A FILM STUDY

This project was being led by Gerard Logue from Loreto Community School in Milford and Rosaleen Doherty from Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana and the idea was to build up resources and ideas around the subject of a film study. This was to include film reviews by students and lists of interesting and relevant sites.

`Strictly Ballroom` by Baz Luhrman, class of Gerard Logue, Loreto Community School, Glenties.

This film study was assembled by teachers and students involved in Leaving Certificate English at Higher level. Because film study forms a small but extremely popular part of the syllabus, we decided to assemble some material relevant to that section of the syllabus.

Our choice of 'Strictly Ballroom' for study and the approach which we took was determined by the requirements of the Leaving Certificate English course. The relevant points are as follows:
The comparative study in the Leaving Certificate English syllabus requires the study of three works chosen from a prescribed list. Only one of the selected works may be a film. The list for examination in 2003 included the following films:

On the Waterfront by Elia Kazan
Richard the Third by Richard Loncraine
Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann
The Third Man by Carol Reid
My Left Foot by Jim Sheridan
Cinema Paradiso by Giusseppe Tornatore

For the 2003 examination, the modes were:

Higher Level
(1) Theme or Issue
(2) The Cultural Context
(3) The General Vision and Viewpoint

Ordinary Level
(1) Hero/Heroine/Villain
(2) Social Setting
(3) Theme