Main page How to buy

The Navigator

A Medieval Odyssey

New Zealander Vincent Ward’s small miracle of a movie about a group of medieval miners who journey underground to escape the Black Death, and emerge in Twentieth Century Auckland, New Zealand.

Now available on DVD.

At 87 minutes, it is manageable within a tight timetable, and its allusive story, structure and film technique provide rich areas for study.

contents page

Introduction	3
Suggested teaching plan	4
The Complex Makeup of a Movie	7
Plot and Structure	8
Plot Outline	9
Plot Questions	12
Close Reading the Text	15
Analysis - Scene 1	17
Scene by Scene commentary	20
Analysis – last scene	24
Setting the scene	26
Costumes	28
Characters	31
Motifs and Symbols	34
The Meaning of the Film	36
Cinematography, Lighting, Music	37
Assignment Questions	38
Research	39
Changes from Screenplay	40
Introducing Genre	42
Extension Work	44
Tests	45
Background Notes	50
Student work sheets	52
Review	58
Cast and Awards	59
Unit outline	60
Glossary of Film Terms	61
Index	63

Top of page View sample page How to buy Next page: No. 2