Writing a college assignment on alien movies can be a great and creative topic, but it also needs some thought and careful planning. With so many classic films spanning decades and many themes such as horror, science fiction, and coming of age, it can seem overwhelming to transform such a broad topic into a thoughtful and thorough paper. If you are looking for strategies to get started, here are some tips for writing a college paper on alien movies.
1. Narrow Your Focus
It’s a massive collection of movies, from those that engage in diplomatic aliens-come-in-peace storylines to full-on alien-invasion scenarios. To write a good paper, you’ll need to narrow the focus. Possible options include selecting a particular subgenre, theme, or period for study, such as a subgenre of alien invasion movies from the 1950s, examining how the portrayal of aliens has changed over time, or looking at the human fear of the unknown in a particular film, such as Alien or E T.
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2. Analyze Symbolism and Themes
Alien movies, in particular, often have a deeper meaning than essential sci-fi action and adventure. One of the most effective ways to create an interesting paper is to examine the symbols and more prominent themes and then ask yourself what symbols of foreign threats are. Or you could examine a communal theme, like alienation, colonization, or the ethics of first contact. Arrival and many other movies explore communication and understanding, and films such as Independence Day look at themes of global solidarity and unity against a common enemy. Engaging with that symbolism and theme gives your paper more of an academic edge.
3. Compare and Contrast Different Films
If you’re having trouble figuring out how to shape your paper, contrasting different movies about aliens could be an excellent structure to follow. Pick two or more films and discuss what they have in common and where they differ in how they present the aliens, the mood of the movie, and the ideas at play. For example, contrast the good alien experience of E T with the invasion and tension of the aliens of The War of the Worlds, and how the treatment of aliens expresses the cultural milieu of each film. It will enable you to demonstrate differences of opinion and lead to some interesting conclusions about how different directors could treat the same thing in various ways.
4. Incorporate Film Techniques
In a college paper on alien movies, you will not only want to discuss the subject matter of the film but also the filmmaking techniques that help these alien stories come alive on screen. As you might imagine, moviemakers have many tools when building tension, eliciting emotion, and creating an otherworldly environment. Here are four techniques to explore:
- Special effects: When it comes to alien movies, they’re never complete without incredible CGI and special effects to make aliens and saucers seem real.
- Photography: Camera angles, framing, and lighting can dramatically change a scene. They can increase tension or depict isolation.
- Sound Design: Bizarre noises, intense silence, or stirring orchestral scores can be crucial to setting the tone of alien encounters.
- Editing: The speed of the cuts and transitions can be accelerated to create tension or smoothed out to make a suspenseful rise in the climactic moments.
You can pull these technical things out to enrich your viewer-derivation analysis.
5. Consider the Cultural Context
Just as alien films can express the racial anxieties of the Reagan era, the ecological fears of the 1950s, the moral panics over sexuality in the ’90s, and the social anxieties of the George W Bush administration, they can also express the cultural and historical context from which they emerge. To make your paper more interesting, consider how the cultural or historical moment informed the film. For instance, the alien-invasion films of the 1950s can be read as inflected with the Cold War ideology and fears of the nuclear apocalypse, such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
Crafting Your Final Paper
With so many alien movies out there, a college paper on alien film is an excellent way to explore the craft of storytelling, cultural themes, and technical filmmaking. Pick a narrow focus, analyze symbols, compare films, explore both film technique and cultural context, and your paper will be on its way to being insightful and entertaining. Pop some popcorn, press play, and sink your teeth into alien movies. There’s a lot to cover. And your paper can add something new to the discussion.
