نوآوری در سینمای آمریکا

Film Studies

Spring 2003

Film Studies: Innovations in American Cinema

Objective:
The purpose of this class is for students to develop a more meaningful perspective on the movies. It is a massive topic for one semester, so to begin with we will limit our survey to American film. Our study of American film will be guided by a theme, which is innovation. We will begin by looking at the history of the industry and establishing the Hollywood norm. Then we will examine the creative changes to that model that have, and continue to, shape the movies of today.

Focusing questions:
What is the nature of the film industry?
Who are some of the major innovators in American film history and why?
What factors contributed to the diversification of American film?
How does the social and political climate affect the direction of American film?
How does one write good film criticism?

Grades:
Studio project 10
Casablanca paper 10
Film noir project 10
Hitchcock vs. Wells paper 10
Momento paper 10
Final project 30
*Reaction papers 10
Class participation 10
Total= 100
*Reaction papers should be a least one typed page
*This course is offered for high school and FDU college credit. Students taking this course for college credit will be required to write an additional paper with their final project.
Expectations:
Come one time
Turn in homework
Respectful behavior
Follow school rules
Class participation
Targeted Review: Summer 2005 Adoption: May 1, 2006


Unit One: Introduction- American Film as Art and Industry
Focusing questions: What makes the film industry a unique American business?
Topics: Studio system, Haynes Act and censorship, origins of the technology
Readings: Selections from A History of the Narrative of Film by David Cook and How to Read a Film by James Monaco
Movies: The Player, American Cinema
Assignment: The class divides into seven groups. Each group researches one of the seven major Hollywood studios and makes a visual presentation about its history.
Unit Two: The Classic Hollywood Model
Focusing question: What are the qualities of the classic Hollywood film?
Topics: Studio power, World War II, characterization and archetypes
Readings: Selections from A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema by Robert Roy and In the Dark: a Primer for the Movies by Richard Meran Barsam
Movie: Casablanca, scenes from the Adventures of Robin Hood
Assignment: Write a 2-3 page paper explaining why Casablanca is classified as a classic Hollywood film.
Targeted Review: Summer 2005 Adoption: May 1, 2006


Unit Three: Film Noir
Focusing questions: Why does Film Noir emerge in the late 1940’s and 50’s? What are its defining characteristics?
Topics: Cold War, visual style, anti-hero and deviance.
Readings: Selections from The Dark Side of the Street- Flim Noir by Foster Hirsch
Movies: Kiss me Deadly, Devil in a Blue Dress, Bladerunner
Assignment: Present an original Noir scene. Include Noir style, characterization, and plot motifs. Either perform the scene live, on film, or storyboard
Unit Four: Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Wells
Focusing question: Why are Hitch and Wells considered such important directors?
Topics: Narrative, visual style and technology, characterization
Readings: Selections from The Strange Case of Alfred Hitchcock by Raymond Durgnat, Behind the scenes of Psycho by Janet Leigh and Christopher Nickens, and Orson Wells by Josephy McBride
Movies: Psycho, Rope, scenes from the Birds, Notorious, Shadow of a Doubt, the Magnificent Ambersons, Citizen Kane, and Touch of Evil
Assignment: Write a 2 page persuasive paper that argues for either Hitch or Wells as the more significant filmmaker.
Targeted Review: Summer 2005 Adoption: May 1, 2006


Unit Five: The 70’s War Film
Focusing question: Why does the war film change so dramatically in the 1970’s?
Topics: Realism, political climate and patriotism, censorship
Readings: Selections from the War Film by Ian Butler
Movies: M*A*S*H, Apocalypse Now, and selections from the Green Berets, and the Deer Hunter
Assignment: Introduce final project-
Working alone or in pairs, students select from the following filmmakers. Then they will research the director by watching at least three of their films and reading criticism about their work. They will make a presentation to the class discussing the life, innovations, and contributions of their filmmaker. This presentation must include a film clip, prepared notes, and a works cited list. This project will be presented at the end of the semester.
Choices for Final Project:
Frank Capra
John Huston
John Ford
Howard Hawkes
Sidney Lumet
George Cukor
Arthur Penn
Brain De Palma
Melvin Van Peebles
Woody Allen
Spike Lee
Terry Giliam
Oliver Stone

*Students taking the course for college credit may not work in pairs and will also submit a 5-7 page paper with MLA citations on the contributions of their film maker.
Unit Six: Stanley Kubric and Alternative Narrative
Focusing question: What is gained from an unconventional narrative?
Topics: Point of view, use of time, viewer psychology
Movies: the Killing, Momento, and scenes from the Usual Suspects and 2001 a Space Odyssey
Assignment: Watch Momento a second time. Write a 1-2 page paper expressing the story in conventional narrative-
Targeted Review: Summer 2005 Adoption: May 1, 2006