Introduction:
The third lesson shall look at the film and music score of “Malcolm X” (made in 1992 by Spike Lee based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley) . “ In this lesson there are two film clips.
Note: The two film clips are as follows: 1. Start will young Malcolm (Little) X in Boston and end with the dance floor in New York City; 2. The second clip starts almost at the end of the film where Malcolm X is at the hotel and it ends with the dance floor sequence.
The class will look at how Spike Lee shows the passage of time from Malcolm X’s early to late life. The Class will also observe the film score by Terence Blanchard.
Note: the beginning music score sounds very much like Blood on the Fields by Wynton Marsalis. Even the album cover is close to the first sight of the American flag as it burns into an “X”. This section might take one to two class periods.
Goal for lesson:
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1. for the class to understand how film creates the passage of time i.e. “Specious Present”
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2. to find reading material about Malcolm X on their own, the facts about him film should be either supported or challenged.
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3. to understand the use of the film music score in the two film clips shown in this lesson.
The Objective for lesson:
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Explain to the class that they shall be seeing two segments of film from the movie of “Malcolm X”. Have the class look for the following items:
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What type of music is being used, have students write down what they observe in their journals?
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How does the film clips show the passage of time, have students write down their observations in their journals?
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Have a class discussion about how Mr. Lee portrayed Malcom X on film.
Vocabulary List:
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Have students make their own list for homework and have them present their findings in the next day.
Materials Needed for each class or lesson:
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VCR, see film in introduction.
Summary and Evaluation:
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Have students take journal home and find other books or films about the life of Malcolm “X”.
Note: You might assign students to see “West Side Story “ (made in 1961 by Ernest Lehman; music score by Leonard Bernstein and S. Sondheim) based on the play of Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet. Through film and music scores, students should explore the “truth” in terms of Musical and factual history. As students discover the use of “Specious Present”, they will discern from potential facts and from film fiction presented as facts.
Here is an outline of the major periods, eras and musical forms and style (Western European musical history that might be helpful. They are as follows:
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A.D. 600-850 Early Middle Age
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850-1150 Romanesque #
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1150-1300 Early Gothic St. Martial Ars antiqua
1300-1450 Late Gothic Areas novah
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Burgundian school
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1450-1600 Renaissance Flemish school Venetian school Roman school beginnings
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1600-1750 Baroque Nuove musiche Roman school Bologna school Neopolitian school Rococo 1750-1825 Classical Mannheim school Berlin school Viennese classic
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1825-1900 Romantic Nationalism
1900-present Twentieth century Expressionism Neoclassicism Serial techniques Musique concrete
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Electronic music Minimalism
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