July 3rd, 2001

Small Group Discussion About Zuckerbaby and Babycakes and Discussion of Essay Writing

Small Group Discussion

At the beginning of class we got into small groups to discuss the differences and similarities in the American Version of Babycakes and the German version of Zuckerbaby, also to discuss the other perspectives of what the films say about the society and culture of the two countries through the two films respectively.  After about 25 minutes of discussion within the groups, we dispersed and an appointed spokesperson for each group told the rest of the class what had been said in the small groups.

Group 1 – Spokesperson:  Keisha

Group 1 discussed differences in the two films, first with the endings of the two, a happy ending or at least a resolution versus in the German version the viewer must interpret the ending.  Also with the soundtrack of the two, the American version always has something going on, a sound, a song, a monologue or dialogue.  The German version uses silences as a part of the interpretation of the film.  The German version also used color as an important part.  The way Marianna’s room was shown, the colors that stand out.  Group 1 perceived the American version to show the society’s shallowness and materialistic nature, and the fact that Americans need resolution. 

Group 2 – Spokesperson:  Craig

Group 2 focused on the presentation of Marianna and Grace.  In the American version Grace is independent and leads her own life, she has friends, but in the German version, she is just an existence, nothing more.  They felt that this was a very important aspect of the film.

Group 3 – Spokesperson:  Brian

Group 3 decided to focus on the aspect that the main character in each film is very obese.  They felt that both versions were not so much making fun at obesity, but poking fun and saying that you don’t have to be a sheltered, uncaring person when you’re obese.  Which is what seems is the case in the German version.  Because Marianna has no friends, and hates her job, and really has no life, it seems that many obese people are like that.  Group 3 felt that obesity was the main object of thought in the two films.

 Group 4 – Spokesperson:  Carla

Group 4 thought they were very different films and said that the biggest difference was the type of comedy they used.  The German version was very dark and serious, while the American version was light hearted, funny and not dark at all.  They felt this was a very important in the differences in the two films.

Professor Reimer gave the class several questions to discuss:

  1. What do you think the film Zuckerbaby says about German society?  The class began to throw out some ideas like that Marianna is a recluse, an outcast, and an outsider, with no emotion.  By this Adlon may be saying several things about the German society, That Germans are harsh and unfeeling, they may feel isolated, cold and are definitely blunt about issues.  Also Adlon uses death as a major theme in the film.  In fact the issue of weight had no part, it was that something about society had forced Marianna to isolate herself.  Adlon may have been trying to describe the German people to themselves as harsh, and unfeeling, and judgmental.
  2. What does Babycakes tell you about American society?   The class felt that Babycakes showed the superficiality of the society in America.  In the movie was cliché after cliché.  Americans look at the surface of things and make a judgment.  American has to have justification for everything.  But the film also showed that Americans are more sentimental, with the exception of monetary issues.  The funeral director was a perfect example.  We are a capitalist society.  The American version also shows much conservatism.  The two lovers were the same age, while in the German version Marianna was much older.  Rob is married in Zuckerbaby, and only engaged in Babycakes.  The conservatism of America also comes out in the scene when they first make love.  The viewer doesn’t even know if they have sex that first night in the American version.  While in the German version you know they do. 

Discussion on Essay Writing

The class watched two excerpts from the French film, La Femme Nikita, and the American film, Point of No Return.  Then took a few minutes to read an essay from several years ago, analyzing the two films as a whole.  The paper received a D, it seemed to be all contrast and compare, no analyzing of the films.  Professor Reimer then began to tell us what he would be grading on. 

1.      Mechanics – he expected us to be able to use a spell checker and not to have grammatical errors. 

2.      Expression

3.      Structure

4.      Content

Then he gave us a few tips on writing and proofreading our papers.  Make sure it is not all compare and contrast; there must be some interpretation.  Read the paper aloud, slowly with enunciation. 

We then watched excerpts from All that Heaven Allows and Ali Fear Eats the Soul.