Becket, the 1964 movie
Literary Response Journal Prompts
Yourresponse should be thoughtful and well-developed. Two or three double-spaced pages in your LRJ is the proper
length. Remember: Your LRJ will be collected and graded – for completeness, thoughtfulness, and effort.
Before you watch the film and before you start working on the LRJ entry based on the following prompt, read the
article below: “How to Watch a Film.”
1. Movie Review & Presentation
Read the two movie reviews of Becket from your introductory materials – one from the New York Times and one
from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. You’ll see that both are highly favorable, mainly because Becket is generally
regarded as one of the best films of the 20th century.
Now, choose a movie that you’ve seen recently, either in the theater or on DVD or Netflix, etc., and write a
movie review of it. Try to choose a movie that you think could qualify as the best movie of the decade, not just
because you like it, but because it qualifies as a “great movie” according to the guidelines given in the article
below.
Here are some general guidelines that you should find helpful. They’re not directives, so feel free to adapt them
to work for you: In the first paragraph you will need to include the following: name of the film, prominent stars
of the film, basic setting ( time and place), and type of film ( comedy, adventure, drama, etc.). In the second
paragraph, you should to write a brief plot summary for the movie, but do not reveal the ending. Discuss at least
five events and be sure to cover the entire scope of the movie, except the very end. In the third paragraph,
discuss one aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, costume design, set design,
photography, background music, or anything else you may think of. Be sure that you are specific and cite
examples from the movie. In a concluding paragraph, give your overall reaction to the film as well as your
opinion on the quality of the film. Include your recommendations for potential viewers.
And the date this LRJ is due, you will be making a persuasive speech about your chosen film. Your purpose is to
make your classmates want to see the film (if they haven’t already) or inspire them to watch it anew. Although
you may use notes, you may not read your LRJ entry. Obviously all the persuasive points you’ll address in your
speech will be found in your LRJ entry, but again, you may not read it.
How to Watch a Film
A truly great film is much more than mere entertainment or a diversion from the reality of everyday life.
Film has the capacity to be great art, speaking to the human heart and treating the whole range of human
emotions. All art, and especially cinema, helps us understand the interrelationships between culture and society. It
reveals a wealth of information about how our civilization works and even indicates cultural trends. True art is
vitally important because it challenges us to think beyond ourselves and ponder the mysteries that have
confounded mankind from the beginning. Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? These are
the questions that great cinema addresses.
Although films may entertain, they also educate and even captivate the mind. The great films enlighten us
and form much of the world's perception of what culture is all about. Because of its importance, film should be
studied not only by so-called film experts or reviewers, but by average moviegoers like you. This means that each
member of the film audience should strive to be a “critic.” It means that the viewer must stay alert and assume
that every moment of every film is an intentional, relevant creation of its director.
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If you as a viewer truly take film seriously, a notebook can come in handy.
Don't be shy about writing down your observations while watching a movie. Encourage others to
do the same.
Whenever possible, try to see films with friends so the experience can be thoroughly discussed
afterward.
The following are some suggestions for watching a film critically.
1. Direction: great directors (like Carol Reed, Alfred Hitchcock, et al) approach their subject as artists – every
move is made for a purpose. Notice the way various shots are framed, the way the camera moves, the
relationship between the visual and the soundtrack.
2.
Screenplay: The old saw is still true: “If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage.” What's on paper, then,
is an essential element of film. Originality, creativity, logical narrative and plot, continuity, composition,
and development of three-dimensional characters are some of the key ingredients in a good screenplay.
Some of our greatest authors have written for the screen, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner
and Graham Greene.
3.
Acting. Judging good acting is – well, you simply know it when you see it. What we know about many
exceptional performers is that they do not “act,” they hide themselves in their characters. Montgomery
Clift, Marlon Brando and Orson Welles blazed the path for actors such as these. Watch and identify the
elements that constitute a great performance.
4.
Lighting and Sets. The entire mood of a film can be determined by lighting, the way shadows fall, the type
of sets used or the actual location where the film is shot. Pay attention to the specific settings (e.g., inside
the Cathedral, on the beach), props and details, and what’s going on in the background.
5.
Soundtrack. While a good soundtrack should never be overwhelming, many classic films would be far less
memorable without their soundtracks.
6.
Plot. A successful plot keeps us engaged as viewers. Directors like Carole Reed and Alfred Hitchcock are
excellent at working in suspense and creating viewer anticipation throughout their films. A successful plot
also has an obvious beginning, middle, and end. In the beginning we are introduced to the characters, the
setting, and the conflict(s). The middle develops those conflicts and brings them to a climax (or turning
point). The end resolves them in some meaningful way (which is not necessarily the same as a “happy
ending”). If you were to write a short 'one-liner' summary of the plot to describe the film (often called
a synopsis or film treatment), what would it be?
7.
Characterization. Most movies follow a central character known as a protagonist. If the movie is wellmade, we’ll sympathize with the protagonist, rooting for him to conquer his obstacles and resolve his
conflicts. we should care what happens to him. Usually, the protagonist will be a dynamic character, that
is, a character whose experience in the film changes him in some way. A character may move from virtue
to vice (as in a tragedy), or from vice to virtue. In other films, the protagonist – whether he’s virtuous or
vicious) will gain some important insight (such as in It’s a Wonderful Life when George Bailey finally
realizes that his life matters to many people in his family and in his community, and that without him
many of them would be lost). Most movies also have antagonists, those who somehow oppose the
protagonist, and at least one foil, a character that provides some sort of contrast with the protagonist, as
with Dr. John Watson to protagonist Sherlock Holmes.. Try to identify these characters in Becket, and
understand the relationships they all have with one another.
8.
The Viewer. Without you, the viewer, the film would be pretty meaningless. The more you learn to enjoy
and appreciate the art of storytelling, the more a film will have meaning for you. Consider this thought
from Benedict Ashley: “Most people live a rather petty life of worries, frustrations, and routine. Their
emotions are out of tune, and their vision is narrow and blurred. The magic of the imaginative story
releases the emotions from their daily worries and sets them in tune like a beautiful melody, so that they
lift the mind on wings to take a broad view of the universe. A wise man is able to take this broad view at
will. Such wisdom comes only after a long life of discipline and thought, but the poet (filmmaker, etc.) is
able to give us a glimpse of that broad vision even when we are young and perhaps foolish.” Think about
what “broad vision” you gain by watching the movie, and try to articulate the filmmaker’s purpose,
message, or vision.