ENGLISH 114:
INTRODUCTION TO FILM – Fall 2009
Instructor: Richard Terrill
Phone: 5500
Office: AH 212C
Hours:
T 2-3, W 1-3, Th 11-12 + by appt.
Email:
richard.terrill@mnsu.edu
Graduate Assistant: Mat Oliver Phone: 1327
Office: AH245B Hours: M 12-3 T 4-6 + by appt.
Email: matthew.oliver@mnsu.edu
FILM
TECHNIQUES
8/25 “Looking at Movies”
reading: page through the glossary in the text, pp. 667-693. You can find an illustrated glossary of film terms at http://english2.mnsu.edu/sewelm/glossary/glossary.asp
9/1 Mise en Scene. Far From Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002) 108 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best
actress, cinematography, music, writing. Four Independent Spirit Awards: female
lead, male supporting, best feature, director.
Read pp. 9-23, 37-54, 56-59, 65-70, and color plates in the following pages.
9/8 Editing. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000) 113 minutes.
Oscar nominated for editing,
original screenplay; Independent Spirit Awards for best feature, best director,
best supporting female.
Read pp. 113-115, 119-150, 153-156. Read 280-281, 284-289, 342-344.
9/15 Sound. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974). 113 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best picture, original screenplay, sound.
Read pp. 157, 159-191.
EXAM 1 covering 9/1
and 9/8.
9/22 Cinematography. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) 110 minutes.
American Film Institute Top
100 Thrillers: #64
Read pp. 70-104, 108-111, 319-325.
9/29 Mise en Scene, Editing, Sound, Cinematography. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989). 120 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #96
Reading: Review all reading assignments thus far.
EXAM 2 covering 9/15
and 9/22.
FILM GENRES
10/6 The Gangster Film: The Public Enemy (William Wellman, 1931) 84 minutes.
American Film Institute Best 100 American Films: #12.
Read pp.310-311 on genre, 458-470 on censorship. Read “Gangster Hero/Gangster Prototypes” (website)
EXAM 3 covering 9/29.
10/13
The Romantic Comedy:
Tootsie (Sydney Pollock, 1982)
116 minutes
American Film Institute
Best 100 Comedies: #2
Oscar
nominated in ten categories, including best picture.
Winner: Best Supporting Actress.
Top
grossing comedy of all time, up to 1982.
Read “The Sexual
Masquerade is Conveying a New Message” and “Tootsie:
Mixed Messages” (website)
First Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)
10/20 The Western: Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992) 127 minutes.
American Film Institute Best 100 American Films: #68. Oscars: Best Picture, director, supporting actor, editing.
Reading pp.
311-319 on the western. Read 510-529
on types of meanings.
THEME:
FILM DEPICTION OF TV NEWS
10/27 Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005) 93 minutes.
Oscar and Independent Spirit Award nominated: Best picture, director, actor.
Reading pp. 210-217 on history as a source for film. pp 23-37 on acting.
EXAM 4 covering 10/6, 10/13 and 10/20.
11/3 Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976) 121 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #64
Oscar nominated
in ten categories. Winner,
best actor, actress, original screenplay, supporting actress.
Reading pp. 228-231 on television as a source for film.
pp. 254-273, 275-279 on structure, pp. 289-295 on satire.
Second Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)
FILMS
OUTSIDE THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD
11/10: Silent films: Lumiere
short films (1895-7)
A Trip to the Moon (Georges
Melies, 1902), 16 minutes
The General (Buster Keaton,
1927) 98 minutes
American Film Institute Best 100 American Films: # 18.
Reading pp. 484-488, 115-119 on early film.
11/17 Experimental films: Meshes of
the Afternoon (Maya Deren, 1943) 16 minutes
Un Chien Andalou
(Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, 1929) 17
minutes
Baraka (Ron Fricke, 1992)
96 minutes
Reading:. Read 399-417, 429-431, 131-132, 136 on experimental films.
Third Extra Credit Paper due
(optional).
11/24
Spirit of the Beehive (Victor
Erice, 1972) 98 minutes
Top
100 films of the 20th Century,
Time Out, London.
Read pp. 308-310 on classical Hollywood cinema, 340-342 on European Independent
Cinema, 529-533. (There may also be
an article on my website, to be announced).
(11/30, 6-8:30 pm (Monday)
Apocalypse Now.
AH310. Optional—3 points
extra credit)
12/1 Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola, 1991) 96 minutes.
Read pp. 363-397 on Documentary. pp. 538-539 on the auteur theory.
12/8
EXAM 6: covering 11/10, 11/17, 11/24 and 12/1.
No early exams for any reason
Fourth Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)
This is an introductory course in film studies.
Our assumption is that we can and must view films analytically the same
way that we "read" some other text (novel, short story, poem) analytically. By
learning something about film history, film techniques, and the cultural and
historical contexts in which particular films were made, we can improve our
ability to "read" a film.
In doing the above we will meet several of the
competencies for category 6 of the General Education Requirements: Humanities
and the Arts: a) demonstrate an awareness of the scope and variety of works in
the arts and humanities, b) understand these works as expressions of individual
and human values within an historical and social context, c) respond critically
to works in the arts and humanities, and e) articulate an informed personal
reaction to works in the arts and humanities.
Every attempt will be made to accommodate qualified
students with disabilities. If you
are a student with a documented disability, please see me as early in the
semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations, and/or contact the
Disability Services Office at 507-389-2825 (V) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY)
*Phillips.
Film: An Introduction to Film (third
or fourth edition). The reading
assignments on this syllabus correspond to the
fourth edition; if you have the
third edition, pick up an alternate
syllabus from me, or download it form my website.
Note: Three copies of the text (third edition) will be on
reserve in the library under the Maverick Textbook Reserve Program.
*Terrill.
Course materials available on my website, including readings for 10/6 and 10/13,
syllabus, guidelines for insurance papers, lectures or lecture notes, and the
school policy on plagiarism and academic honesty: (http://english2.mnsu.edu/terrill/index.htm)
Your exam scores and attendance will be posted on D2L.
*Six 8 1/2” x 11” Scantron
sheets and #2 pencil for exams.
Attendance is required.
You must be present and in the room during the time
or times in class when attendance is taken, in order to earn three points.
There can be no partial credit for partial attendance (coming late,
leaving early, etc.). To
misrepresent yourself as present when you’re not, or to help another student do
so, will be considered academic dishonesty.
*Read all assignments before coming to class
*See all films in class.
Attend all lectures
*Take six multiple-choice examinations
*Optional: turn in up to four extra credit papers
Your grades will be based on six exams for a total of
around 200 points. Attendance will
count 3 points per class for a total of 45 points.
Your grade will be based on total points, not on an average of letter
grades on the exams. If you are
taking the class pass/fail, you must earn a "C-" or better for a "P" grade.
This class will use shaded grading (+ and -).
You may if you wish turn in up to four extra credit
papers. See my website for
guidelines. No late papers accepted.
Each exam will consist of multiple choice questions
covering the assigned reading in the text
and on my website, the content of films, and lectures.
If you have a conflict and can’t be present for an exam, contact me
before the exam.
Bring a scantron and pencil to each exam.
Cheating on an exam will result in a grade of "F" for the course.
(If you talk during an exam, the assumption is you're cheating).
A plagiarized insurance paper may also result in a grade of “F” for the
course.
To misrepresent yourself as present when you’re
not, or to help another student do so, will be considered academic dishonesty.
See my website for the university
policy on plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
1.
Turn off all cell phones,
pagers, and other electronic devices during class. Turn off computers during
film screenings. If you insist on
using electronic devices during the screenings, we will ask you to leave the
auditorium.
2.
Don't talk during the films (or
lectures). It's rude even in a movie
theater, and in a classroom it's doubly annoying since other students are trying
to view the film analytically.
3.
I suggest you take notes
during the film or immediately after: content, techniques, relationship of the
film to the reading and lectures, connections between scenes, anything you think
is important, anything you don't understand, anything to which you have a strong
emotional reaction.
4.
See all the films in class.
After class I will place the week’s film on reserve under my name in the
ERC (basement of the library) for a second viewing, which I strongly recommend.
5.
Attend classes regularly.
Remain in class for lectures.
It will be impossible to get a good grade, and difficult to pass the course
without doing so.
6.
Often I am very busy right
before class or during the breaks; I may not be able to answer your questions at
those times. After class or during
office hours I will always have time to answer your questions.
ENGLISH 114:
INTRODUCTION TO FILM – Fall 2009
FILM
TECHNIQUES
8/25 “Looking at Movies”
Reading: page through the glossary in the text, pp. 621-648. You can find an illustrated glossary of film terms at http://english2.mnsu.edu/sewelm/glossary/glossary.asp
9/1 Mise en Scene. Far From Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002) 108 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best
actress, cinematography, music, writing. Four Independent Spirit Awards: female
lead, male supporting, best feature, director.
Read pp. 9-22, 35-53, 55-58, 66-70, and color plates in the following pages.
9/8 Editing. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000) 113 minutes.
Oscar nominated for editing,
original screenplay; Independent Spirit Awards for best feature, best director,
best supporting female.
Read pp. 113-115, 119-152, 155-158. Read 270-275, 326-327.
9/15 Sound. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974). 113 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best
picture, original screenplay, sound.
Read pp. 159-165, 167-189.
EXAM 1 covering 9/1
and 9/8.
9/22 Cinematography. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) 110 minutes.
American Film Institute Top
100 Thrillers: #64
Read pp. 71-104, 108-111, 302-307.
9/29 Mise en Scene, Editing, Sound, Cinematography. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989). 120 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #96
Reading: Review all reading assignments thus far.
EXAM 2 covering 9/15
and 9/22.
FILM GENRES
10/6 The Gangster Film: The Public Enemy (William Wellman, 1931) 84 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #12.
Read pp.294-295 on genre, 424-434 on censorship. Read “Gangster Hero/Gangster Prototypes” (website)
EXAM 3 covering 9/29.
10/13
The Romantic Comedy:
Tootsie (Sydney Pollock, 1982)
116 minutes
American Film Institute Best 100 Comedies: #2
Oscar
nominated in ten categories, including best picture.
Winner: Best Supporting Actress.
Top
grossing comedy of all time, up to 1982.
Read
p. 25 on method acting.
Read “The Sexual Masquerade is Conveying a New Message” and “Tootsie:
Mixed Messages” (website)
First Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)
10/20 The Western: Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992) 127 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #68. Oscars:
Best Picture, director, supporting actor, editing
Reading
pp. 295-301 on the western. Read
471-482, 494-495 on types of meanings.
THEME:
FILM DEPICTION OF TV NEWS
10/27 Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005) 93 minutes.
Oscar and Independent Spirit
Award nominated: Best picture, director, actor.
Reading pp. 203-209 on history as a source for film. pp 22-35 on acting.
EXAM 4 covering 10/6, 10/13 and 10/20.
11/3Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976) 121 minutes.
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: #64
Oscar nominated
in ten categories. Winner,
best actor, actress, original screenplay, supporting actress.
Reading pp. 222-225 on television as a source for film.
pp. 247-256, 258-267 on structure, pp. 482-486, 275-276 on satire.
Second Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)
FILMS
OUTSIDE THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD
11/10: Silent films: Lumiere
short films (1895-7)
A Trip to the Moon (Georges
Melies, 1902), 16 minutes
The General (Buster Keaton,
1927) 98 minutes
American Film Institute Best
100 American Films: # 18.
Reading pp. 450-455, 115-119 on early film.
11/17 Experimental films: Meshes of
the Afternoon (Maya Deren, 1943) 16 minutes
Un Chien Andalou
(Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, 1929) 17
minutes
Baraka (Ron Fricke, 1992)
96 minutes
. Read 367-384, 400-401, 133-134, 138.
Third Extra Credit Paper due
(optional).
11/23
Spirit of the Beehive (Victor Erice,
1972) 98 minutes
Top
100 films of the 20th Century,
Time Out, London.
Read pp. 292-294 on classical Hollywood cinema, 323-325 on European
Independent Cinema. Possible article
on my website: to be announced
12/1 Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola, 1991) 96 minutes.
Read pp. 345-367, 400-402 on documentary, 505-507 on auteur
theory.
12/8
EXAM 6: covering unit four.
No early exams for any reason
Fourth Extra Credit Paper due
(optional)