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Here is part of the viewing guide for the movie Shrek (VHS)


Why does Shrek finally allow Donkey to stay overnight?

Characters:


Shrek, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquad, Donkey, Dragon and assorted cartoon characters.


Key Points:


Play on words, turns stereotypes upside down from the princess's demeanor to ogre characteristics, from Disneyland to Lancelot Du Lac land. Also illustrates the meaning of friendship and the danger of eavesdropping and misinterpreting. Stereotypes include ogres; dragons; weak, helpless princesses; height; and body image.


7:42 - 8:30


Background - ogre reading fairy tale

Stereotypes: "lovely princess," "terrible fire-breathing dragon," "brave knights."


8:50 - 11:40


The ogre is eating, brushing his teeth and bathing.

What does he bathe in? Eat? What happens when he looks in the mirror?

How does the ogre see himself? How do the townspeople see him? Why are the townspeople going after the ogre?


11:45 - 13:39


The fairy tale characters are being sold and taken away. Why?

Can the donkey talk? Can he fly? How? Is the donkey smart? What makes you think so?


13:39 - 17:10


The soldiers try to capture the donkey but he runs away - right into the ogre.

The soldiers are afraid of the ogre, not because he did anything but because of who, or what, they think he is.

Does the ogre intend to protect the donkey? Does the donkey feel like he hasany friends? What do Shrek and the donkey have in common? Does Shrek scare the donkey?


17:11 - 18:38


Shrek and Donkey head towards Shrek's home.


18:40 - 19:48


Shrek has dinner by "Candlelight."

Where is Donkey? What is he feeling? What kind of music is playing?


19:50 - 22:54


Shrek has visitors:the Three Blind Mice, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other fairy tale characters.

Why do all the fairy tale characters come to Shrek's swamp? Does Shrek let them stay? Who is Lord Farquad? Why do the fairy tale characters applaud Shrek?


22:55 - 27:08


Lord Farquad's castle.

When we first meet Lord Farquad he is "interrogating" a gingerbread man.

Describe your first impressions of Lord Farquad.

One of the soldiers brings in a magic mirror. The mirror tells Lord Farquad that he needs to marry a princess in order to be king. The mirror presents him with three possible "candidates. "Lord Farquad chooses Princess Fiona. The mirror tries to tell Lord Farquad something but Lord Farquad does not allow it to speak.

Lord Farquad is short not "tall and noble."How are "Lords" usually depicted in fairy tales?


27:09 - 29:24


Shrek and Donkey arrive at Du Loc, Lord Farquad's residence. The first guard they see tries to run away. Why? Shrek and Donkey enter the grounds, which are very quiet.

Compare Disneyland and Du Loc.


29:25 - 33:16


Shrek and Donkey hear music and head towards its source: the arena. The knights are having a contest to see who will go "rescue" Fiona and bring her back to Lord Farquad. Lord Farquad sees Shrek and tells the knights that "whoever kills the ogre will be champion."

What happens? What is the crowd's reaction to Shrek? What is Lord Farquad's plan for Shrek? What does Shrek want in return?


33:17 - 35:17


Shrek and Donkey start off on their "quest." Shrek says to Donkey, "For your information there's a lot more to ogres than people think!"

How does Donkey feel about their journey?

What does Shrek use an example for the Donkey? Is this true of people, too - that there's more to people than what someone sees or thinks they see? Why does Shrek give Donkey the onion analogy?


35:20 - 38:25


Shrek and Donkey travel to the castle. When they arrive, the Donkey is afraid.

Shrek "encourages" him across the bridge.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were afraid and a friend helped you through it? What was the situation and how did your friend help?


38:30 - 42:10


Inside the castle.

Is Shrek afraid? How does Shrek know where the princess will be?

The Donkey "finds" the dragon who runs after him. Shrek tries to "subdue" the dragon and save Donkey. However, it appears that something about the dragon surprises Donkey.

What is so surprising? What does the dragon do to Donkey?


©Copyright 2004 by Teachers Against Prejudice. All rights reserved.


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Here is part of the viewing guide for the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding (VHS)


Characters:


Toula, Ian Miller, Nick, Yiayia, Voula, Taki, Nikki, Angelo, Athena, Maria, Gus, Harriet ("Harry") Miller, Rodney Miller, Mike


Themes:

Cross-cultural communication, generation gap, cultural pride


Location:


Chicago, Illinois

Toula's mother, Maria, tries to be supportive of Toula. She tells Toula, "The man is the head, the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head anyway she wants!"

What do you think this means? Do you agree or disagree?


Location:


Toula's mother, Maria, tries to be supportive of Toula. She tells Toula, "The man is the head, the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head anyway she wants!"

What do you think this means? Do you agree or disagree?


2:30 - 3:03


Gus to Toula, "You better get married soon. You're starting to look old!"

From a young age, Toula has heard that there are three things that Greek girls are supposed to do: marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone.

Is this the same in your culture?


3:45 - 5:05


Toula says that when she was growing up she knew she was different and was always teased.

How do you think she felt? Have you ever been teased? Why?

If your parents were immigrants, or if you yourself immigrated did you have to learn your parents'/grandparents'/your native language? If you did, were you happy about this? If you didn't, do you think it would have been good if you had?

Growing up, did your parents make you feel guilty like Toula's parents?


5:05 - 7:20


Windex scene - old wives' tale.

What kind of stories/tales did you grow up with?


7:20 - 8:14


Gus drives Toula and her classmates to school. Her father embarrasses Toula.

Toula's grandmother comes to live with them - she is still "talking" about the war between the Greeks and the Turks even though it is long since over.

In some cultures, it is usual for grandparents to live with their children and grandchildren - although not as common in the United States. Did any of your grandparents live with you? Do you think it is good for different generations to live together?


8:15 - 12:55


Toula is 30 years old and still working in the family's restaurant, Zorba's. She and her family are constantly together and her family is constantly complaining. The family is concerned that Toula is still not married and she is always being compared to her older sister.

Do you think there is a right age to get married? Do you think a woman or a man must get married? Have your parents ever encouraged you to get married? In your culture, are men and women treated the same in this regard?


12:55 - 16:29


Toula is very unhappy with her life. She feels that nothing ever changes. Then, Ian Miller comes into the restaurant to have breakfast with his friend Mike.

How does Toula react when she sees/serves him? Why is she so awkward?


16:29 - 18:50


Nick, Toula's brother, shows his father the new menu he has designed.

How does Gus react to Nick's work?

Toula wants to go to college and uses the excuse that it would help the restaurant.

Her father says, "Why do you want to leave me?" He puts her down.

Do you think he realizes the impact on her? Has this ever happened to you?


18:50 - 19:58


Toula wants to study at college. Gus asks, "Why does she (Toula) need more school? She's smart enough for a girl!" Maria, Gus' wife, is upset with him.


19:58 - 24:23


Toula gets "permission" and attends school. She goes through a transformation in more ways than one. As Toula gets more confident she sits with the "popular" girls.

Why does she want to sit with them? Is it only because she doesn't want to eat by herself?

Toula wants to work at her aunt's travel agency, so her aunt and mother go to work on Gus.

They "pulled one over" on Gus - how did they do this?


24:23 - 25:43


While working at the travel agency, Toula sees Ian.


26:58 - 29:45


Ian flirts with Toula through the window of the travel agency. Finally, he comes in, they talk, and he asks her out to dinner.


29:45 - 31:50


First date. Ian explains that he studied what he wanted to and not what his family expected. Toula says, "it takes a strong person to do that."

Ian remembers having met her before the travel agency when Toula was working at Zorba's. Toula said that back then she was "frump girl" but that's not how Ian remembers her.

What do you think this has to say about self-esteem, memory and attractiveness?



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Copyright © 2006 by Teachers Against Prejudice. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission from Teachers Against Prejudice, Inc.