Turning Fiction into Film
Professor Tom Hersey
Writing Assignment Two
Due Thursday, March 4th
Screening Report: The Night of the Hunter
In this assignment, we will begin to record and shape our first impressions of The Night
of the Hunter, in light of our reading and class discussions thus far. We will also attempt
to apply all that we have gleaned from each stage of our first assignment to our report on
this film. This time, we have the advantage of having read Grubb’s novel, and the
comments that I have written to each of you about your work to draw from. As before,
you will need to put a lot of thought into every element of this assignment, and again, you
should do so with both your personal response to the film, and the ideas that we have
been addressing in mind. I suggest that you only begin this assignment after you have
revised your first assignment.
Step 1). Find a passage or two from Grubb’s novel that you find particularly cinematic,
and explain to me why you believe that this is so. If possible, allow this to both guide and
inform your approach to the screening report for the film.
Step 2). With step one complete, find two or three aspects or elements of the film that
you would like to prepare for further inquiry, and class discussion. I recommend that you
focus on those areas of interest that will allow you to successfully build upon what you
discovered in your work on The Spirit of the Beehive.
Step 3). When you have completed steps 1 and 2, write a screening report, two to four
pages in length, carefully addressing your chosen concerns, and where appropriate,
synthesizing the ideas from the film book, the novel, and the film accordingly.
In order to clarify your thinking, please use the discussion threads that I will start for this
purpose.
Once again, use your imaginations, and have fun!