LA 101
Full Metal Shining: The Cinema of Stanley Kubrick
Dr. Cocks
Fall 2015
Syllabus
Readings
David Hughes, The Complete Kubrick (2000; new or used @amazon, alibris, abebooks)
CRE: Kiese Laymon, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America
Electronic Essays (print out from email attachment; bring to class):
Geoffrey Cocks, “Indirected by Stanley Kubrick”
Choose ONE of the following to read before viewing Spartacus:
Natalie Zemon Davis, “Trumbo and Kubrick Argue History”
Margaret Burton, “Performances of Jewish Identity: Spartacus”
Novels (choose ONE: see Writing Assignments below; purchase or get at library):
Lionel White, Clean Break (Kindle, $2.99)
Humphrey Cobb, Paths of Glory (Dell, Georgia, Popular, Bard/Avon, from $2.60 used)
Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita (Vintage, Berkley, from $1.26 used)
Howard Fast, Spartacus (Bantam, from $1.25 used)
Arthur Koestler, The Gladiators (Bantam, from $4 used)
Peter George, Red Alert (Kindle, $8.99)
Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey (Roc, Kindle, $6)
Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange (Norton [1995], from $1.48 used)
William Thackeray, The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq. (Penguin, from $3.09 used))
Stephen King, The Shining (Kindle, $1.99; Signet, from $2.88 used)
Gustav Hasford, The Short-Timers (userweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/i2I/shorttimers.pdf)
Arthur Schnitzler, Dream Story (Penguin, from $6.26 used)
Classrooms: Bohm Theatre M 2:15-5:15; Rob 206, W 2:15-3:05 & R (Community Group) 1-2
Office: Rob 209; Office Hours: MW 10:30-11:30, TR 4:05-5 + by appt. & happenstance; Office
Phone: 0390; Home Phone: 629-5795; email: gcocks@albion.edu
See also “Course Materials” at http://campus.albion.edu/gcocks or through link at:
www.albion.edu/academics/history/faculty-and-staff/12-geoffrey-cocks
This seminar explores the worlds of the films made by Stanley Kubrick from 1953 to 1999.
Class Discussion
Weekly discussion of films and reading require students to acquire, examine, and articulate
knowledge and points of view in critical and creative ways. You must complete all reading
assigned for each film before its presentation on Monday. The book or essay reading for each
week must be brought to class discussion on Wednesday. Take written notes as needed during
film showings and use these notes as well during discussion.
50 PERCENT OF YOUR GRADE IN THE SEMINAR WILL BASED ON
PARTICIPATION IN CLASS DISCUSSION.
NO SMARTPHONE USE IN ANY CLASS; FOR FILM PRESENTATIONS ALL
SMARTPHONES MUST BE LEFT IN THE BOX AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.
FIRST OFFENSE: MISS CLASS; SECOND OFFENSE: SEMESTER GRADE OF 0.
Writing Assignments
Your first writing assignment is a 250-word paper (one page, typed double-spaced in 12pt font)
on the Foreword by Peter Bogdanovich in Hughes, The Complete Kubrick. What is the purpose
of this foreword? What does the foreword tell you about Stanley Kubrick and his films? Submit
via email attachment before the beginning of class on Wednesday, August 31.
You must also write three papers (double-spaced in 12pt font) submitted via email attachment.
Each paper must use class reading and discussion to evaluate critically the origins, purposes, and
contents of a Kubrick film or films. See the instructor anytime to discuss your topic, ideas, and
arguments. The first paper, of five pages in length, will be on one of the films presented in class.
The second and third papers are each seven pages in length; one must compare and contrast any
two of the films seen in class (not including the film on which you have already written the first
paper); the other must compare and contrast a novel (see list above) with the Kubrick film based
on that novel. The paper on a single film is due by the beginning of class on Monday the week
following class presentation and discussion of the film. The paper comparing and contrasting
two films is due on Monday the week following class presentation and discussion of the later
film; the novel/film paper is due any time before the Tuesday following the last week of classes.
At least two of the papers must have been submitted by the Monday of the week of Thanksgiving
Break; no more than one paper may be submitted in any one week. Citation of course readings
should be made parenthetically in the text of the paper, for example: (Hughes, p. 42), (Cocks,
pp. 28-29). Papers turned in late without valid excuse (illness, family emergency) will be subject
to substantial grade penalties. All graded papers include corrections and comments that must be
studied as part of the learning process.
Penalties for plagiarism: 0 on the paper and report to Office of Academic Affairs; second
offense: semester grade of 0 and possible suspension from the college.
45 PERCENT OF YOUR GRADE IN THE SEMINAR WILL BE BASED ON WRITTEN
WORK.
Community Group Meetings
These weekly meetings with your student mentor are especially important for success in the
seminar and in the rest of your first year at Albion College.
5 PERCENT OF YOUR GRADE IN THE SEMINAR WILL BASED ON WEEKLY
ATTENDANCE AT THE THURSDAY COMMUNITY GROUP MEETINGS.
“a human zoo”
READING: Hughes, xi-xii, 1-34
8/24
Killer’s Kiss (1955; 67m)
“What’s the difference?”
READING: Hughes, 34-50
8/31
The Killing (1956; 85m)
“lead but to the grave.”
9/7
NO CLASS: Labor Day
9/9
READING: Hughes, 50-64
9/14
Paths of Glory (1957; 87m)
“why revolutions go wrong”
READING: Hughes, 64-85; Davis, “Trumbo” OR Burton, “Performances”
9/21
Spartacus (1960; 197m)
“It was your cherry pies.”
READING: Hughes, 85-105
9/28
Lolita (1962; 152m)
“Mein Führer, I can walk!”
READING: Hughes, 106-131
10/5
Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964; 93m)
“A blue, lady’s cashmere sweater has been found in the restroom.”
10/12 NO CLASS: Fall Break
10/14 READING: Hughes, 131-158
10/19 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968; 148m)
“It was Ludwig van. Ninth Symphony. Fourth Movement.”
READING: Hughes, 158-180
10/26 A Clockwork Orange (1971; 137m)
“Now, what shall it be?”
READING: Hughes, 180-196
11/2
Barry Lyndon (1975; 185m)
READING: Hughes, 196-217
“It was the most horrible dream I ever had.”
11/9
The Shining (1980; 144m)
“It is the hard heart that kills.”
READING: Hughes, 217-240
11/16 Full Metal Jacket (1987; 116m)
“How do I look?”
READING: Hughes, 240-263; Laymon, How to Slowly Kill Yourself
11/23 Eyes Wide Shut (1999; 159m)
“2 x 3 x 7 = 42”
READING: Cocks, “Indirected by Stanley Kubrick”; Hughes, 264-67
11/30 Room 237, Being an Inquiry Into the Shining in 9 Parts (Rodney Ascher, 2013; 102m)