Humanities 135: History of Film Fall Quarter 2011 North Seattle Community College Sections: Humanities 135.D1 Fully online class Instructor: Bradley Lane, M.Ed. Office: IB 2312A Physical Office Hours: 9:00 am – 11:00 am, Monday to Friday, and other times by appointment. [Note: I will be at my computer, logged into our online course during these hours as well and able to respond to email as rapidly as possible during these times.] Office Telephone: (206) 934-4536 Faculty webpage: https://people.northseattle.edu/users/blane Email:
[email protected] (Use before the start of the quarter or in an emergency. For course-related email, please use ANGEL email.) Required Texts: Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History: An Introduction. 3rd edition. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009. Print. ISBN 0073386138 You will also need to obtain the following films on your own from Netflix, a public library, or the video rental store of your choice and watch them in their entirety. Please see the schedule at the end of this syllabus for more information about the order we will watch these films, and the approximate dates you should plan to view them. Bergman, Det sjunde inseglet [The Seventh Seal] (1956)—Sweden (96 min) Capra, It Happened One Night (1934)—USA (105 minutes) Cronenberg, Videodrome (1983) – Canada (89 min.) Cuarón, Y tu mama también [And Your Mother, Too] (2001) – Mexico (105 min) Curtis, Casablanca (1942) – USA (102 minutes) Fellini, La Dolce Vita (1960) – Italy (160 min) Godard, À bout de soufflé [Breathless] (1960) – France (87 min.) Kaige, Bàwáng Bié Jī [Farewell My Concubine] (1993) – China (171 min) Kieślowski. Trzy kolory. Czerwony [Three Colors Trilogy: Red] (1994) – Poland (99 min) Kurosawa, Rashomon (1950) – Japan (88 min) Lynch, Mulholland Drive (2001) – USA/Canada (147 min.) Malick, Badlands (1973) – USA (95 min.) Twyker, Lola rennt [Run, Lola, Run] (1998) – Germany (81 min) von Trier, Dancer in the Dark (2000) – Danish/International (139 min) Wiene, Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari [The Cabinet of Dr Caligari] (1920) – Germany (72 min) – Wilder, Double Indemnity (1944)—USA (107 minutes) Description: This survey course gives students a historical overview of the origins and development of world cinema from 1900 to the present. It examines the various influential directors, major film movements, and national cinemas that have most influenced the progression of world cinema.
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History of Film offers an exhaustive, if very selective, overview of cinema history. We will learn how to develop a historical appreciation of film based on a survey of cinematic traditions, and we will acquire a critical, technical, and aesthetic vocabulary relating to particular cinematic practices and structures as well. We will also explore the impact of technological developments on film production and evaluate both the importance of certain film genres and the legacy of individual ‘auteurs’ throughout the history of cinema. Film Screenings: Because we are looking at global cinema (not just U.S./Hollywood cinema) from an academic perspective (rather than from a purely entertainment perspective), you must be prepared to view films that will challenge you and take you outside of your typical film viewing ‘comfort zone.’ If you are not interested in that challenge, you should not take this course. Furthermore, you are expected to pay close attention to the films when you screen them at home, and you will be graded on your written responses to all of the material that you screen on your own. Finally, the adult subject matter and profanity in the rated-R films we’ll view might be offensive to some students. If you are a Running Start student and/or under the age of 18, please consult with your parent(s) or guardian(s) to determine if this course is appropriate for you. Because this is an online class, you are required to obtain the films for this course and watch them on your own. Many students find that it's easiest to set up an online film account such as Netflix so that films can be scheduled to arrive in the mail. Another option is to rent the movies from your local video store. I have worked hard to select films that are readily available from multiple sources, or else freely available in their entirety in streaming form on the Internet at sites like youtube.com or videos.google.com. All public libraries, such as the Seattle Public Library and the King County Library System should also have the required films that you can check out. For those students who also attend classes on campus, the NSCC Media Center, housed in the NSCC Library, has all of our assigned films, as well, available for free checkout. Prerequisites: This course is a college level film studies course. Your enrollment in this class requires that you been placed into ENGL 101. In order to succeed at HUM 135, it is strongly recommended that you have taken ENGL 101 and passed with a 2.0 (C). Also, because this class focuses more on the historical traditions of cinema than on exploring the basic tools for analyzing the art of film, students are encouraged to have already completed HUM 110: Introduction to Cinema as well. HUM 110 addresses the uses of camera, editing, lighting, sound, and acting, for instance, and establishes expectations about how to write and think academically about film. It is also offered online, almost every quarter. While it is certainly not necessary to have completed HUM 110 to pass this class, students who have not had any film appreciation courses will have some extra ‘catch-up’ work to do the first weeks of the quarter for this course. On The Online Nature of this Course: Class will be conducted entirely online. There is no specific time of day when you need to be online; however, you will need to check the class page regularly to stay on top of things. I will check my ANGEL email at least once per weekday, and you need to, too. I rarely check my email on the weekends. This class is both reading and writing intensive. Please realize that you'll be reading, working on your own, and working online rather than sitting in a classroom 5 hours a week as you would with an "ordinary" class. Be prepared to spend those 5 hours online instead -in addition to the normal reading/writing homework time. For many of you this will seem strange at first and you'll feel like you spend inordinate amounts of time online. Keep reminding yourself of the time you're NOT spending in a classroom and commuting to school! It is not unusual to spend up to 15 hours per week on work for this class.
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If you have never taken an online course before, please read the information for “Potential” and “Registered” online students at: http://www.virtualcollege.org/resource/orient.htm (scroll down to the yellow and blue shaded boxes near the bottom of the page). These brief orientations will help you to understand what’s expected from you in an online class, so please take a few minutes to read this over. This is very important information! Profile of a Successful Online Student - Has basic proficiency with Internet and with sending and receiving e-mail and file attachments - Is a self-motivated learner who takes initiative and responsibility for one’s own learning - Is disciplined about time management and can prioritize one’s own workload - Learns well through written instructions - Is able to allocate time in one’s schedule for the workload and time commitment of an online course that are similar to those of a more “traditional” classroom course - Is a responsible and accountable group member, providing timely and thoughtful feedback - Keeps the peer group and the instructor closely informed if situations arose preventing the student from keeping up with the course workload. Additional prerequisites for Online Sections: - Keyboarding/ typing skills are required for success in this class. - Every student must have regular and reliable internet/computer access set up for participation in our online classroom at least four days a week. Using ANGEL/Technical Difficulties: We will be using ANGEL as our online courseware. To access our online course, go to http://angel.northseattle.edu. Use your student ID number for the username and the first five letters of your last name for the password. For example, if your student ID number is 955-554411 and your last name is Johnson, then your username would be 955554411 and your password would be johns. If you have trouble logging on, please check the Distance Learning office's troubleshooting information at http://www.virtualcollege.org/resource/technicalhelp_index.htm. If you can't solve the problem that way, contact the Distance Learning office help desk: (206) 934-3738 or email them at
[email protected]. Course Goals: This course examines the history of film: to situate world cinema in a global historical and cultural context. to trace the historical developments of world cinema in the context of both mainstream and independent film. to gain familiarity with and appreciation of the major film movements around the world and how they influenced and informed each other. to understand how historical events such as World War II shaped who made films, how films were made, and what films were about. to look at the use of movies as ideological tools and as propaganda to understand film’s power to reflect, reveal, critique, and challenge cultural systems. to explore how technological innovations have changed who makes films and how. to investigate the ways in which films have (or have not) presented diverse voices.
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Course Outcomes: This course meets the following campus-wide Essential Learning Outcomes: Knowledge: Facts, theories, perspectives, and methodologies within and across disciplines [FTPM] Intellectual and Practical Skills, including: Communication and self-expression [CSE] Personal and Social Responsibility, including: Intercultural knowledge and competence [ICC] By the end of this course, you will be able to Explain how sociopolitical, technological, and industrial circumstances have influenced the aesthetics of cinema at given junctures of history. [FTPM, CSE] Explain the role of film as an art form expressing and reflecting historical context. [CSE, ICC] Identify and evaluate international film movements and genres and their roles in producing and communicating meaning within and between nations. [FTPM] Describe ideologies, attitudes, governments, filmmakers, economics and historical events that have shaped international film. [FTPM] Analyze film as a vehicle for uncovering and understanding a nation’s perception of itself. [CSE, ICC] Recognize and analyze key elements of the language of film at work in film texts. [CSE] Course Policies: Log in regularly. The importance of logging in and ‘attending’ online multiple times a week cannot be overestimated. You will have regular online discussions of course readings and films that require you to post to your assigned forums over the course of four different days that week. There will be other written assignments (film journals, quizzes) that are also due each week. In order to finish the week’s worth of assignments successfully, you will need to begin fairly early in the week. If you wait until the end of the week to start working on material for this class, you will fall behind and fail to complete everything. If you wait to post discussion comments only at the end of the week or over the weekend, you will earn less credit, since your colleagues will have much less time to reply to you before we start the next week's conversations. It is not unusual to spend up to 15 hours per week on work for this course. Plan to log in 4-5 days a week and to check your ANGEL email each week day (Monday-Friday). I will plan to do the same. All correspondence in this course — the journals you write, the posts you make in discussion forums, and the emails you write any to me — is expected to be in standard edited English – no texting shorthand, no informal English, or the like. Save your work. It is your responsibility to keep an extra copy of all assignments that you turn in. Submit your work on time. Assignments are due at 9:00am PST on the day assigned, unless otherwise noted. Because I believe that part of being a responsible college student is keeping up with ongoing course requirements and deadlines, I do not accept late assignments. For each assignment you need to turn in there is a specific due date/time. To turn in an assignment, go to the Lessons tab and select the folder for the current week of the course. Click on the assignment you want to turn in and then upload your file. Don't forget to click "Submit" after you upload the file! The computer will NOT accept your assignments after the posted time. Therefore, you need to be on top of
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things and give yourself time in case there is a problem. If you do not turn your assignment in on time, you will receive 0 points on that assignment. If the server is ever down, the IT people contact me. If this happens, I will be understanding; however, other than a server crash, no other computer excuses will be accepted. Grades: Your grade will be based on a variety of projects and assignments, including reading quizzes, film journals, discussion forums, and QuickCheck Forums. Film Journals: You will write one journal entry in response to each of the assigned films and turn your journal in to be graded three times during the quarter. Details of how to write your film journal can be found as the third item under the “Lessons” tab, in front of all the weekly lessons folders. On the weeks when film journals are due, you will submit them via dropbox at 9:00 am Monday morning of that week. You may not e-mail your journal assignments to me. I expect everything you turn in to be thoroughly proofread and edited in Standard Academic English. In order to be sure I can open the file you send me, please save all of your files as rich text (.rtf) files or Word (.doc or .docx) files. I can’t open .wps files or .pages files, for instance. I will write brief comments in response to your journal entries. You will be able to see my comments from the "GRADES" link on the homepage. I try to write enough comments so that you understand the types of issues you need to work on for the next assignment. If you ever have a question about a comment I made, please let me know. Quizzes: Each week there is a short reading quiz. The quizzes contain multiple-choice questions that relate to the chapters from the Film History textbook that you were assigned to read for that week. The quizzes are always due on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. PST. You must be finished taking the quiz by that day/time. The quizzes are open-book and open-note, so use any of our class resources that you’d like to help you. The point of the quiz is just to reinforce the reading, not to be tricky. You are allowed to take a quiz twice. The higher of the two quiz scores will be the one recorded in the gradebook. Each time you take the quiz you will be given a randomized set of questions and answers, so you will likely not get the exact same quiz the second time you take it. If you choose to take the quiz a second time, the second attempt must be completed before Thursday at 9:00 a.m. PST as well. So, obviously, you need to plan ahead if you’d like to take advantage of the retake option. Quizzes not completed by their due date may not be made up. Discussion Forums: Each week, you will participate in discussion forums about the assigned films. You need to post on 4 different days of the week, not just post 4 times on one day. It's up to my discretion, but a post has to be substantial and meaningful, contain thought, and add something to the discussion in order to "count." As a very basic guideline, remember that your posting is in lieu of attending class, and class time fills 5 hours per week, so your posts should take approximately that amount of time per week for you to write. Remember to discuss with your peers -- not just post in a vacuum. Interacting with your group members is the equivalent of "going to class" -- and it is not optional. There will be prompts provided to guide your discussions each week. Discussing the films (participation) is a significant portion of your class grade, so please truly engage in the discussions. I run the discussions like seminars -- they tend to be run by the students rather than me being the focal point or "expert.” I've found students learn more by hashing out issues or responses to the films by talking to each other. I will participate in the discussions occasionally, but more in the
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form of asking follow-up questions and encouraging discussion. I read almost every post in all of the group areas even though I won’t reply often. I do reply, though, to every question posted in the “Q&A forum”—the second item under the ‘Lessons’ tab. No matter where you post, please make sure you title your post with a clear and informative title. “I don’t get it” isn’t a very clear title for a post! “The Use of Music to Create Tension in Psycho” is quite clear, however. So, be clear! It helps us all when we’re wading through posts! In order to earn full participation points, here is exactly what you need to do: 1. Post on four different days of the week. 2. Meet the logistical requirements for each forum: an initial post of at least five sentences; three replies of at least six sentences each to three different classmates’ ideas; replies of at least five sentences to each person who replies to your initial post. 3. Make your posts substantial and meaningful by having a unique or original point (don't repeat what others have already said in the group -- that means you have to READ what's already been said so that you're adding something new to the conversation). 4. Make every post substantial and meaningful by using at least one detailed example from the film or our class textbook to support your point or idea. 5. Make your posts connect to others by referring to what others have said, adding your own ideas, and then encouraging a response by possibly asking a follow-up question (remember, the idea is to have a conversation, not to post in a vacuum!). 6. Make your posts substantial and meaningful by making them at least a paragraph or two (about 5-7 sentences in length or so-- little one liners won't count towards your post totals). 7. Use the vocabulary (technical language of film) that we're learning from the textbook -- in order to both be precise as well as to illustrate that you're doing the reading and understanding how to use the appropriate vocabulary. Connect to our textbook when possible. 8. Make your posts easy to read and understand by proofreading and editing carefully. Final Exam: As a summative way of gauging what you have learned about watching and writing about films over the course of the quarter, you will be given a final ‘exam’ during the last week of the course, which will require you to answer a prompt or watch film clip and respond via brief paragraphs that prompt you to connect these films to the film genres, movements, and techniques we have studied over the course of the quarter. The intention here is not to have you cram or study for some exam in order to memorize the ‘correct’ answers, but rather to have you show, via your writing, how you have become a thoughtful and critical viewer of film who now has more knowledge of world cinema in a global and cultural context than you did at the beginning of the quarter. Maximum points possible under each category are as follows: Film Journals (15 pts each x 16 entries) 240 points (1 for each film screened in its entirety; journals collected 3 times over quarter)
Quizzes (30 pts each x 11 quizzes)
330 points
(1 per week; 2 retakes possible each week with highest grade recorded)
Discussion Forums (30 pts each x 11 forums)
330 points
(1 per week)
Final Exam (100 pts total)
100 points
(completed during final week of course)
Total:
1000 points
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You will accrue points for each of the above assignments over the semester. These points will be added together to arrive at a final grade that is calculated as a percent average (i.e., 854 points = 85.4%).
Grading criteria are as follows: 94-100: A (3.9 -4.0) 90-93: A- (3.5-3.8) 87-89: B+ (3.2-3.4) 84-86: B (2.9-3.1) 80-83: B- (2.5-2.8) 77-79: C+ (2.2-2.4)
74-76: C (1.9-2.1) 70-73: C(1.5-1.8) 67-69: D+ (1.2-1.4) 64-66: D (0.9-1.1) 62-63: D(0.7-0.8) 61 or below: F (0.0)
The grade given at the end of the quarter will be based on a 4.0 scale. No grades of I (“incomplete”) or NC (“no credit”) will be granted except in the most extreme circumstances. If you do not feel you will be able to complete the course to your satisfaction, it is your responsibility to drop/withdraw from the course. I am happy to consult with you and advise you in these matters, so that we can determine a course of action that is most appropriate for you. For more information regarding withdrawing and other registration related questions: http://www.northseattle.edu/enroll/admit/policy/chsched.htm The specific point value assigned to any assignment or exercise will correspond to how well you meet the terms of the assignment. Grading criteria for papers include unity; coherence; support; the use of Standard English grammar, spelling, and sentence structure; and meeting the requirements of the particular assignment. As a general guideline: A (4.0): ‘A’-level work is outstanding, typically exceeding normal expectations for the assignment. It explores the subject in great depth and reveals attention to nuances and complexities of the topic at hand. It is original, focused, carefully supported, nicely organized, and a pleasure to read. It more than meets the requirements of the assignment and exhibits the writer’s mastery of mechanical skills and style. B (3.0): ‘B’-level work is better than average. It examines the subject in some depth. It meets the requirements for the assignment but lacks some of the tight structure, higher-level analysis, and cohesion of A-level work. It may have some minor gaps in logic, unsupported assumptions, or lack of full synthesis that leads to a really strong thesis. C (2.0): ‘C’-level work offers an acceptable examination of the subject, but it lacks the depth that comes with superior analysis. It often requires more definiteness, focus/specificity, and original thought in thesis statements. Skeletal overall organization is present, but more unity and coherence in body paragraphs is needed. Paragraphs may not be fully developed. Work may depend on generalizations and lack detail overall. Sentences are clear but may be awkward at times. Often more extended summary than analysis here that omit the thinking beneath the surface of matters.
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D (1.0): ‘D’-level work demonstrates below average effort. It does not examine the subject in depth and lacks organization. Quotations or examples do not support points as they should, for instance. Reading may be a bit simplistic. Furthermore, paragraphs are not developed well. Awkward sentence structure may create problems for the reader. Work may exhibit significant mechanical difficulties and likely will not complete all the requirements of the assignment. F (0.0): ‘F’-level work is unacceptable. It lacks thesis and organization. Paragraphs are not developed. It lacks details and examples. It may be difficult to follow, incomprehensible, or incoherent. It does not follow the assignment or lacks basic requirements of the assignment, such as proper length, documentation requirements, recognizable thesis and support, and overall coherence and unity. Grade Availability: After your assignment submissions have been graded, your scores will automatically appear in the ‘Grades’ box on the HUM 135 home page. You may need to refresh your ‘Grades’ box by clicking the ‘circle arrow’ button in the top right of the box to see the most recent update to your grades. OTHER COURSE POLICIES: Academic Honesty Statement: Academic honesty is the standard for all work in this course. To take the words or ideas of someone else and present them as your own is plagiarism and is unacceptable in academic life. The nature and causes of plagiarism may cover a range from the accidental to the dishonest. Examples of plagiarism encountered in academic writing may include the following: - incorporating into your own writing, without proper and complete acknowledgement, words and sentences from a print, electronic, or oral source - inserting longer passages (such as four or five consecutive sentences or whole paragraphs) of somebody else’s writing into your own without complete acknowledgement - paraphrasing so closely or so extensively from a source that sentences or ideas really belong to the original writer - submitting as your own entire essays written by another person or taken from a printed source or off the internet - receiving so much help from another person that the work could not honestly be called your own. Students, by their attendance here, agree to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct, which states, in part, that “academic dishonesty, to include cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college” may bring disciplinary action. The policy of the NSCC English faculty is to exercise its professional judgment as to the nature and cause of each case of suspected or proven plagiarism and to respond in a manner suited to the case. Responses may include the following: - requiring that a piece of writing be revised to eliminate the plagiarism - denying credit for a piece of writing in which the plagiarism has been found - recording a ‘0’ grade in the student’s class record for the project, thereby lowering the student’s final grade. When I have encountered plagiarized work in the past, my policy has been to record 0 points on that assignment and a to file formal report with the college requesting disciplinary action. ‘Warnings’ are typically not given for first or unintentional offenses.
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Americans with Disabilities Statement: If you need course adaptations or accommodation in the classroom because of a disability or special need, please contact Disability Services at (206) 934-3697 (2nd floor of the College Center near Registration). Disability Services can assist individuals with both physical and learning/academic disabilities. If you have emergency medical information to share with your instructor, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform your instructor at once. Copyright Statement: Students shall adhere to the laws governing the use of copyrighted materials. You must insure that your activities comply with fair use and in no way infringe on the copyright or other proprietary rights of others. This includes your viewing of the films required for this course. Committing copyright infringement or downloading pirated copies of films is illegal, and students should understand that being enrolled in a course for college credit does not absolve them from existing copyright laws. Classroom Diversity Statement: Respect for diversity is a core value of this online classroom. Our college community fosters an optimal learning climate and an environment of mutual respect. We, the college community, recognize individual differences. Therefore, we are responsible for the content and tone of our statements and are empathetic writers and readers of each other’s work. Netiquette / Behavior Statement: Students should always conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Words can mean many things and what we intend to say is not always what others hear. This is especially true of online communication, during which other students do not have the opportunity to see your body language or hear your tone and therefore have a greater possibility of misunderstanding what you truly mean. Please follow these guidelines in all your online responses and discussion group posts. RESPECT. I would like to suggest respectful exchanges as a basic ground rule. Informational errors should be pointed out respectfully. Disagreements that honor the viewpoints of the various contributors are productive and can lead to new learning and understanding. PRIVACY. Keep in mind not only your own privacy rights but others as well. Do not reveal any information that you deem private. CONSIDERATION. Please be considerate of grammatical/spelling errors. Re-read your posts before sending them to proofread your own work for errors. AWARENESS. Remember that humor and satire are often misinterpreted online. Communication is more than words. So be prepared for some misunderstanding and requests for clarification. SUPPORT. Be supportive of each other. We are all still learning. Our job is not to judge or condemn or even praise, although genuine encouragement is a necessary ingredient in our learning with and from each other. We are here to provide information, to address topics in an online learning community, and to provide assistance in helping each participant use her or his own unique learning style. Reflection generally precedes
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growth. So reflect upon what is said, provide sincere comments, and we will likely all grow. One good way to avoid problems is to reread your postings before sending them. Something written in haste is much more likely to be misread. The Loft Language Lab: The Loft is the campus language lab/writing center, located on the top floor of the library on the North Seattle Campus. One of the primary attributes of The Loft is the free tutoring! The tutoring sessions last 30 minutes, are held on a first-come first served basis, and can help you with reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking. For online students, the Loft also offers free online, email-based tutoring at http://www.northseattle.edu/services/loft/loftemail.htm. Although you will not be required to use the services of the Loft in order to be successful in this class, many students have found their services helpful. For more information, call (206) 934-0078 or visit http://www.northseattle.edu/services/loft/. Conferences with Your Instructor: You are encouraged to visit your instructor during office hours or at another mutually convenient time to discuss any aspect of the course. For students who are unable to come to campus, I will be available by phone at (206) 934-4536 and am willing to set up a phone appointment. I am always happy to receive feedback about the course or simply get to know you a bit better, help you wrestle with difficult texts or concepts, or address any concerns you may have.
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COURSE SCHEDULE This course is organized by weeks, with all of the material for a given week organized with a tasklist for you to follow in that week’s folder under the ‘Lessons’ tab. For purposes of this class, the first day of a given week begins on Monday, and the week ends on Sunday. Ideally, you should be doing your logging on and participating at least 4 different days from Monday to Sunday. You are welcome to do some of your posts over the weekends, provided you remain engaged throughout the week and don't miss any major due dates for peer reviews and assignments. If you post comments only at the end of the week or over the weekend, though, remember that you will likely earn less credit since others will not have time to reply to you before we start the next week's conversations. In order to think and write critically about each of the course’s major film texts, I structure the course so that you are locating and viewing most films for the first time the week before you have to write about them in discussion forums the following week. Because you will be reading and writing about the films in a sustained way the week following your initial screening of them, it is likely you will re-watch the film, at least partially, as you complete your journal entry and discussion forum posts the following week. There may also be additional clips to view online of excerpts from other films during a given week to extend your learning from the textbook and the discussion forum as well. Unless otherwise noted, all assignments (marked in bold) are due at 9:00 am PST on the day they are due. (Sometimes, ANGEL’s date and time stamp is not set to Pacific Time, so I trust you to manage your own time!) To begin your work for the week, locate your weekly list of tasks in the appropriately numbered Week Folder (‘Week 1,’ ‘Week 2,’ ‘Week 3,’ etc.) in the ‘Lessons’ Tab of the course website. Please begin your week’s discussion forum participation after having completed the week’s reading. The schedule is a tentative guide of what we will do each week. Follow the tasklist in each week’s folder for up-to-date, complete information about what to do each week. I reserve the right to adjust deadlines and add or remove readings, films, or assignments as needed.
Rise of Film and Studio Systems Week 1: Origins of Film Reading: Film History, Ch 1 (p. 4-21 only) Ch 2 (p. 31-38 only) For students new to film: P. 19-85 of A Short Guide to Writing About Film (pdf available in Week 1 folder) Clips to View This Week: Melies, Le Voyage dans la lune [A Voyage to the Moon] [1902] – France (14 min.) Google videos: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=681138103275355387# Buñuel, Un Chien andalou [Andulusian Dog] (1929) – Spain (16 min.) Google videos: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3830396680029577028# Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Melies and Buñuel by Sunday Film Journal #1 on either A Voyage to the Moon or Andalusian Dog
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Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Wiene, Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari [The Cabinet of Dr Caligari] (1920) – Germany (72 min) – Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Week 2: Birth of National Cinemas: German Expressionism and Soviet Montage Keyword: Style Reading: Film History Ch 5 (87-100 only) Ch 6 (105-124 only) Excerpts from BFI Classics’ Das Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari Optional for students wanting even more background: Kracauer, “Caligari” (pdf available in Week 2 folder) Clips to View this Week: Eisenstein, Bronenosets Potemkin [Battleship Potemkin] (1925) – USSR [excerpts from the Odessa Steps sequence.] (7 minutes.) Watch on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLEE2UL_N7Q Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Dr. Caligari and Battleship Potemkin by Sunday Film Journal #2 on either Dr. Caligari or Battleship Potemkin Bonus film journal opportunity Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Capra, It Happened One Night (1934)—USA (105 minutes) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Week 3: Studio Systems and Classical Hollywood Style Keyword: Continuity Reading: - Film History Ch 3 (55-65 only) - Ch 7 (128-138 only) - Ch 10 (195-206 only) - Bordwell and Thompson, “Technological Change and Classical Film Style” (pdf in Week 3 folder) Optional for students wanting more background: Kristin Thompson, “The Continuity System” (pdf in Week 3 folder) Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on It Happened One Night by Sunday Film Journal #3 on It Happened One Night Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Curtiz, Casablanca (1942) – USA (102 minutes) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
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Wilder, Double Indemnity (1944)—USA (107 minutes) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
The War Years Week 4: Hollywood, Propaganda, and Political Cinemas Keyword: Genre Reading: Film History Ch 10 (206-218) Ch 15 (299-323) Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Casablanca and Double Indemnity by Sunday Film Journals for Casablanca (#4) and Double Indemnity (#5) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Kurosawa, Rashomon (1950) – Japan (88 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Bergman, Det sjunde inseglet [The Seventh Seal] (1956)—Sweden (96 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
Postwar Cinemas Week 5: International Postwar Styles Keyword: Auteur Reading: Film History Ch 16 (324-330 only) Ch 18 (358-363 only) Ch 19 (381-383, 385-390) Assignments: First set of film journals (#1-5) due Monday at 9:00 am Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Rashomon and The Seventh Seal by Sunday Film Journals for Seven Samurai (#6) and The Seventh Seal (#7) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Fellini, La Dolce Vita (1960) – Italy (160 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
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New Wave and ‘Young Cinemas’ Week 6: Italian Neo-Realism and ‘Young’ Cinemas Keyword: Reflexivity Reading: Film History Ch 12 (253-258 only) Ch 16 (330-340 only) Ch 19 (390-394 only) Ch 20 (414-418 only) Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on 8 ½ and Blow-Up by Sunday Film Journals for La Dolce Vita (#8) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Godard, À bout de soufflé [Breathless] (1960) – France (87 min.) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Malick, Badlands (1973) – USA (95 min.) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Week 7: New Wave and New Hollywood Keyword: New Wave Reading: Film History Ch 20 (403-414 only) Ch 22 (472-490) Visit and explore Newwavefilm.com: http://www.newwavefilm.com/new-wave-cinemaguide/nouvelle-vague-where-to-start.shtml Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Breathless and Badlands Film Journals for Breathless (#9) and Badlands (#10) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Kaige, Bàwáng Bié Jī [Farewell My Concubine] (1993) – China (171 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Kieślowski. Trzy kolory. Czerwony [Three Colors Trilogy: Red] (1994) – Poland (99 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
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Postcolonial and Postmodern Cinemas Week 8: Postcolonial Cinemas Keywords: Political Modernism Reading: Film History Ch 23 (492-497, 510-515) Ch 25 (588-598 only) Ch 27 (637-643 only) Assignments: Second set of film journals (#6-10) due on Monday at 9:00 am Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Farewell My Concubine and Red by Sunday Film Journals for Farewell My Concubine (#11) and Red (#12) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Cronenberg, Videodrome (1983) – Canada (89 min.) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Lynch, Mulholland Drive (2001) – USA/Canada (147 min.) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Week 9: Postmodern Cinemas Keyword: Postmodern Reading: Skim: Film History Ch 21 (451-462 only) Ch 24 (548-565 only) Read: Ch 28 (680-693 only) Packet of reading about Postmodernism (pdf in Week 9 folder) Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Videodrome, Mulholland Drive, and Postmodernism by Sunday Film Journals for Videodrome (#13) and Mulholland Drive (#14) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Twyker, Lola rennt [Run, Lola, Run] (1998) – Germany (81 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. von Trier, Dancer in the Dark (2000) – Danish/International (139 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own.
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Towards a Global Film Culture Week 10: Contemporary Global Film Cultures: Europe Keywords: Globalized/Localized Reading: Film History Ch 25 (567-581 only) Ch 29 (694-704 only) The Dogme 95 Manifesto and The Dogme 95 Vow of Chastity (pdf in Week 10 folder) Assignments: Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on Run, Lola, Run and Dancer in the Dark by Sunday Film Journals for Run, Lola, Run (#15) and Dancer in the Dark (#16) Viewing HW in advance of Next Week: Cuarón, Y tu mama también [And Your Mother, Too] (2001) – Mexico (105 min) Watch entire film. Locate copy on your own. Week 11: Contemporary Global Film Cultures: Latin America Keywords: Assimilation/authenticity Reading: Film History Ch 26 (613-621 only) Ch 29 (704-709 only) Assignments: Final set of Film Journals (#11-16) due on Monday at 9:00 am Quiz on Film History readings by Thursday Participate in Discussion Forum on And Your Mother, Too by Sunday Final Exam by Sunday Course Evaluations by Sunday
