Calendar

Please see the class calendar for our lectures, screenings, and reading assignments. You’ll find a complete syllabus here. 

MISE-EN-SCENE

Jan. 7 – Introduction to Cinema
READING: None; bask in the glory of an assignment-free day.
SCREENING: Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989; 120m).

Jan. 9 – Heat, Hate, and Hi-Top Fades: The Power of Mise-en-Scene in a Spike Lee Joint
READING: Chapter 2 (63–84 including “Film in Focus: Do the Right Thing“).

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Jan. 14 – Exploring Camerawork in the (Former?) “Greatest Film of All Time”
READING: Chapter 3 (95–112).
SCREENING: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941; 119 m).

Jan. 16 – The Photographic Image and the Mobile Frame
READING: Chapter 3 (113–127).

EDITING

Jan. 21 – One Location, One Perspective, One Murder, Multiple Lessons in Editing
READING: Chapter 4 (133–51; 155–59).
SCREENING: Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954; 112 m).

Jan. 23 – Classical Hollywood Cutting and Continuity
READING: Chapter 4 (151–55; 162–75).

SOUND AND SOUND DESIGN

Jan. 28 – The Transition to Sound (and the Deception of the Hollywood Musical)
READING: Chapter 5 (177–91 including “Film in Focus: Sound and Image in Singin’ in the Rain“).
SCREENING: Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952; 103m).

Jan. 30 – The Fundamentals of Film Sound
READING: Chapter 5 (191–211).

NARRATIVE AND NON-NARRATIVE CINEMA

Feb. 4 – Exam 1 (Weeks 1-4)
SCREENINGS: Un Chien Andalou (Buñuel, 1929; 16m); Meshes of the Afternoon (Deren, 1943; 14m); Ballet Mecanique (Leger, Murphy, 1924; 16m), et al. NOTE: You will screen these on your own; links on course site.

Feb. 6 – Classical Hollywood Narrative and An Alternative to the Same (Experimental Film)
READING: Chapter 6 (all); Chapter 8 (297–308; “Film in Focus” on Meshes of the Afternoon and Ballet Mecanique).

GENRE: AMERICAN FILM COMEDY

Feb. 11 – Understanding Genre Films and Their Social Functions
READING: Chapter 9 (all).
SCREENING: It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934; 105m).

Feb. 13 – Hitchhiking, Bickering, and Love in the American Screwball Comedy
READING: “American Film Comedy” handout (D2L).

DOCUMENTARY FILM

Feb. 18 – Real (Prayer) Time with Bill Maher
READING: Chapter 7 (all).
SCREENING: Religulous (Larry Charles, 2008; 101m).

Feb. 20  – Documentary: Types, Forms, Boundaries
READING: “Our Far-Flung Correspondents: Bill Maher, Performer, Preacher, or Pimp?” (online).

FILM FOCUS I: RACE

Feb. 25 – Challenging Stereotypes in the Gangsta Film Cycle
READING: “Race and Ethnicity Onscreen” handout (D2L) and Chapter 11 (384–87).
SCREENING: Boyz N’ the Hood (John Singleton, 1991; 112m).

Feb. 27 – Race and Ethnicity in Film
READING: None; work on Video Shot Analysis.

FILM FOCUS II: GENDER

Mar. 4 – Whaaaa? A Multifaceted Character in Hollywood?!
READING: “Gender” handout (D2L) and Chapter 11 (420-22 only).
SCREENING: Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991; 118m) or American Gigolo (Paul Schrader, 1980; 117m).

Mar. 6 – No class (Dr. Marshall at a conference).

Mar. 11 – Representations of Women and Men Onscreen
READING: None; work on Video Shot Analysis.
SCREENING: This Film Is Not Yet Rated (Kirby Dick, 2006; 98m).

CINEMA AS INDUSTRY

Mar. 13 – Cinema As Industry and the Economics of Film
READING: Chapter 1.

Mar. 18 – Exam 2 (Weeks 5-10). 2:45–5 PM.