ENGLISH 114: INTRODUCTION TO FILM – Fall 2008
Instructor: Richard Terrill Phone: 5500
Office: AH 212C Hours: T 4-5, W 11-12, 3-5, + by appt.
Email: richard.terrill@mnsu.edu e-office hour: Th 10-11
Graduate Assistant: Linton Lewis Phone: 1327
Office: AH245B Hours: Hours: M 12-2, T 3-5, Th 1-3 + by appt.
Email: linton.lewis@mnsu.edu
FILM TECHNIQUES
8/26 & 27 “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
9/2 & 3 Mise en Scene. Far From Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002) 108 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best actress, cinematography, music, writing. Four Independent Sprit 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.
9/9 & 10 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.
9/16 & 17 Sound. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974). 113 minutes.
Oscar nominated for best picture, original screenplay, sound.
Read pp. 151-165, 167-189. pp. 505-507 on the auteur theory.
EXAM 1 covering weeks two and three.
9/32 & 24 Cinematography. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) 110 minutes.
American Film Institute Top 100 Thrillers: #64
Read pp. 71-104, 108-111, 302-307.
9/30 & 10/1 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 weeks four and five
FILM GENRES
10/7 & 8 The Gangster Film: The Public Enemy (William Wellman, 1931) 84 minutes.
American Film Institute Best 100 American Films: #12.
Read pp.294-295 on censorship, 424-432 on genre. Read “Gangster Hero/Gangster Prototypes” (website)
EXAM 3 covering Do the Right Thing and all readings thus far.
10/14 & 15 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 Insurance Paper due (optional)
10/21 & 22 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
10/28 $ 29 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 Genre Film.
11/4 & 5 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. 222-225 on television as a source for film. pp. 247-256, 258-267 on structure, pp. 482-486, 275-276 on satire.
Second Insurance Paper due (optional)
FILMS OUTSIDE THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD
11/11 and 12: 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.
11/18 and 19 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: pp. 292-294 on classical Hollywood cinema. Read 367-384, 400-401, 133-134, 138.
Third Insurance Paper due (optional).
11/25 (Tuesday only) Extra Credit: Look At Me (Comme une Image, Agnes Jaoui, 2004)
Three points extra credit for attending tonight’s film and brief discussion. This film will not be covered in the final exam.
12/2 & 3 Documentary: Troublesome Creek: a Midwestern (Jeanne Jordan,1995) 88 minutes.
Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, Jury Prize.
Reading: pp. 345-366.
12/9 & 10 EXAM 6: covering silent film, experimental film, and documentary. No early exams for any reason
Fourth Insurance 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 edition). Note: Three copies of the text will be on reserve in the library under the Maverick Textbook Reserve Program; a fourth copy will be on reserve under my name.
*Terrill. Course materials available on my website, including readings for 10/7 and 10/14, syllabus, guidelines for insurance papers, text projected during the lectures, lectures or lecture notes, your scores on exams, and the school policy on plagiarism and academic honesty: http://english2.mnsu.edu/terrill/index.htm
*six 81/2” x 11” Scantron sheets and #2 pencil for exams.
Attendance is required. If you are present during the time or times in class when attendance is taken, you will 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 four extra credit "insurance" papers. See my website for instructions. No late papers accepted. There is no other provision for extra credit except for attendance at an optional film showing on 11/25.
Each exam will consist of multiple choice questions covering the assigned reading in Film: An Introduction and on my webiste, the content of films, and lectures. If you have a conflict, 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 annoyig since other students are trying to view the film analytically.
3. 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.