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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 210-3"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Cinema (This course carries 3 semester hours of credit)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Emanuele D'Onofrio
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 6:00PM 8:00PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will present an introduction to studying film as an art form, as an industry, as a cultural and social text. A range of select films from different cinemas will be used as examples on the course, including German, Hollywood, Italian and British cinema.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
Areas that will be covered include mise-en-scène, cinematography and montage, narrative, genre, autorship, digital cinema, gender and stardom. We will also explore key films in their cultural, social and historical contexts. 

Tuesdays will be dedicated to the the introduction of the week's topic.

Thursdays will be dedicated to the screening of a film (or of parts of it) and to a class discussion. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In the process of studying films, the course will familiarise students with theoretical ans conceptual methods to critically analyse aspects of film form and technique. The students will also gain knowledge of the relevant moments of cinema history and of aspects of the film industry developments.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Two Quizzes  20
Mid Term Exam 20
Final Exam  25
One Group Presentation 20
Participation and Discussion 15

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork 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
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis 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.
FThis 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 REQUIREMENTS:
Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

 
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1  - Course Overview and Early Cinema

Kracauer, Siegfried 2004. Basic Concepts. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 143-15

Bergvall, A., “Apocalyptic Imagery in Fritz Lang's Metropolis”, LITERATURE FILM QUARTERLY, 40, no. 4, (2012): 246-257 (ONLINE RESOURCE, available on the library web database)

SCREENING – Metropolis (1927), d. Fritz Lang

Week 2 - Cinematography and Montage

Bordwell, David and Thompson Kristin. 2008. Film Art: An Introduction (8th edition). New York: McGraw Hill. Pp.162-213.

Giannetti, Louis, Understanding Movies. (9th ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall, pp.133-180

SCREENING: Citizen Kane (1941). d. Orson Welles

Week 3 – Mise-en-scène

Monaco, James, How to Read a Film: Movies Media and Beyond, New York: Oxford University Press (4° ed.),  pp.205-234.

SCREENING – The Leopard (Il gattopardo,1963), d. Luchino Visconti

Week 4 – Narrative

Turner Graeme. 1999. Film as Social Practice. London Routledge. pp.77-110, Film Narrative.

Cavallero, Jonathan J. 2011. Hollywood’s Italian American Filmmakers. Capra, Scorsesa, Savoca, Coppola and Tarantino. Urbana, Chicago and Springfield: University of Illinois. pp. 125-145.

SCREENING: Jackie Brown (1997), d. Quentin Tarantino
 

Week 5 – Film Sound

TUE: QUIZ I

Bordwell, David and Thompson Kristin. 2008. Film Art: An Introduction (8th edition). New York: McGraw Hill. pp.264-300, Sound in the Cinema. 

Extracts from Chion, Michael. 1994 Audio-Vision, Sound On Screen. New York: Columbia University Press.

SCREENING: Once Upon A Time in the West (C’era una volta il West, 1968), d. Sergio Leone

Week 6 – Film Sound: Music

Levinson, Jarrold. 1996. “Film Music and Narrative Agency”. In: Bordwell, David and Carrol, Noël, Post-Theory. Reconstructing Film Studies". Madison, London: The University of Wisconsin Press, pp.248-282

Smith, Jeff. 1998. The Sound of Commerce: Marketing Popular Music. New York: Columbia University Press, pp.156-185.

SCREENING: The Graduate (1967), d. Mike Nichols.

Week 7 – Presentations and REVIEW

TUE: Screening La Strada (1954), d. Federico Fellini

THU: PRESENTATIONS on the topics from WEEK 1 to WEEK 6

Week 8  –  Authorship

Sarris, Andrew. 2004 Notes On The Auteur Theory in 1962. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 561-564.

Wollen, Peter. 2004 From Signs and Meaning in the Cinema. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 565-580.

Reading on Kubrik TBA

SCREENING: Eyes Wide Shut (1999), d. Stanley Kubrik

Week 9 – Genre

Neale, Stephen, 2000. Genre and Hollywood. London: Routledge. pp. 9-29, Genre; pp. 151-177, Film Noir.

Reading on The Usual Suspects: TBA

SCREENING: The Usual Suspects (1995), d. Bryan Singer 

Week 10 – Stars

SCREENING: Rear Window (1954), d. Alfred Hitchcock

Dyer, Richard. 1998. Stars. London: BFI. Pp.89-131, Stars and ‘Character’

Reading on James Stuart: TBA

Week 11 – Gender and Sexuality  

Stam, Robert. 2000 Film Theory An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, pp. 169-179. “The Feminist Intervention”

Mulvey, Laura. 2004 Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 837-848.

Modleski, Tania. 2004 From The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 849-861.

SCREENING: Thelma and Louise (1991), d. Ridley Scott.

Week 12  – The Industry of Cinema: Classics, Art films and Blockbusters

Shone, Tom 2004. Blockbuster. How the Jaws and Jedi Generation Turned Hollywood Into a Boom Town. Sydney: Simon &Shuster. Pp. 65-81.

Gomery, Douglas 1996. Toward a New Media Economics. In : Bordwell, David and Carrol, Noël, Post-Theory. Reconstructing Film Studies. Madison, London: The University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 407-418.

SCREENING: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), d. Steven Spielberg.

Week 13 – Digital Worlds and Disappearing Subjects

Belton, John (2004). Digital Cinema: A False Revolution. In. pp. 901-913

Friedberg, Anne (2004) The End of Cinema: Multimedia and Technological Change. In 914-924. In Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen (eds) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 914-924.

SCREENING: Videodrome (1983), d. David Cronenberg.

Week 14 – Presentations and REVIEW.

TUE: SCREENING: Kill Bill II (1991), d. Quentin Tarantino

THU: Presentations on the topics from WEEK 8 to Week 13.

Week 15 – FINAL EXAM  (Exact Date to be confirmed)