Presentation Script

Presentation Script

Was Michael J Fox able to break the type casting of  ‘teen hero’ with his performance in ‘Casualties of War’?

Slide 1:  Image of Michael J Fox

Introduce Problematic: explain why I chose to look at Michael J Fox and that question I will be finding out if Michael J Fox was able to keep his relaxed style of acting after staring in Casualties of War.

Slide 2: Michael J Fox’s Biography

Michael J. Fox was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada as Michel Andrew Fox. His parents, Bill and Phyllis Fox, moved their ten-year-old son, his three sisters Kelli Fox, Karen and Jacki and his brother Steven to Vancouver, British Columbia, after his dad, a sergeant in the Canadian Army Signal Corps, retired. It was during these years that Michael developed his want to act. At fifteen, he successfully auditioned for the role of a ten-year-old in a series called "Leo and Me" (1981). Gaining attention as a bright new star in Canadian television and movies, Michael realized his love for acting when he appeared on stage in "The Shadow Box". At eighteen, he moved to Los Angeles and was, offered a few roles in television shows but early acting success ended fast when the roles stopped coming. For a while, he survived on boxes of macaroni and cheese. Then his agent called to tell him that he got the part of Alex Keaton on the TV series "Family Ties" (1982). He starred in the feature films, Teen Wolf (1985), high school U.S.A. (1983) (TV), Poison Ivy (1985) (TV) and back to the Future (1985).

Slide 3: Introduce Focus Film (still from the film)

Introduce focus film, Still from film and general facts: During the film Eriksson (Michael J Fox) and his squad kidnapped a female villager when Meserve (Sean Penn) and the rest of the squad rape her and Eriksson doesn't he becomes the outsider of the squad this film is more about the realities of war, rather than the single event. (Picture of the film poster)

1^st Video Clip Casualties of war: Introduce video clip - explain how scene fits in with the rest of the film, screen clip: The Clip is the scene where Michael J Fox Confronts Sean Penn about raping the VC Sean Penn’s character was, supposed to make you think of a heartless killing machine showing this scene like this with Michael J Fox pointing a gun at him and it not even making Sean Penn’s character slow he still acts the same just says “you got a weapon we all got weapons” he knows that if Michael J Fox attempts to pull the trigger then two of the three solders around him will shoot at Michael J Fox before he pulls the trigger.

2^nd Video Clip Casualties of war:

The end Scene on the extended edition shows the trial of the squad including Michael J Fox as a witness to the rape the scene shows each member one at a time being asked questions about the event, all four of the rapist’s are being asked questions about the rape, and why the rape occurred also the VC’s brutal death Michael J Fox is, questioned about the events the scene ends with the verdicts of the court, martial each member of the squad was, charged with rape and murder.

Slide 4:  Still image of casualties of war explain why I chose the film

Casualties of war was completely different film that Michael J Fox acted in which caused Michael J Fox to star in more serious roles

Slide 5: Introduce other films

The Film’s I will use to back up my question, are Teen Wolf and Back to the Future both of these films were, released in the same year and both have a similar type of acting style from Michael J Fox a comedy style of acting.

Slide 6: Introduce Teen Wolf

Teen Wolf it is about Scott Howard (Michael J Fox) and is about how he has to deal with being a werewolf. Scott is apart of his school basketball team who has never won a game when Scott changes into the Wolf in the middle of a basketball game the team starts to win every game they play in. (picture of the film poster)

Video Clip Teen Wolf

This Clip is from when Scott (MJF) first turns into the wolf in public showing the reactions of the basketball players and the people in the stands. I chose this scene because you wouldn’t expect the players to react they barely even react there is a silence then the game starts off as normal at the end of the scene there is a group of people entering a café lifting up Scott and throwing him into a booth.

Slide 7: Introduce Back to The Future

The first of three movies Back to the future is my favorite movie mainly because the first part doesn’t go forward in time it doesn’t give out any false hope for the future it goes back to a time people know about, also shows conciseness This film made the most out of the 2 sequels.

Video Clip Back to the Future

The Clip I chose for the film is the town center where Biff, Marty is chasing him is on a skateboard running from Biff in his car ending with Biff crashing his car into a truck with manure falling into the car. I chose this scene because it features in both Back to the Future and Back to the Future 2 the scene shows Marty McFly knock down Biff then run out of the café getting a skateboard to outrun them they just go around and around the park at the end of the scene Biff crashes his car into a truck with manure falling can covering the car a passengers in manure.

Slide 8: Michael J Fox’s Acting Style

Michael J Fox’s acting style is more comedy and family films like in Back to The Future it is a comedy, family film Teen Wolf is a comedy, family film Casualties of war is a drama war film he changed his acting style to fit a more serious role. Michael J Fox was, chosen for his part in back to the future and teen wolf because he looks like a teenager in both the films he was in his early 20’s both back to the future and teen wolf have a comedy side and in back to the future his character is, relaxed which suits him but in Casualties of war he had to change his acting style because in casualties of war it is a more serious role which is completely different to his original style of acting

Slide 9: My Reviews of the films

Back To The Future: The film has been my favorite film for 8 years when the main reason I think this is possible is because the DeLorean doesn’t go to the future and give false hope like most time travel films this film features the best soundtracks I have heard especially the enchantment under the sea dance with Johnny b Good with it also showing Chuck Berry’s brother telling him about the song he will be performing five to ten years later, also the fact with Marty changing the way his parents meet and endangering his and his family’s existence showing that Biff in the start was bossing George McFly and then at the end of the film it all changes because of George standing up for himself the film is a classic comedy and I think that’s why I still enjoy it now.

Casualties Of War: Sean Penn and Michael J Fox working together in this film is great showing how Sean Penn’s Character is in charge and in the army you are, supposed to follow all orders Michael J Fox’s character disobeys orders to rape a captured VC villager because it is against his ethics and throughout the movie showing how Michael J Fox tries to bring justice to the members of his squad that followed Sean Penn’s orders in the film the commanding offices told Michael J Fox that no court-marshal would convict them because they didn’t care about the VC.

Teen Wolf: Teen wolf is a great film it shows Scott Howard who is a basketball player who is also invisible to most people around his school his basketball team has not won a game yet but Scott Howard (Michael J Fox) when he changes to a teen wolf for the first time on the basketball field the other players and people watching are, shocked for a brief moment then the game starts off like it was before then every game they play they win until Scott attacks another basketball player he decides to stay human for the last game they win but only by working together unlike when Scott was a wolf the team just threw the ball to the wolf.

Slide 10: Conclusion:

In my opinion Michael J Fox was able to break his type casting of a teen hero for Casualties of war but it didn’t affect his other films because after Back to the future 2 was, released in the same year as Casualties of war and Back to the future 3 the acting style stayed similar to back to original the future style of acting.