Annotated catalogue

Films

Item 1: “Thirteen” (2003) Dir: Catherine Hardwicke
This is my main focus film. It was the first film that I thought of, which dealt with the social issue of dystopic youth, and possibly the breakdown of the American dream. It also presented an alternative style of film making as well narrative.

Item 2: “Kids” (1995) Dir: Larry Clark
This film also shows American youth gone haywire. It presents the idea of a lack of older role models and a deficit of future positive role models. This is also social realism presented in an alternative way, with the use of amateur actors.

Item 3: “American Beauty” (1999) Dir: Sam Mendes
This film focus’s less on the youth, though it presents a view of the American dream and its state. Therefore, I thought to bring in the argument of the American dream it was highly relevant.

Item 4: “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999) Dir: Kimberly Pierce
I felt the films subject matter of abhorring homosexuality or any alternative sexuality to heterosexuality felt by those specifically living in the Southern U.S, presents a certain lack of homogenisation and cultural integration around the country. Therefore, this lack of integration through prejudice and discrimination in the country perhaps shows a pessimistic view of America and the so-called American dream; which seemed to encourage liberation.

Internet

Item 5:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/14/catherine_hardwicke_thirteen_interview.shtml Catherine Hardwicke director of “thirteen” interview
This article was useful in gaining some quotes from the director which I could use in my analysis of her film. It also helped back up my argument and made my essay more valid and substantial.

Item 6: http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=5423
American Beauty review
This article presented symptoms of what the American dream contained, such as an element of domesticity and the desire for a family. However, the article suggested that “AmericanBeauty”presented a “dysfunctional” version of the American Dream. It was overall helpful to get another interpretation of the film.

Item 7: http://.barackobama.com/2007/11/07/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_31.php
Remarks of senator Barack Obama: Reclaiming the American Dream
Barack Obama who recently was elected as Americas next president was relevant for me in that to reach presidency is the epitome of acquiring the American Dream. For him to reach it as a black man suggests perhaps the American Dream is alive and well. I found this article, which embodied a speech from Obama was invaluable as it justified my questioning as to the existence of the American Dream as Obama himself considers in the speech that “the American Dream was slipping away”

Item 8: http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=10006
Thirteen review
This article presented me with the argument that Thirteen with its element of social realism presents a truer version of American youth as co-writer and actress Nikki Reed is suggested to have based it on real events that happened to her and her friends.

Item 9: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jIUjQL_Rcdc
Ellie Drake re-awakening of the American Dream- gave me a deeper understanding of the American Dream and gave a good definition of how the idea of it has changed over time.

Item 10: http://www.gigwise.com/news/47264/Beyonce-Barack-Obama-Is-The-American-Dream
As a fellow black American it can be argued that Beyonce's opinion is valuable.

Item 11: http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/4129.html
This provided me with a base and a solid definition of "The American Dream" defined by Truslow Adams. It also gave me an idea of the American dream, from a less formal perspective.

Item 12: http://www.labelnetworks.com/press/press_05_08.php
This supported my view that America has a large influence over the culture of other countries around the world due to globalisation.

Books

Item 13: Movies of the 90’s (Taschen2001)
This was helpful in rounding my opinion of the commentary offered in the films Kids and American Beauty. Through describing the plot subjectively they gave me an alternative way of reading the films; which included things that in my analysis which I did not pick up on.

Item 14: 1001 Movies you must see before you die (Stephen Jay Schneider-General editor 2003 Cassell Illustrated)
This book was helpful in suggesting that the “modern day suburbia” that people have worked so hard to live is actually a suburban nightmare, and also raises the question as to what is desirable in life, to make yourself happy.

Item 15: Generation Multiplex: The image of youth in contemporary American cinema (Timothy Shary 2002 The university of Texas Press)
This book gave an insight into the changing face of American youth cinema and how cultural issues affected the subject matter shown in films for example the prominant theme of "pure teen angst" in "Rebel without a cause" 1955. This was beneficial to provide me with a more rounded arguement in looking at film as a social commentary.

Magazines

Item 16: Empire March 2004
Provided a useful, simple quote to describe the film and made it relevant to my statement.

Discarded material

Magazine article Total Film Spin:
It was simply a three sentence long summary of the film, which provided no revelation in my project.