The movies are finished. It is time to write.

We finished the two movies.  The students really enjoyed the 1998 version, mostly because it is so ridiculous!  The 1998 movie strays so far from the original that it is laughable.  I look forward to the essays the students write next week. 

I am organizing my essay as well.  I am going to state that I think the original story is the best version.  While I did like the 1952 movie, I felt that it could have been a little better.  It brought in some silliness for laughs.  However, I did like the character of Red Chief in that version.  He was vicious.  There was little charm in him. 

Both of the movies are on YouTube if you look for the different parts. 

Here is the chart I had the students work with today.  I wanted them to focus on some of the main changes between the movie and the story.

Does the change matter?	Differences: Do they add to or take away from your enjoyment of the original?	Written Story	1952 B/W	1998 Color
	How we are introduced to Red Chief before the kidnapping.
	How the kidnapping takes place
	The role of Red Chief's parents in the story.
	The role of the narrator (Perspective)
	The amount of ransom money
	Who is "smart" and who is dumb?
	The use of extra characters
	The character of Red Chief: amount of dialogue, personality, ?
	The level of vocabulary used
	Type of humor: word play, intellectual, physical,irony
	Which characters are dynamic (change)?
	How does the story end?
	What is the theme of the story?