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Instructor:
Tammie
Bob
Fall 2005 Mondays 7-9:50pm
IC3103
Office: IC3129b
Phone:
6300-942-3327
Email:
bobtam@cdnet.cod.edu
Web page:
www.tammiebob.com
Office Hours on web page above
TEXTBOOK
Phillips, William H.
Film, an
Introduction. Bedford St. Martin’s
DESCRIPTION
Film
is an art form that’s only slightly more than 100 years old, yet in that time it
has become one of the most dominant of contemporary texts, and arguably one of
the most popular. Like written literature and visual art, film has its artistic
techniques, its history, its schools, genres, philosophies, theorists, political
and social implications, its practitioners and devotees. In this course, you’ll
learn how films are composed and constructed, and ways to analyze and
contextualize what you see. This introduction to film will study a variety of
classic motion pictures to acquaint the student with their value as literary and
cinematic art. Viewings, readings from the textbook, scripts and critical
essays will provide material for discussion and written work.
OBJECTIVES
At the
completion of this course, the student should be able to:
 | View, discuss and analyze films. |
| Write critical analyses and evaluations of the selected films. |
| Recognize and discuss specific film genres. |
| Identify and understand specific critical theories related to the classical Hollywood system, culture and nationalism, as well as gender and sexuality. |
EVALUATION
| Attendance (10%) |
| Participation (10%) |
| Writing assignments (40%) |
· 4 response papers (as noted on the syllabus) including:
· 1 on film technique
· 2 on placing film in societal, political, or historical context
· 1 on genre
| Film Analysis paper (15%) |
| Midterm (10%) |
| Final (15%) |
REQUIREMENTS
| Attendance |
| Participation |
| Assigned and supplementary readings |
| Completion of response paper essays |
| Research paper |
| Midterm |
| Completion of final exam |
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WEEK 1 9/12 |
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INTRODUCTION |
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WEEK 2 |
MISE-EN-SCENE |
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WEEK 3 |
CLASSIC
HOLLYWOOD FILM/NARRATIVE Response paper 1 due |
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WEEK 4 |
READING: Ch. 3 Editing |
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WEEK 5
10/10 |
Feature :
Godfather WRITING: Response Paper 2 due |
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WEEK 6 10/17
|
Homage/References The Freshman Ch. 5 Sources for the fictional Film |
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WEEK 7 |
Film Styles Response paper 3 |
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WEEK 8 |
Midterm
In class:
Appendix on p.521: Sample Film Analysis |
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WEEK 9 |
Social Commentary The Graduate Ch., 10: Thinking about films Response paper 4 due |
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WEEK 10 |
NATIONALISMS AND CULTURES |
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WEEK 11 |
Taxi Driver |
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WEEK 12 |
WRITING: PAPER DUE |
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WEEK 13 12/5 |
American Grafitti |
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WEEK 14 |
Life is Beautiful |
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WEEK 15 |
FINAL EXAM |
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PLEASE NOTE: Some of the films in this series contain elements that some viewers might find personally objectionable,due to language, scenes containing or referring to sex or violence, or subject matter. Some have received "R" ratings. If you think that you will have difficulties studying such films, please drop the course.
Please NOTE: Scheduled films or assignments may change at the discretion of the instructor, depending on the needs of the class.
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is required. In-class assignments are an essential part of
the classroom experience. If you miss more than 2 classes, your grade may
be reduced by a letter grade (ten points). Repeated lateness will be marked
as absence.
Plagiarism: I take this very seriously. Please don’t consider it,
because at the very least it will cause you to fail the class, and you may be
referred to the Dean of Students with even more dire consequences.
]
Films:
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Unfaithfully Yours
The Ox-Bow Incident
North by Northwest
The Bicycle Thief
The Graduate
The Godfather
American Grafitti
Taxi Driver
The Freshman
Life is Beautiful