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Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
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First contact with Gran Torino"Muscle cars" - timeless masterpieces or relics of the past?
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Icons of America's muscle car culture
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The downfall of American muscle cars
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Jamie Cullum - Gran TorinoAnalysing the film's main theme
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Gran Torino: A visual abstractionWorking with a film poster
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While-viewing: Getting into the filmThe exposition of Gran Torino
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Comprehension: The exposition of Gran Torino
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Contrasts and similarities in the film's exposition
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Beyond the text: Reworking the exposition
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Understanding Hmong People and CultureTo be Hmong American
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A timeline: Hmong life until today
Film terminology
The exposition
The exposition of a film or drama is the opening sequence. It contains a lot of information. We are introduced to the setting, main characters and their relationships, to previous events that determine the plot of the film – and sometimes even the central conflict that encompasses the film.

Gran Torino starts with the funeral of protagonist Walt Kowalski’s wife Dorothy. Why might a director choose to open a film in this way? Which opportunities does a funeral provide for the exposition of a film? Discuss with your learning partner.
Discussion help
- A funeral might provide the opportunity to…
- The director might choose to open his film like this in order to…
- The exposition is enriched through…
- The viewer gets the chance to…
Word help
- funeral – a ceremony, often a religious one, for burying or cremating (= burning) a dead person
- eulogy (for / to sb.) – a speech given at a funeral praising the person who has died
- funeral feast – a large or special meal after a funeral
- obituary – an article about somebody’s life and achievements, that is printed in a newspaper soon after they have died