For the last leg of our comparative analysis unit, we will watch the film version of The Invisible Man. Your guiding and essential questions for this:
- What makes a character sympathetic?
- What does it mean to be the hero or villain in a narrative?
- How does the character of Griffin in the film version of The Invisible Man differ from his counterpart in the novel?
- Why do filmmakers alter the source material for a narrative?
You will take notes in class as we watch the movie, and, unlike with the novel, you won’t be able to return easily to the film to confirm a detail or quotation, which makes your note-taking skills central. Focus on the big changes to the narrative: the introduction of new characters, the deletion of supporting characters, the shifts in characters’ motivations, the new and altered conflicts (especially the element of star-crossed romance), the climax, and the ending.
On YouTube (for the moment, at least) is an uncontested copy of James Whale’s film. Remember that some older texts and movies are in the public domain; our novel is, for example, and that means we can read the complete text for free. The film is not, and that makes our use of it acceptable only under fair use guidelines. If the clips located at the following site are removed, you will need to rent or borrow a copy of the film to fill in any gaps in your viewing.