Squint a bit and you'll think you're witnessing Sean Connery as James Bond flirt with Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny - in "From Russia With Love."
The details are just right. Bond is dressed to the nines, operating with a suave cool, while Moneypenny is prim and proper, all but impervious to Bond's charm.
But this isn't Hollywood; it's high school. A Tucson High Magnet School project dubbed Film as Anthropology links students from several classes to shoot scenes from classic movies. In the fall semester, the students re-shot scenes from classic films and re-created the movie posters. This semester, they're re-creating scenes from sitcoms.
Teachers Aaron Passmore and Kathleen Erickson, who developed the concept last year, say they haven't heard of a similar project at any other school.
"The whole idea of the project is to have students learn more about different decades through film," Passmore said. "We try to select films that are not only excellent examples of film, but that could also give some clues of sort of what was going on with humans out in the world during that decade as well."
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For instance, "From Russia With Love" (1963) teaches lessons about the Cold War, while "It Happened One Night" (1934) helps relate the stiff social norms of the era, as well as the class divisions during the Great Depression.
"A lot of impressions of history come from movies," Erickson said. "We just thought films are a wonderful study unto themselves. The lighting. The cinematography. It also provides kids another insight into the history and the cultural mores of the times. How women and minorities are portrayed in films can be quite shocking."
Passmore and Erickson select the scenes and assign students to acting, cinematography and directing roles.
About 100 students are participating, from five different classes, including film acting, digital media and photography.
"I really like it," said Reyna Corella, in November as she played Moneypenny in "From Russia With Love." "You learn about old actors and how movies were back in the day. I don't really watch '60s movies like this."
David Rosas directed Corella. He said he strived to nail the period detail.
"We're looking to accomplish a look as close as we can to the actual film," Rosas said.
Marcos Amado played Bond and said he tried to copy Connery's mannerisms.
"I really look into the character," he said. "You try to be that character. It's a big step. It's really unique and just really cool."
The students' hard work pays off in the end product.
"I was pretty surprised at how high some of the quality was," Passmore said. "We have virtually no budget, and of course, not necessarily the correct locations. I was surprised how good some of them turned out."
Passmore said all the students who participate are extremely interested in the project, and some liked it so much last year that they're back for more this year.
"They get to sort of act as professionals. They get to mirror, as closely as they can, a professional working environment."
Erickson said students tell her participating in the project changes the way they see movies and TV.
"They watch them from a much more analytical viewpoint," she said.
On StarNet: More photos at azstarnet.com/slideshow
"We just thought films are a wonderful study unto themselves. ... It also provides kids another insight into the history and the cultural mores of the times."
Kathleen Erickson,
Teacher who helped to develop the concept
Tucson High Magnet School students reshot scenes From:
• "From Russia With Love" (1963)
• "Badlands" (1973)
• "Norma Rae" (1979)
• "Pretty in Pink" (1986)
• "Lethal Weapon 2" (1989)
• "Election" (1999)
• "Good Will Hunting" (1997)
• "Ghost World" (2001)
• "Mean Girls" (2004)
• "Rebecca" (1940)
• "Stage Door" (1937)
• "It Happened One Night" (1934)
• "On the Waterfront" (1954)
Contact reporter Phil Villarreal at 573-4130 or pvillarreal@azstarnet.com
