The film “Intangible Asset No. 82”
For this optional extra credit assignment, you will watch a film and write a short essay on the questions provided below. The film is titled “Intangible Asset No. 82” and is 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can rent the film for streaming on Vimeo for $7.99, using this link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/intangibleassetnumber82. (Links to an external site.)
After watching the film, write a short essay of roughly 600 to 800 words that addresses the following questions:
• What do you think were the biggest differences that Simon Barker discovered between Korean shamanic music and his jazz training? Please be specific in mentioning examples of scenes or dialogues from the film to help explain your points.
• Towards the end of the film, Barker reflects on the healing ritual that he witnessed for Kim Seok-Chul, and describes how he (Barker) gained a different perspective on the music after that experience. In your own words, how do you think that Barker was transformed by that experience of witnessing the healing ritual, and what questions did it raise for him?
• Finally, share your own reflections on what this film tells us about the potential of music for increasing cultural understanding. Can music help us better understand cultural differences? What can we learn about this process from the story told in this film?
