Expert: Barbara L. Baker - 3/25/2003

Question
hi, sorry my question is long.
CATCH 22 1970
what are the things that could be done to make this movie better, and what do you like most about this movie and what you dont like about this movie.
I HAVE TO WRITE AN ESSAY IF YOU CAN HELP ME I WILL BE VERY GREATFUL TO YOU CAN HLEP ME.
(IN ESSAY I DONT HAVE TO TELL THE STORY)
WHAT IS THE MOOD?
WHAT IS THE PLOT?
WHAT IS THE THEM?
WHAT IS MISANSE? (dont know speling mesansay?
WHAT IS MOTAGE? (dont know speling mohtage?
thank you so much for putting your time. hope to hear soon from you thank you have a great day.
ARE THERE ANY WEBSITES WHERE I CAN GET INFORMATION ABOUT MY ESSAY..


Answer
Dear Asif:  You say you have to write an essay on this film.  I am guessing from the types of questions listed that this is a classroom assignment (probably an essay for an English class, or perhaps a Film Appreciation class).  Forgive me if my assumption is wrong, but I´ve taught both high school and college for a very long time, and I have given out assignments similar to this, so that is my assumption, that this is a homework project.  I also assume from these questions that this is not a major research project, but more of an opinion piece.

I´m not about to write your essay for you. I could have hit a reply button that said I don´t do homework questions, but I decided instead to reply with a small bit of help and some advice.

First, it seems to me from these questions that the person who assigned this film to you assumes that you will actually watch it.  This film is a funny, biting anti-war satire, based on a very popular novel, so my first piece of advice is for you to do just that--rent this film and watch it if you haven´t already.

Then you can provide your OWN answers to many of the questions posed.  You can certainly determine for yourself what the mood, theme, and messages (I assume that is what you mean) in the film are.  You should also be able to note the use of montage (I assume also that is what you mean, which is a type of editing technique).  And you certainly, after watching the film, will be able to tell what you like and don´t like about it.  You can form your own opinion about what would make it a better film (keeping in mind that a film from 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War, probably should be judged on different criteria than we might bring to judging a current film on a similar subject).  

As for the plot, and other opinions about the film, I refer you to the Internet Movie Data Base (imbd.com).  There you will find a lot of information on the film, including full cast and crew lists, along with links to various reviews.

You might also try google.com--there are over 2 million sites referencing "Catch-22," although it appears to me that many of them are on the novel, not the film.  You might have to do some searching.  I would hope that anything you take from websites you would fully credit in your essay.

Finally, I must reaffirm to you that, as a film professor who often assigns work like this to my students, I can assure you that I would much prefer students did their own work, and not report opinions of others, whether experts or not.  I think that is your best bet.  Good luck in doing the essay.