Should I show this in class?
I teach high school, 10th grade, and I think this would be a good movie to show. Or will this be too depressing for my students?
shareI think this movie is cool. Show it!
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MovieChat Forums > Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) Discussion > Should I show this in class?
Since it's rated R you'd be a pretty cool teacher!
shareThe rape part might get you in trouble, but when there's something inappropriate on movies I watch in class the teachers just fast forward it. But depending on your schools policy you might have to get permission slips signed. :D
Its better to burn out than fade away.
I don't remember that scene being too graphic so it should be ok. I think it may scare some kids, not because of graphic content, but because of the psychology of it all. I was depressed for a couple days after I saw this movie, mostly because it rang so true with my childhood.
shareI just finished up my sophomore year of high school. I personally love the movie. It's one of my all-time favorites. I can understand why you would want to show it (raise awareness of bullying etc) but I feel like the movie is just too vulgar to show in such a public setting. There are too many curse words, it's too dirty, it's got a lot of dark undertones. Great movie, but not for the classroom.
shareWe watched A Clockwork Orange in my high school psychology class. Honestly, most teenagers have actually seen first hand worse things than what is portrayed in Welcome to the Dollhouse.
-- I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been
do u even remeber watchin tha movie? there waz no rape scene! he jus threatened her but nothin even happened...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25HBw78_vOE
http://www.myspace.com/450983229
Your superiors won't want you showing this. I'll tell you straightforward. It's completely bleak, it makes the faculty look like snobs and completely useless, it's graphic nature will make them uncomfortable and worried about parent phone calls as well as school shooters. I first saw it when I was 13 and I loved its insight but a high school doesn't want that, if you tell them you want to show a bully film, they'll want some non-realistic feel-good ending movie like Lucas.
shareI teach too and I would say it depends on the culture of your school. I think that it also depends on what lesson you're tying it into.
shareI teach too and I would say it depends on the culture of your school. I think that it also depends on what lesson you're tying it into.
sharemaybe record it onto a vhs and silence out the bad words so you won't have to deal with the whole "omg ms.??? made us watch a horrible movie".. but like the person above me said, if the culture of your school is more laid back definitely show it. i have been enjoying this movie since before i was a sophomore.. it's great.
shareI would say show it, if its relevant to what you are teaching. if it's just for fun you might get into trouble, but still it isn'tn seriously disturbing and it wont keep them awake at night crying. It's probably nothing they haven't seen before. The "worst" scene I can think of is the "at 3 o clock im gonna rape ya" scene, but honestly they might find that funny.
How old are you in 10th Grade anyway?
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in a public school? You could get fired for showing this film!
"When you'd get so *beep* delicate?"
I just saw this for the first time last night. Right now I'm in a college course geared toward introducing critical theory into secondary English classrooms. If you're an English teacher, this would be perfect to show if the school approves it. You can introduce psychoanalytic theory.. "sibling rivalry" "inferiority complex" "insecurity" and fear of intimacy, abandonment, betrayal, etc. What I'd do is make it relevant by having them write a paper or use a powerpoint to choose a scene that is representative of each of those theories. This way, they can watch this great movie (yes, it is disturbing at times, but it is mostly realistic) and they can get a better sense of how NOT to act. Not only will this be educational for your class purpose, but it will be useful in everyday life. Enjoy!
shareThe more mature ones may be able to better understand it and process it. It may also hit a bit too close to home for some. I think some discussion afterwards always helps process movies as distinctive as this one, especially among minds that might not grasp the thematic intent of the movie.
"First you ask if you can be red, knowing that I'm always red."
The more mature ones may be able to better understand it and process it. It may also hit a bit too close to home for some. I think some discussion afterwards always helps process movies as distinctive as this one, especially among minds that might not grasp the thematic intent of the movie.
Exactly. I wouldn't even be surprised if some of the crueler classmates start comparing their targets to Dawn while the movie is being shown. share
No. You are being paid to teach. Lazy teachers show movies.
shareI teach 10th grade as well, and I'm considering it. Currently the students are reading "Speak," which has very similar overtones, but I don't want to show that movie (too contrived, for my taste). I think this one speaks volumes on the subject in cinematic form. Rape is a harsh subject, but it's a good age to start discussing its evils.
I say go for it, so long as you know what you're showing. You have watched it, right?
No way!
It isn't even barely appropriate for group showings below the college level.
It is a thought provoking film that opens up too many cans of worms. You could spend the next three years explaining it to them, and at least 10% of the parents would rightfully want to set you on fire.
This film shows a 7th grader kidnapping a child for the purposes of rape with a knife to the neck.
What the hell are you thinking?
I think Debra Lafave was more appropriate in giving a student a piece than showing this film would have been, so try that instead...
I haven't seen this movie yet, but if your school is anything like my school, the lone fact that it's rated R would keep it from being shown. I taught at a somewhat poverished school, 50% black, 50% white, and they didn't even let PG-13 movies be shown (to their knowledge, lol), and yet they'd probably let a movie like Spaceballs be shown, which has more cursing than some PG-13 movies.
shareThis film shows a 7th grader kidnapping a child for the purposes of rape with a knife to the neck.What the hell are you thinking? You think 15- or 16-year-olds haven't seen violence like that in media ALREADY? You're acting like these teenagers are clean slates of purity.
What the hell are you thinking?
"Ronnie the Bear Weasley, you are bravery, you are courage, you are chess. 1000 points!" share
I think it would be a good tool to show how much bullying hurts. To show such an unapologetic portrayal might changes lives and change how your students interact with others, especially if they're bullying or gossiping or generally being unpleasant people to each other.
"Ronnie the Bear Weasley, you are bravery, you are courage, you are chess. 1000 points!"
If a teacher seeks opinions on an IMDb message board about whether to show a film, the answer is no, don't show this or any other film. In fact, get out of teaching and find a job where you don't have anything to do with someone under 18 years of age. You're dangerous.
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