Assessment Guidelines for assigning main letter grades: A, B, C,D, and F.

A: Work of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.

B: This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.

C: This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.

D: This level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included. In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.

F: This work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

Attendance and participation are 25% of your grade. Students are obviously supposed to watch all the movies. Arriving more than 15 minutes late means an absence. Movies have to be seen from the beginning to the end- leaving early for no reason means an absence too.

More than 3 unexcused absences will result in an F (Fail) grade for Attendance & Participation.

More than 5 unexcused absences will result in failing the course.

NB: The use of laptop computers and other electronic devices during class is NOT permitted. that means No laptop, cell phone, ipod, iphone are allowed in class. Absolutely no texting!

Sleeping during screenings is not allowed!

*SCREENING NOTES will define 10 % of your grade. Screening notes are devised to assist you in remembering films and to make sure that you will have concrete examples with which to support your analysis and discussions. There’s no specific format for the notes, as long as they are exhaustive and prove that you’ve seen the film. Plagiarism policy applies to the notes! The notes will be emailed to the professor by the end (THAT IS MIDNIGHT) of the day following a screening, with the title of the film as a subject. Remember, developing this skill will improve your papers and exams as well as enliven class discussion. Late assignments will not be accepted. No exceptions. Failing to send notes for 3 or more films will result in an F (Fail) grade for this component of your grade.

Professor will not redistribute handouts and other materials to absent students. Please, if absent, contact your classmates and come to the next class prepared. Handouts distributed in class won't be given out in the following classes or sent by email by the Professor.

Week 1: Introduction

Screening: Desperately Seeking Susan (Susan Seidelman, 1986)

Reading:  Jackie Stacey, “Desperately Seeking Difference,” Screen 28, no. 1 (1987): 48-61.

WEEK 2

A HORROR ABOUT WOMEN.

Screening: The Descent

Reading:

1)      Sharon Smith, "Introduction: The Image of Women in Film," in FFT, pp. 9-13.

WEEK 3

Hollywood Genres: The Woman’s Film

Screening: -Now, Voyager (Irving Rapper, 1942)

                 Clips Mildred Pierce

                            Stella Dallas

Reading:

Stanley Cavell, “Ugly Duckling, Funny Butterfly: Bette Davis and Now, Voyager,” Critical Inquiry 16, no. 2 (Winter 1990): 213-247.

2) Molly Haskell, "The Woman's Film," FFT, pp. 14-20.

WEEK 4

CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD AND WOMEN.

Screening: Rear Window (Hitchcock)

Reading:

WEEK 5

Female Directors in Classical Hollywood Cinema

Lupino, Arzner

Screening: Christopher Strong (Dorothy Arzner, 1936)

Reading:

1) Judith Mayne, "Female Authorship Reconsidered,” The Woman at the Keyhole: Feminism and Women’s Cinema (Indiana University Press, 1990), 89-123.

2) Karen Kay and Gerald Peary, "Interview with Dorothy Arzner,” in Dorothy Arzner: Towards a Feminist Cinema (BFI, 1975).

WEEK 6

Women in Early Avant-garde: Germaine Dulac and Maya Deren

As well as VIDEO experiments

Screening: The Seashell and the Clergyman (1927); Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren, 1943)

YOKO ONO (clips from CUT PIECE)

CAROLINE SCHNEEMAN – (Clips from her films)

Reading:

1) Germaine Dulac, “The Expressive Techniques of the Cinema”; “Aesthetics, Obstacles, Integral Cinégraphie,” in Richard Abel, ed., French Film Theory and Criticism 1907-1939 (Princeton University Press, 1988), 305-313, 389-397.

2) Louise Heck-Rabi, "Germaine Dulac: Mother of Surrealism," in Women Filmmakers: A Critical Reception (Scarecrow Press, 1984).

3) Lauren Rabinovitz, "Maya Deren and an American Avant-garde Cinema," in Points of Resistance: Women, Power & Politics in the New York Avant-garde Cinema, 1943-1971 (University of Illinois Press, 2003), 49-91.

WEEK 7

Women and the French Nouvelle Vague

Screening: Cléo from 5 to 7 (Agnes Varda, 1961)

Screening: Vagabond (Agnes Varda, 1985)

Reading:

1) "Women and Film: A Discussion of Feminist Aesthetics," FFT, pp. 115-121.

2) Janice Mouton, “From Feminine Masquerade to Flaneuse: Agnes Varda’s Cléo in the City,” Cinema Journal 40, no. 2 (Winter 2001).

WEEK 8: 

Lecture/discussion on Varda’s films and review

Th: Mid-term

WEEK 9

1970 political cinema: Women’s cinema and Countercinema, 1970

New German Cinema and Her story

TU: Screening: TBD, by M. Von Trotta

Reading:

1)      Mary Anne Doane, "Film and the Masquerade," FFT, pp. 131-145.

2)      Johnston, "Women's Cinema as Counter-Cinema," FFT, pp. 31-40.

Th. Screening: Swept Away (Wermuller, 1974)

READING Modleski

Week 10: Women’s Cinema as Counter-Cinema: The 1970s

Th. Week 11/ Week 12:

WOMEN AND DOCUMENTARY

Screening: The Gleaners and I (Agnes Varda)

The Control Room.

The Connection,  (Shirley Clarke)

READING: TBD

WEEK 13

CONTEMPORARY FEMALE FILMMAKERS

La Cienaga (Lucrecia Martel)

ATTENBERG,

Reading TBD

WEEK 14

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT, L. CHOLODENKO

THE HURT LOCKER, by K. BIGELOW

Plus speech by LANA WACHOWSKI
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lana-wachowski-reveals-suicide-plan-382169

READING TBD

Date to be determined:

Screening of INTO PARADISO, with writer director Paola Randi.