Sunset Boulevard, directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, is a new text for Year 12 students in 2023.
Some students will write an analytical essay (for their SAC and the 2023 English Exam); others will write their creative response based on the film.
Either way, you need to have a good grasp of the themes and characters. This workbook (How to Write an A+ Essay on Sunset Boulevard) gives an overview of the social and political context, the techniques associated with film noir and the “inside” Hollywood references and their purpose.
But most importantly, it shows students how to write an essay focusing on Wilder’s views and values and key complementary cinematic techniques. Students will use the various sentence models as a means of embedding metalanguage in their discussion to develop an insightful essay. The workbook also helps students zero in on the most critical film techniques so they can focus on what matters – churning out essays.
The workbook covers the features of a high-scoring essay, including relevant topic sentences, pertinent textual evidence, a logical progression of ideas, an awareness of the film’s complexity, and of ambiguous, inconsistent and ironic moments in the film’s denouement.
There are multiple essay plans, a checklist of key ideas, and annotated paragraphs and essays.