA format
Carefully edited and proofread
Part 3: How Disorder Communicated in the Film (about 5+ pages – due Week 9) 75 points: Analyze how
the film director uses specific filmmaking techniques to communicate to the audience that the character
is mentally ill (outside of how the character behaves, how is the character presented?). Here you are
going beyond the character’s behavior, words, and thoughts (since you already covered those in Part 2).
You are looking at how the character’s disorder or mental state is communicated using filmmaking
techniques. Consider aspects such as the mise-en-scene (setting, costuming, makeup, lighting,
composition, use of space), cinematography (camera perspective, depth of field, visual effects), editing,
and sound (sound effects, music) all contribute to how the character is perceived or “read” by the
audience.
Grading Criteria for Part 3:
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Focused solely on how the character is presented (moves beyond the behaviors discussed in Part 2
and looks at how the director has presented him/her to us)
Detailed and analytical discussion of how the character’s disorder or mental state is communicated
through filmmaking techniques – including in-depth examples from the film to illustrate the points
Covers multiple aspects such as the mise-en-scene (setting, costuming, makeup, lighting,
composition, use of space), cinematography (camera perspective, depth of field, visual effects),
editing, and sound (sound effects, music) – and how those various aspects contribute to how the
character’s mental disorder is perceived by the audience
A use and understanding of the vocabulary of film – demonstrates that appropriate filmmaking
terms can be used correctly to describe what’s happening on screen
At least 5 pages and no more than 7 pages in length
Research sources are listed at the end of Part 3 in proper MLA format
Carefully edited and proofread
Details for the Thesis Statement for Part 4 (5 points – due Week 8): Your paper requires, in Part 4, that
you do a cultural analysis of your chosen film. You need to have your claim/thesis for that section typed
up and ready to turn in as well as prepared to be written on the board. Information about how to write
a thesis statement will be covered in class.
Details for the Outline/Plan for Part 4 (20 points – due Week 10): Type up a detailed Outline/Plan for
your research paper that clearly identifies what your refined thesis will be for Part 4 and how you plan
to defend it. Your research should be identified here (what research will be used to support which
points). This will likely fill about 2 pages.
Grading Criteria for Outline/Plan:
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Clear identification of your revised thesis
Identification of your major points and sub-points with appropriate research listed (so it’s clear what
research will support which points)
Part 4: Cultural Analysis Essay (6+ pages – due Week 11) 100 points: You are required to
incorporate/cite at least three academic sources, using MLA formatting, into Part 4. You may use the
DSM-5 for diagnostic criteria for Part 1, as well as your chosen film, but neither of them counts towards
your 3-source requirement needed in Part 4 (and they must be scholarly). Use your Annotated
Bibliography to get you started on your research.
For Part 4, consider what the cultural impact is of this film’s representation of the particular mental
disorder. Consider the below kinds of questions. You are not going to answer all of them in your paper,
but these questions should get you started on formulating a persuasive thesis statement that will help
you make meaning out of the film.
❖ Films are cultural texts that are situated in particular cultural, social, historical and economic
contexts. How do this particular film and this particular character reflect and inform the
contexts in which it was created?
❖ How does this film shape the audience’s perception of psychological health? Of the
individual? Of family? Of society?
❖ How does the film provide feedback and affect how we should think about the psychological
disorder? What are the consequences of this kind of portrayal?
❖ What are the intersections here between mental illness and race, class, gender, sexual
orientation, or socioeconomic status? What messages does the film send about who is
mentally ill and why? What does this film tell us about power?
❖ What does this portrayal tell us culturally about the concept of a dangerous, shadow figure
(the “bogeyman”) or the unstable “crazy” person? How might the portrayal be projected
onto characters and by extension real people? What messages does this character send
about “crazy” people? What social fears or anxieties might this character be used to
assuage? What fears does the character reinforce? Subvert?
❖ What does this film tell us about how cultural values influence perceptions of what
motivates a person to act? To what degree are we shown that a person's choices are
intentional (or not)?
❖ People use film for self-definition and self-differentiation (from others). When a movie
portrays something or someone as “crazy,” does it reinforce the viewer's tendency to
exaggerate minor differences between self and other, between the cultural “us” and
“them”? Or on the other hand, do these caricatures in film help viewers keep at arm’s
length (or in the abstract) similarities between people and cultures, which in the end
prevent overcoming of differences?
Grading Criteria for Part 4:
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Part 4 takes the form of an academic essay including an introduction, supporting paragraphs
connected by tight transitions, and a conclusion
Has a clearly identifiable, persuasive, unique, and focused thesis that the rest of the essay is
supporting (that responds to the above prompt)
Essay responds to the above prompt thoroughly and considers the cultural, historical, social, and
context of the film
Essay analyzes how the film shapes the audience’s perception of psychological health and influences
how the viewer thinks about the disorder (and the consequences of the portrayal).
Essay considers what message the film is sending about “crazy” people and how those messages
reinforce or subvert social fears or anxieties.
All points include examples from the film and from research sources to support
There is no plot summary, actor or director biographies, or other filler
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There is no personal response, reaction, critique, or review of the film
At least 6 pages and no more than 8 pages in length
Includes at least three scholarly/academic sources in Part 4
Research sources are listed at the end of Part 4 in proper MLA format
Carefully edited and proofread
Details for the Reflection Letter (2-3 pages –due Week 11) 20 points: At the very end of the term, after
your entire project is completed, you will write a letter (to your instructors) that discusses your learning
this term. Discuss your process in completing the Capstone project, how you feel this course helped you
meet the Course Outcomes (listed on the Syllabus), and what you have learned (if anything!) about film,
psychology, and writing this term.
Grading Criteria for Reflection Paper:
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At least 2 full pages and no more than 4 pages
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Overview of your learning process and what problems you ran into and how you solved them
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Discussion of the role you played in our class and how much/what you contributed to the success of
the class.
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Consideration of what you learned (or didn’t) by completing this project, and how you feel what you
learned may contribute to your future
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Edited and proofread carefully
Film List: You need to choose ONE of the below films to work with for this project. Choose carefully! You
may have to watch several of the films before you chose. The disorder listed in brackets may or may not
be entirely accurate and may not be the disorder that you choose to focus on – it’s listed just to help you
get a sense of the films. If you have a film in mind you want to use that is not on this list, you need to get
approval from JC and Brian first. The films here are listed in chronological order of date first released.
Spellbound (1945) Alfred Hitchcock [Amnesia]
The Three Faces of Eve (1957) Nunnally Johnson [Dissociative Identity Disorder]
Vertigo (1958) Alfred Hitchcock [Agoraphobia]
Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock [Dissociative Identity Disorder]
A Fine Madness (1966) Irvin Kershner [Personality Disorders]
Harold & Maude (1971) [Aging, Suicide]
A Clockwork Orange (1971) Stanley Kubrick [Antisocial]
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Milos Forman [Antisocial]
Sybil (1976) TV mini-series [Dissociative Identity Disorder]
Annie Hall (1977) Woody Allen [Anxiety]
The Deer Hunter (1978) Michael Cimino [PTSD, Paranoid]
Ordinary People (1980) Robert Redford [Depression, Anxiety]
The Shining (1980) Stanley Kubrick [Psychotic]
Fatal Attraction (1987) Adrian Lyne [Bipolar/Borderline]
Wall Street (1987) Oliver Stone [Narcissism]
Rain Man (1988) Barry Levinson [Autism]
Misery (1990) Rob Reiner [Delusional]
The Fisher King (1991) Terry Gilliam [Depression, Suicide, Catatonic States, Schizophrenia]
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) Joseph Ruben [OCD]
Single White Female (1992) Barbet Schroeder [Borderline]
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992) Curtis Hanson [Borderline]
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) Lasse Hallstrom [Autism]
Benny & Joon (1993) Jeremiah S. Chechik [Schizophrenia]
Kalifornia (1993) Dominic Sena [Sociopath]
The Madness of King George (1994) Nicholas Hytner [Dementia/Alzheimer’s]
Natural Born Killers (1994) Oliver Stone [Antisocial]
Copycat (1995) Jon Amiel [Agoraphobia]
Shine (1996) Scott Hicks [Psychosis, Personality Disorder]
Primal Fear (1996) Gregory Hoblit [Dissociative Identity Disorder]
As Good As it Gets (1997) James L. Brooks [OCD, Phobias]
American History X (1998) Tony Kaye [Anti-social]
Fight Club (1999) David Fincher [Dissociative]
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) Anthony Minghella [Identity Disorder]
Analyze This (1999) Harold Ramis [Anxiety]
Pollock (2000) Ed Harris [Bipolar/Borderline]
American Psycho (2000) Mary Harron [Psychopath, Narcissism]
Requiem for a Dream (2000) Darren Aronofsky [Addiction]
I am Sam (2001) Jessie Nelson [Mental Retardation]
Donny Darko (2001) Richard Kelly [Schizophrenia]
Catch Me if You Can (2002) Steven Spielberg [Antisocial]
Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Paul Thomas Anderson [Phobia]
The Aviator (2004) Martin Scorsese [OCD and Anxiety]
50 First Dates (2004) Peter Segal [Amnesia]
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Michel Gondry
Reign Over Me (2007) Mike Binder [PTSD]
Black Swan (2010) Darren Aronofsky [Borderline/Bipolar, Eating Disorder]
Melancholia (2011) Lars von Trier [Depression]
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) David Russell [Sexual Addition, Anxiety, Bipolar]