SyllabusFall11

DAILY SCHEDULE Fall 2011
LM = //Looking at Movies// textbook DVD = //Looking at Movies// DVD Note: All responses to screenings are due on you Responses Wiki page.

Week One: Introduction to Film Analysis
TUES (8/23): Introductions

WED (8/24): Screening: //[|The Social Network]// Before coming to class on Wed., READ the Screening Checklist in LM (23-24) and WATCH the DVD, Ch. 1, "Film Analysis"

THURS (8/25): READ LM Ch. 1 (1-25); DUE: written response to //The Social Network//--use any of the questions in the Screening Checklist (LM 23-24) as prompts for your writing (min. 250 words)

Week Two: Film Form
TUES (8/30): **:** READ LM, Ch. 2 (28-57), and sample scene analysis essay on //The Big Heat//

WED (8/31): Screening: //[|The Night of the Hunter]//

THURS (9/1): WATCH DVD, Ch. 2 (Form and Content) and Ch. 5 ("Lighting and Familiar Image in //The Night of the Hunter//"); DUE: Response to //The Night of the Hunter// (on the wiki)

Week Three: Narrative Form
TUES (9/6): READ LM, Ch. 3 (78-82, 95-98); EC, Ch. 4 (136-153); Watch DVD, Ch. 3 (The Western)

WED (9/7): Screening: //[|Stagecoach]//

THURS (9/8): DUE: Response to //Stagecoach// (on the wiki)

Week Four: Mise en Scene
TUES (9/13): READ LM Ch. 5 (156-206)

WED (9/14): Screening: //[|Pan's Labyrinth]// Do you notice any parallels or patterns? What do you notice about character goals and turning points? How restricted or unrestricted is the narration? Do we ever experience a character's point of view? In terms of design (mise en scene), //Pan's Labyrinth// creates two worlds, a fantasy world and a real world. What do you notice about the design of each, in terms of setting, lighting, and character design? How does design create a sense of realism or fantasy? How does the design of each world affect you emotionally? How does design contribute to theme? (Consider that Guillermo del Toro says this movie is a fairy tale about choice and disobedience.)

THURS (9/15): Watch DVD, Ch. 5 videos. DUE: Response to //Pan's Labyrinth//.

Week Five: Cinematography
TUES (9/20): READ LM Ch. 6 (208-268)

WED (9/21): Screening: //[|Days of Heaven]// In what ways does the film challenge or reject rules of conventional narrative? Does this make the movie more or less enjoyable or interesting for you? Can you notice specific examples of visual storytelling, instances in which images (rather than dialogue) convey the action and meaning?

THURS (9/22): Watch DVD, Ch. 6 videos. DUE: Response to //Days of Heaven//.

**Week Six: Editing 1: Continuity and Point of View** TUES (9/27): **Midterm Exam 1**

WED (9/28): Screening: //[|Notorious]//

THURS (9/29): READ LM Ch. 8 (320-335). DUE: Response to //Notorious//

Week Seven: Sound
TUES (10/4): READ LM Ch. 8 (335-365); Watch DVD Ch. 8 videos

WED (10/5): Screening: //[|Citizen Kane]// For your response to Citizen Kane, you can write about anything you want, but we are going to talk about sound in the film, so I would like you to be aware of sound as you watch the film. Here are some things you can listen for: environmental sounds, sounds that seem close or far away, sound effects, voices (accents, ways of speaking, expression), music that exists within the story world of the film (diegetic music) and score music (non-diegetic). How does the music seem to relate to what we see on the screen? Does it support or enhance the emotion or does it create a contrasting emotion? How noticeable is the music? Is it subtle and in the background or is it foregrounded?

THURS (10/6):READ LM Ch. 9. DUE: Response to //Citizen Kane//

Week Eight: Editing 2: Montage
TUES (10/11): DUE: Sequence Analysis Prospectus (on your wiki page)

WED (10/12): Screening: //[|Walkabout]//

THURS (10/13): DUE: Response to //Walkabout//

Week Nine: Documentary
TUES (10/18): FALL BREAK

WED (10/19): Screening://[|High School]// Is this movie like other documentaries you have seen? How is it different? What is it about? How do you feel toward the students in this school? Toward the teachers and administrators? Do you think the people in this film are portrayed fairly?

THURS (10/20): DUE: Response to //High School;// READ LM Ch. 3 (60-70, 108-109)

Week Ten: Documentary
TUES (10/25): **DUE:** Sequence Analysis Essay

WED (10/26): Screening: //[|Grizzly Man]//

THURS (10/27): DUE: Response to //Grizzly Man.// READ this [|overview of observational documentary]. How would you compare the observational mode to the approach used in //Grizzly Man//?

Week Eleven: Genre
TUES (11/1): **Midterm Exam 2**

WED (11/2): Screening: //[|Bonnie and Clyde]//

THURS (11/3): READ LM Ch. 3 (78-103) DUE: Response to //Bonnie and Clyde//

Week Twelve: Film and Culture
TUES (11/8): No homework

WED (11/9): Screening: //[|Rebel without a Cause]//

THURS (11/10): DUE: Response to //Rebel without a Cause//

**Week Thirteen: Film and Culture** TUES (11/15): READ: [|"Wild in the Streets" (pdf)] and be prepared to discuss your reaction to it

WED (11/16): Screening: //[|American Beauty]//

THURS (11/17): No class meeting DUE: Response to //American Beauty.// How does this movie explore issues of family, conformity, and rebellion in comparison with //Rebel without a Cause//? Are there other themes here as well, that weren't explored in the previous film? Note: There is a section in the chapter on //mise-en-scene// in //Looking at Movies// on //American Beauty//. It's worth re-reading before we talk about the movie on 11/22.

Thanksgiving Week
TUES (11/22): No homework. We will discuss //American Beauty//.

WED (11/23): THANKSGIVING BREAK

THURS (11/24): THANKSGIVING BREAK

**Week Fourteen: Film and Culture** TUES (11/29): Discussion of cultural invisibility and //American Beauty//.

WED (11/30): Screening: //[|Tokyo Story]//

THURS (12/1): DUE: Response to //Tokyo Story//

Week Fifteen: Presentations
TUES (12/6): Group Presentations:
 * [|Boyz n the Hood]
 * [|Roman Holiday]

WED (12/7): Group Presentations Bring your laptop. We will take class time to do course evaluations.
 * [|Psycho]
 * [|Scarface]
 * [|American History X]

THURS (12/8): Group Presentations
 * [|Wall-E]
 * [|The Pursuit of Happyness]

Finals Week
TUES (12/13): Final Exam, 9:45 - 11:45