ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 1
SYLLABUS FOR
ENGL 3523 Special Topics (Film Analysis)
Mid-America Christian University
Fall Semester 2011
INSTRUCTOR:
Mark S. Harris, M.S., M.A.
OFFICE: 164
OFFICE HOURS FOR STUDENTS: As posted
PHONE: 692-3157
E-MAIL: mharris@macu.edu
mharris128@cox.net
TEXTS:
Barsam, Richard and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction
to Film. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.
WIKI:
Class information and documents can be found on the following wiki:
http://filmanalysisatmacu.wikispaces.com/
I will post articles and other information you need throughout the
semester.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
This course is designed to address topics of special interest in the
language arts content field. Topics will vary according to student interest
and/or curriculum improvement needs. Offered on demand.
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. view and analyze films as texts
2. demonstrate a basic understanding of the major concepts and debates
in film theory and film history
3. identify film form, realism, film language, auteur, apparatus, ideological
coding/decoding
4. demonstrate understanding of historical, political, or social context of
films and their film theories
ATTENDANCE
POLICY:
Please see the complete MACU Attendance Policy at the end of this
syllabus. In addition, the following are the instructor’s attendance policy:
1. A student who is more than fifteen minutes late or who leaves more
than fifteen minutes early will be considered absent without reversal to a
tardy.
2. Students with perfect attendance and who have no grade of zero on
ANY assignment will be allowed to drop their lowest grade from ONE
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 2
Screening Sheet, ONE Directed Response, and ONE Article Review from
computation of their course grade.
Absences for university sponsored events WILL BE DISREGARDED
FOR DOCUMENTED ABSENCES ONLY. IT IS THE STUDENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR
ANY DISPUTED ABSENCES. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION MUST
ORIGINATE IN THE RELATED OFFICE/DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL AND
MUST BE AN E-MAIL. Absence for any other reason will not be
disregarded.
GENERAL
ASSIGNMENT
REQUIREMENTS:
1. All papers must be typed and double-spaced. Handwritten papers will
not be accepted. (Some exceptions to this rule will be made for the
Portfolio Assignment.)
2. All work must be neat and legible.
3. All papers must be submitted with a heading in the MLA style1.
4. All papers must be submitted on standard 8 ½ X 11 inch white,
college-ruled or typing (printer) paper as appropriate to the assignment.
Other sized paper, colored paper, paper torn from composition books,
etc. will not be accepted.
COURSE
ASSIGNMENTS:
The assignments for the course and their respective point values are as
follows:
Film Terms Quiz
Screening Sheets (7 @ 25 points each)
Directed Responses (5 @ 50 points each)
Article Reviews (5 @ 25 points each)
Panel Discussion
Short Analysis Papers (100 points each)
Final Analysis Paper
EXPLANATION
OF
ASSIGNMENTS:
TBD points
175 points
250 points
125 points
50 points
300 points
150 points
A. Film Terms Quiz
Students will be given a list of film terms to define according to
Looking at Films. A quiz on the definitions of these terms will be given in
class.
B. Screening Sheets
For each film viewed in class, students will be given a Screening
Sheet to complete during the screening. These sheets will provide
students with specific details to look for and interpret in each film.
1
See attached model.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 3
Students are also expected to make notes on other aspects of the films
not listed on the sheets during the screenings.
C. Directed Responses
A list of prompts for writing Directed Responses and further details
about the composition of the responses is attached to this syllabus.
Students will select 5 of the films and respond to each according to the
prompts. At least one of the responses must be about a film viewed
outside of class.
D. Article Reviews
For some films, students will be given a scholarly article about
them to read and review. These reviews are to be about the articles,
NOT the films. Articles are indicated on the Schedule of Assignments
(SOA). The articles will be posted on the wiki. Details about the content
and format of these reviews can be found at the end of this syllabus.
E. Panel Discussion
For selected films as indicated on the SOA, the discussion will be
led by a panel. Each panel member will offer his/her own brief response
to the film being covered that day. The panel will then lead the class in a
general discussion of the film. Use of clips for reference is encouraged. I
will assist you with access to the films if needed. During the panel
discussions, I will be acting as a member of the class w/ my own
questions, comments, etc., moderating the discussion as necessary. At
the end of each discussion, students will evaluate their peers on the
conducting of the panel, and these peer evaluations will comprise part of
the grade for the assignment.
F. Short Analysis Papers
Films can be analyzed in many ways. In the Writing About Movies
booklet which accompanies your text (p. 8-11), some of these ways are
listed. Each student will select 3 of the 4 approaches listed below to use
in writing a short (approx. 3 pages) analysis paper according to that
approach. Students are expected to use a minimum of two sources per
paper. Articles will be placed on the wiki to assist with this assignment,
but keep in mind you are not limited to these sources. They may not fit
with your thesis. Due dates will be scattered throughout the semester as
indicated on the SOA.
Analytical approaches
o
o
o
o
Formal analysis
Film history
Ideological (REQUIRED FOR ENGLISH MAJORS)
Auteur criticism
G. Final Analysis Paper
As a culminating assignment, students will write a final
analysis paper. Several options will be provided for this
assignment. The paper must use a minimum of 4 sources and
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 4
must be written according to MLA documentation style.
GRADING
SYSTEM:
The following system will be used to determine the course grade. If
necessary, the instructor will make adjustments to the scale at his
discretion:
93%--100%
84%--92%
70%--83%
62%--69%
0%--61%
LATE WORK:
ACADEMIC
SUCCESS
CENTER:
SPECIAL
ACCOMMODATIONS
STATEMENT:
CLASSROOM
POLICIES:
A
B
C
D
F
ALL assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the
announced due date. Late work will be assessed a 10% penalty per
CALENDAR DAY of lateness. Discussion Questions WILL NOT be
accepted late. NO ASSIGNMENT will be accepted more than 5 days
late. Only work assigned during a class period may be completed
during class. All other assignments are to be completed prior to class. If
a student must be absent on the due date of an assignment, he/she must
turn the assignment in early or send it with another student.
Academic support is available to all traditional students at Mid-America
Christian University through the Academic Success Center. Students
may request tutoring, study help, career counseling, and help with time
management at any time in the semester. Papers may also be checked
for grammar and spelling if submitted at least twenty-four (24) hours prior
to when they are due. All services offered through the Academic Success
Center are free of charge to MACU students. For assistance or more
information, contact the Coordinator of Academic Success,
Morgan Thompson, at mthompson@macu.edu or at (405) 692-3259.
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or
her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact the office of
the Vice President for Academic Affairs (692-3177) at the beginning the
semester to discuss available special accommodations.
1. Cheating--Cheating is a serious offense in the academic community.
Anyone caught cheating in any way is subject to discipline which may
include automatic failure of the course or dismissal from the institution.
2. Plagiarism--Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and will not be
tolerated in this course. Any student who plagiarizes ANY WORK will
receive an F in the course.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 5
3. Participation—Part of the classroom experience is interaction with
other students and the exchange of ideas. Students are encouraged,
therefore, to participate in classroom discussions. Nearly any idea that is
presented intelligently and with respect to the instructor and other
students will be tolerated. Verbally attacking another member of the class
or the instructor, however, will NOT be tolerated. The instructor may, at
his discretion, assess grade penalties for students who fail to participate
in any portion of the class or whose classroom behavior is discourteous,
distracting, or disruptive.
4. Decorum—Students should remember that the classroom is an
academic, communal setting in which an environment conducive to
learning is to be maintained. Therefore, behaviors such as unwarranted
chatting with other students, sleeping, reading unassigned material,
making or receiving cell phone calls, sending and receiving text
messages, or doing work for another class is unacceptable. The student,
at the instructor’s discretion, may be warned, assessed an absence or
grade penalty, or asked to leave the class for these and like behaviors.
This syllabus serves as a guide. To facilitate class needs as they arise, the instructor reserves the right to
make changes throughout the semester.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 6
(The following format is the MLA style. All assignments that indicate the requirement of
the MLA style and heading are to follow this format.)
Clueless 1
I.B. Clueless
For Mr. M. Harris
ENGL 3523 Special Topics (Film Analysis)
Aug. 18, 2011
What I Did on My Christmas Vacation
Your text then begins on this line, indented the usual five spaces. The four-line
heading above should appear only on page one. For all subsequent pages, use a one inch
(default) margin, placing your last name and page number as a header in the upper right corner.
Include or omit this header on page one at your discretion. Use the default setting for the
header on your word processor.
Be sure to double space throughout the paper. Set your
word processor to double space from the beginning of the essay and then continue throughout.
Do not put extra spacing around your title or between your paragraphs. Also, choose a plain
style font (such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier New) rather than a script or handwriting
font. Use 10 or 12-point size and print in black ink only. Staple pages in the upper left corner,
placing the staple diagonal to the corner. You may right margin justify if you wish, but you are
not required to do so. Remember, never use those dreaded plastic report covers.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 7
Schedule of Assignments
ENGL 3523: Special Topics (Film Analysis)—Fall 2011
Date
Thurs. Aug. 18
Viewing/Discussion
Syllabus and Course Intro
Tues. Aug. 23
Thurs. Aug. 25
Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane
Tues. Aug. 30
Thurs. Sept. 1
CAAP EXAMS
Citizen Kane discussion
NO CLASS
Tues. Sept. 6
Terms of film analysis
Principles of film form
Elements of Narrative
Mise en scene
Cinematography
Barsam Chap. 2 and Chap. 4
Thurs. Sept. 8
Tues. Sept 13
Thurs. Sept. 15
Film Noir
Double Indemnity (1944)
Double Indemnity
Tues. Sept. 20
Spiritual Emphasis Week
Thurs. Sept. 22
Double Indemnity discussion
Spiritual Emphasis Week
Vertigo (1958)
Assignments
Barsam Chap. 5 and Chap. 6
Vertigo Article
Tues. Sept. 27
Thurs. Sept. 29
Vertigo
Vertigo
Tues. Oct 4
Thurs. Oct 6
Vertigo Discussion
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Tues. Oct. 11
Thurs. Oct 13
The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate discussion
Tues. Oct. 18
Thurs. Oct. 20
The Graduate discussion
FALL BREAK
The Graduate Article
NO CLASS
Tues. Oct. 25
Thurs. Oct. 27
Blade Runner discussion
Pleasantville (1998)
Blade Runner Article
Pleasantville Article
Tues. Nov. 1
Thurs. Nov. 3
Pleasantville
Pleasantville discussion
Tues. Nov. 8
Thurs. Nov. 10
Pan’s Labyrinth discussion
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Tues. Nov. 15
Thurs. Nov. 17
No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men discussion
Tues. Nov. 22
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Pan’s Labyrinth Article
No Country Article
NO CLASS
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 8
Thurs. Nov. 24
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Tues. Nov. 29
Thurs. Dec. 1
Analyzing Documentaries
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Tues. Dec. 6
Thurs. Dec. 8
FINALS
FINALS
NO CLASS
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 9
ENGL 3523: Special Topics (Film Analysis)
Directed Responses Prompts
Choose 5 of the following prompts (one of which MUST correspond to one of the films viewed outside
class) and write a response paper. You are expected to use the “language of film” in your response. The
questions in each prompt are given as idea-generators; you should not simply answer them questions in
your essay. You are given latitude here for personal response, but you should still organize your thoughts
according to a topic or a thesis that is supported with evidence from the film. DO NOT simply write
random thoughts about the film.
Citizen Kane
How does CK define the American dream? What
comment does the film make on whether or not
that dream is attainable, for whom, and at what
cost? Does the film ultimately uphold the
American dream as an ideal or does it critique
the idea of the American dream? How does the
film’s portrayal of the American dream relate to
the historical and cultural context in which the
film was made?
Double Indemnity
Many film critiques consider DI the best example
(or at least place high on their lists) of film noir in
American cinema. Why might this assessment
be accurate? Do all of the events portrayed in
the film ring true? Describe the scenes that you
found especially accurate. Which sequences
didn't seem to match reality? Why?
Vertigo
Describe and analyze the symbolic use of color
and lighting in Vertigo. How does it advance the
emotions the filmmakers are trying to evoke?
How would you have used color and lighting in
the movie differently? Why?
The Manchurian Candidate
MC was nominated for an Oscar ® for Best Film
Editing (though it didn’t win). How does the
editing of the film advance the story that the
filmmakers are telling? Explain your answer with
specific examples.
The Graduate
Consider The Graduate as an examination of
conflicts between generations, or “the
generation gap.” Over what values are the
generations in conflict? How does the film’s
portrayal of the generation gap relate to the
historical and cultural context in which the film
was made? What comment does the film make
on society’s changing values? Ultimately, does
the film uphold tradition or change?
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is considered a benchmark sci-fi
film. Analyze the film in relation to its genre
(other sci-fi films). It what ways is it like other
movies of the same genre? In what ways is it
different? Use specific examples from the movie
(and others) to justify your answer.
Pleasantville
Explain and analyze gender roles in the film.
How does Pleasantville define what is masculine
and what is feminine? How does the film’s
portrayal of gender roles relate to the historical
and cultural context in which the film was
made/set? What comment does the film make
on the changing nature of gender roles? Is the
change positive or negative? Ultimately, does
the film uphold traditional gender roles or
critique those roles?
Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth was billed as “a fairy tale for
adults.” What does this phrase mean? How
does the film achieve this goal? (You might
consider setting here as well as character.)
No Country for Old Men
NCFOM is sometimes referred to as a postmodern film. How does that label apply? What
theme(s) do you find in this film? What are the
Cohen brothers telling/teaching us? Are they
successful? Why or why not? Use specific
examples from the movie to justify your answer.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 10
ENGL 3523: Special Topics (Film Analysis)
Article Review Format and Instructions
1. The article reviews will follow the MLA format. Additionally, construct the title of your
review as follows:
Review of: “title of article here”
2. Each review is to be one page (no more, no less). If you are a verbose writer, you
may “cheat” by decreasing the margins and/or by using 1.5 line spacing. DO NOT single
space the review. If you are not a verbose writer, you may not “cheat” at all.
3. Each review is to contain 3 paragraphs.
¶ (1) write a summary of the article
¶ (2) comment on the writing style used in the article




Did it seem academic, elementary, etc,?
Were parts of the article difficult to understand?
Did the article’s author use terms with which you were unfamiliar?
(give examples)
Who do you surmise is the intended audience for the article?
¶ (3) Discuss ideas in the article with which you agree AND ideas with which you
disagree or whose validity you at least question.


Did the article provide you a new “lens” through which to view films?
What lens?
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 11
MACU Attendance Policy Statement
Students are required to attend all classes in which they are enrolled. The student will gain
better mastery of a subject if he/she is able to attend all of the class sessions and participate in
the interaction with instructor and students. Realizing, however, that occasionally it may be
necessary for a student to be absent from a class, a student is allowed ONE absence for each
time per week the class meets. The maximum number of absences for ALL causes is four
absences for each time per week the class meets. One additional absence will cause an "F"
grade to be recorded for the course unless the student officially drops the course within the time
limits prescribed.
The last day for dropping a class in any semester is two (2) weeks prior to the last day of
classroom instruction. Some classes may only be dropped once without penalty. See
Academic Programs, Core Completion – Special Requirements.
If the student feels that there are legitimate, extenuating circumstances beyond his/her control
for some or all of the absences, the student may appeal in writing through the Registrar to the
Academic Committee to have the absences "reviewed."
1. It is the student's responsibility to keep track of his/her absences.
2. If the student chooses to appeal excessive absences, he/she shall do so within 14
days after the date of the first absence that causes his/her failure of the course.
3. "The burden of proof" for absence appeals will require verifiable documentation, e.g.,
a doctor’s excuse.
4. The student is responsible for all work missed and all assignments made in his/her
absence.
Attendance Policy Examples:
MWF 4 times 4 = 12 absences
TTH 4 times 2 = 8 absences
M
4 times 1 = 4 absences
Attendance Policy Process for University-Related Events
The following process is to be used when students are absent for a University related event:
1)
A list of students who are scheduled to miss any class or classes is to be e-mailed to
faculty members teaching the affected classes.
a. The e-mail list should be created by the initiating department and be submitted
no later than seven (7) days in advance of the absence in order to allow for tests
to be taken early if the instructor requires tests to be taken early.
b. It is acceptable for initiating departments to send lists of students to faculty
members earlier than seven days prior to absences. Since some instructors may
require work to be turned in prior to the planned absence or may require tests to
be taken prior to the planned absence, initiating departments should inform their
students to make contact with their instructors no later than seven (7) days in
advance of the planned absence to accommodate such requirements.
ENGL 3523: Special Topics—Film Analysis 12
2)
Any work assigned or quiz/test given while the student is absent may be made up
upon the student’s return. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the instructor
the very next class period after the scheduled absence.
3)
If any list of students planning to be absent for a college related event includes any
student or students with grade or other academic issues, the instructor of that class
or classes is requested to inform the department initiating the absence request of
these issues. Such information will aid the initiating department and the student in
the decision-making process.
4)
Please be advised that student grades cannot be affected simply because a student
is participating in some college approved extracurricular activity.
a. Faculty may or may not choose to allow perfect attendance incentives to be
impacted by the absence but students cannot be required to do extra work simply
because the student is absent for a college related activity.
b. No points can be deducted from a student’s potential class grade due to
absences for college related absences.
Note: The intent of item # 3 is to communicate that college students have among their rights
and responsibilities, the responsibility to make decisions regarding class attendance, i.e., faculty
cannot make this decision for them.