WIU Spring 2016
ENG/BC/WS 494 –Women in Film/Television-sec. 01
Discussion/Lecture: M and W 1:00-1:50 (SI 220)
Screening: Monday 2:00-4:00 (SI 220)
Dr. Roberta Di Carmine, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Film &
Faculty Adviser, Interdisciplinary Film Minor
Office: 219 Simpkins Hall (tel. 298-2192)
Office hours: Monday 12-1; Tuesday 1-3; Wednesday 10-11
Email: r-dicarmine@wiu.edu
Course description and goals:
By examining different forms of narrative and key examples of feminist film and media theory,
we will critique gender representations in both film and television. The course will focus on a
selection of US films, television series as well as international films. Some of the key questions
that will be addressed are: what strategies do US and international filmmakers employ to tell
women’s stories? To what extent these texts challenge traditional gender paradigms and power
relations? And, how do filmmakers challenge narrative conventions and generic constructions of
gender? Ultimately, in this course students will develop and refine critical thinking, oral and
written expressions by discussing the films and TV shows chosen for this class and acquire a
critical basis for further studies in film and media studies.
Notice:
Some of the films screened for this course may contain material some might find uncomfortable.
Your enrollment in this course indicates your awareness of this and your willingness to approach
these films in an adult, critical manner.
Required texts:
Interrogating Post-feminism. Gender and the Politics of Popular Culture (edited by Yvonne
Tasker and Diane Negra. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 2007)
Feminism and Film (edited by E. Ann Kaplan. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000)
Writing about Movies (by Karen Gocsik, Richard Barsam, Dave Monahan, W.W. Norton, 3rd ed,
2012 or 4th ed. 2016).
Readings are required and must be completed before each screening and/or when assigned
(check the schedule on this syllabus).
Films (and TV series) to be screened:
Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 115 m. US)
Stella Dallas (1937, dir. King Vidor, 106 m. US)
Laura (1944, dir. Otto Preminger, 98 m. US)
All About Eve (1950, dir. Joseph Mankievicz, 138 m. US)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, dir. Howard Hawks. 91 m. US)
All About my Mother (1999, dir. Pedro Almodovar, 101 m. Spain)
Orlando (1994, dir. Sally Potter, 94 m. UK/Russia/France/Italy/Netherlands)
Southern Comfort (2001, dir. Kate Davis, 90 m. US)
The Good Girl (2002, dir. Miguel Artega, 98 m. US/Germany/Netherlands)
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005, dir. Tyler Perry. 116 m. US)
Xala (1975, dir. Ousmane Sembene. 123 m. Senegal)
The Killing (2011-2014, TV series, US)
The Fall (2013--, TV series, UK)
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IMPORTANT COURSE POLICIES:
AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CLASS (SCREENING INCLUDED), STUDENTS ARE
REQUIRED TO SILENCE THEIR PHONE DEVICES. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ASK
STUDENTS WHO WILL BE FOUND CHECKING THEIR PHONES (OR TEXTING) TO
LEAVE THE CLASSROOM AND THAT WILL COUNT AS AN ABSENCE. FOOD IS NOT
ALLOWED AT FILM SCREENINGS/DISCUSSIONS
Film Screenings: ATTENDANCE AT FILM SCREENING IS REQUIRED. For additional
screenings, films can be easily located online, can be rented at video stores or found at the
university library. If a student misses a screening it is her/his responsibility to find ways to watch
the film before the discussion.
Class Meetings and Procedures: Each week students are expected to come to class prepared for
a discussion on the film and readings. Occasionally, discussions and lectures will occur on the
day scheduled for film screenings. Attendance at BOTH films screenings and discussions is
required. Students whose behavior during film screenings creates a distraction to others will be
asked to leave. Consistent late arrival or early departure at film screenings and class periods
DOES affect your grade.
Participation: Since the discussion revolves around the readings, the film(s), lectures, active
participation is based on a careful reading of both films and literary texts as well as
understanding of how the two relate. In-class activities will be graded as “participation points.”
Keep in mind that your contribution to discussions counts toward your participation grade.
Remember to be respectful in class, disagreements are inevitable in discussions but they should
always be conducted in a civil manner.
Attendance and Late Work Policies: Attendance will be taken regularly in class periods and
screenings. You are allowed 4 unexcused absences (0-4 absences= 80 pts; 5-8 absences= 20
pts; 9+ absences= 0 pts). Illness, emergencies, and religious obligations that fall on days of
regularly scheduled classes may be excusable upon consultation with the instructor and require
documentation from a university official or other authority. Letters from parents or relatives
won’t be accepted. Note: It is always up to the instructor to decide whether the documentation
is acceptable. Remember, consistent late arrival or early departure DOES affect your attendance
grade. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangement for any missed class, and
check with a classmate for missed material (notes) given in discussions/film screenings.
***WIU Film Club***JOIN THE WIU FILM CLUB! Every semester, the students
organization FILM CLUB shows a selection of films (national and international) and offers
thought-provoking discussions on a wide range of issues and topics! Students are highly
encouraged to attend the screenings/meetings. Further information about the students’
organization will be given the first week of class. The FILM CLUB President: Matt Juror,
treasurer Rachel Troyer. Throughout the semester, I will announce events related to film that
will be available on campus and students may earn extra credits for attending. The student who
decides to attend must write a two-pages (double spaced) critical review to earn points, for a max
of 10 points for each film event (and a max of 4 events--40 pts-- for the entire semester)
Requirements and Evaluation: Presentation (180 pts) - 3 film essays (300 pts) - Final paper
(320 pts) - Attendance (80 pts) and participation/in class activities (120 pts)
Grading Scale:
1000-934= A
933-900=A899-867=B+
2
866-834= B
833-800= B799-767=C+
766-734=C
733-700=C699-667=D+
666-634=D
633-600=Dbelow 600 pts= F
Requirements/Assignments: 1. You are asked to write 3 film papers (4 full pages each). In each
essay, you are asked to address specific topics and issues related to the films watched as well as
the readings assigned in class. The papers must be typed, double-spaced, proof-read, spellchecked, and formatted (font: 12; side margins: 1 inch). For quotation standards, use the MLA
style.
2. A group-presentation is required. A short paper (2 double-spaced pages) describing the
presentation should be handed in the week after it is given. Further information regarding this
assignment will be given during the second week of the semester. Each student enrolled in this
class is required to participate in the presentation. Students who don’t actively and fully
participate in the group presentation will receive a “zero” for this assignment. Also, students who
will not submit the two-pages paper will be penalized of 40 points.
3. A final paper of 12-15 pages (double-spaced) is due Wednesday, May 11 @ 1:00 pm. The final
paper consists of a comparative analysis of two films chosen by the student among those studied
in class. In this paper, students need to closely refer (by quoting or paraphrasing) to at least 6
readings done during the semester. A draft of the final paper of at least 6 pages is due May 2
(Monday). Students who won’t submit the draft on May 2 will be penalized of 60 pts from their
final paper grade. Students who submit a draft of less than 6 pages will be penalized of 40 pts.
Please note: I will NOT accept film essays and the final paper SENT AS EMAIL
ATTACHMENTS. HARD COPIES ONLY AND SUBMITTED THE DAY THE
ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE
Late Work Policies: Late work won’t be accepted. Exceptions will be considered only if
provided by documentation and after serious consideration from the instructor. If the
documentation provided is not sufficient and does not fully justify the request of a late
submission, the instructor will deny the request. Letters from parents or relatives won’t be
accepted.
IMPORTANT: The University Writing Center is available to assist you with general and
specific questions on writing assigned in any discipline and at any academic level. The oneon-one assistance available at the Writing Center is valuable for generating ideas, talking
about global-level issues such as organization, and even working through grammatical
problems. Call for an appointment (298-3512) and be sure to bring a copy of your
assignment. Contact the University Writing Center for more information, e-mail
mwcenter@wiu.edu
Additional Course Policies:
• No make-up in-class activities. If you miss a class, you also miss the in-class activity.
• No incompletes will be given in this course
• PLAGIARISM: Successful participation in this course requires that students complete all the
requirements/assignments. Students should be aware that plagiarism or cheating of any
form will not be tolerated and that academic misconduct entails severe penalties. The
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most common form of academic misconduct is plagiarism. As stated on the website
regarding Students’ Rights and Responsibilities, “plagiarism is intentionally or
knowingly presenting the work of another as one’s own. Plagiarism occurs whenever:
•
one quotes another person's actual words or replicates all or part of another’s
product without acknowledgment. This includes all information gleaned from any
source, including the Internet.
•
one uses another person's ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories, even if
they are completely paraphrased in one's own words without
acknowledgment.
•
one uses facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials without
acknowledgment.
•
one fails to acknowledge with a citation any close and/or extended
paraphrasing of another.
•
one fails to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another,
whether it is a few words, a sentence, or a paragraph.
Typical examples: Submitting, as one’s own, the work of another writer or commercial writing
service; knowingly buying or otherwise acquiring and submitting, as one’s own work, any
research paper or other writing assignment; submitting, as one’s own, work in which portions
were produced by someone acting as tutor or editor; collaborating with others on papers or
projects without authorization of the instructor.
READ CAREFULLY: Academic Integrity Policy
(http://www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php)
Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students.php)
In addition to oral or written work, plagiarism may also involve using, without permission and/or
acknowledgment, computer programs or files, research designs, ideas and images, charts and
graphs, photographs, creative works, and other types of information that belong to another.
Because expectations about academic assignments vary among disciplines and instructors,
students should consult with their instructors about any special requirements related to citation.”
(see, http://www.wiu.edu/provost/student/)
If a student plagiarizes a paper, the student will receive an F for that assignment and will be
referred to the Student Judicial Program and reported to the Chair of the department of
English.
Special accommodation:
“In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic
accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s) you must obtain
documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Resource Center (DRC) and
provide it to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the
instructor's attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of
students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire,
tornado, etc.) should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such
an emergency. Contact Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 298-2512 for additional services.”
Additional Information: to get important factual information about films (characters’ name,
cast, awards), check www.imdb.com. Be careful though with the “on-line interviews” and other
material you find online. Remember, plagiarism is a very serious matter. It is also essential to
take notes during the screenings. Therefore it is highly recommended to buy a penlight, a
ballpoint pen with an illuminated tip, to facilitate writing in the dark.
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FOR Graduate students ONLY: graduate students enrolled in this course will be required to
complete the following requirements to receive a passing grade:
- attendance and participation, including in class activities (80 +120 pts)
- 1 (individual) presentation (180 pts)
- 3 film essays (6 pages each) (300 pts)
- Research paper (12-15 pages) [320 pts: a close analysis of two films seen in class with close
reference to at least six readings done in class and six additional critical readings (refereed
articles, book essays)]. The student will be responsible to locate these additional readings. A list
of film journals/texts to consult will be distributed later in the semester. An in class presentation
of their final project is also required at the end of the semester and will be graded.
Course Schedule
It provides a general plan for the course but some changes may be necessary. Students will be
notified in advance of any changes
Week 1:
January 20 (W): Introduction. Reading for next Monday “Introduction p.1-18” (Kaplan);
Reading for next M and W: Part One, p. 3-55, Gocsik in Writing about Movies (The challenges of
writing about movies; looking at movies..)
Week 2:
01/25 (M): Discussion on the reading.
01/25 (M): Screening: Rear Window (1958, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 129 m. US).
Reading for W: read Laura Mulvey’s essay, p. 34 (in Kaplan) and re-read Part One Gocsik)
01/27 (W): discussion on the film and readings.
Readings for next week (M): re-read “Visual Pleasure . . .,” by Laura Mulvey, p. 34 (in Kaplan);
Reading for W: Christine Gledhill’s essay, p. 66 (“Klute 1: Film Noir and Feminist Criticism, in
Kaplan)
Week 3:
02/01 (M): Discussion on the readings.
02/01 (M): Screening: Laura (1944, dir. Otto Preminger, 98 m. US)
02/03 (W): discussion on the readings and film
Reading for next M: Read Part Two, Gocsik p. 103-181
Reading for W: two essays on “Stella Dallas,” p. 466 (by E. Ann Kaplan) and p. 479 (by Linda
Williams, both in Kaplan)
Week 4:
02/08: discussion on the reading (Gocsik).
02/08 (M): Screening: Stella Dallas (1937, dir. King Vidor, 106 m. US)
02/10 (W): discussion on the readings (on Stella Dallas)
Reading for next W: “Is the Gaze Male?” (Kaplan, p. 119); Reading for M: “Women’s Genre,”
(Annette Kuhn in Kaplan, p. 437)
Week 5:
02/15 (M): Discussion on the film/readings. FILM ESSAY N. 1 DUE
02/15 (M): Screening: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, dir. Howard Hawks. 91 m. US)
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02/17 (W): discussion on the film/readings. Reading for next week: read “Woman as Sign” by
Elizabeth Cowie, p. 48 (in Kaplan); “Film and the Masquerade,” by Mary Ann Doane (in Kaplan,
p. 418)
Week 6:
02/22 (M): discussion on the readings. BEGIN SCREENING
02/22 (M): Screening: All About Eve (1950, dir. Joseph Mankievicz, 138 m. US)
02/24 (W): PRESENTATION N. 1 (Grad Student)
Reading: for M: Introductory notes, p. 151; for W, read “The difficulty of difference,” (David
Rodovick, p.181, in Kaplan)
Week 7:
02/29 (M): discussion on the readings.
02/29 (M): Screening All About my Mother (1999, dir. Pedro Almodovar, 101 m. Spain)
03/02 (W): PRESENTATION N. 2
Reading for next W: “Masochism and the perverse…” by Gaylyn Studlar, p. 203 (in Kaplan);
Week 8:
03/07 (M): discussion on the film/readings. FILM ESSAY N. 2 DUE
03/07 (M): Screening: Orlando (1994, dir. Sally Potter, 94 m.
UK/Russia/France/Italy/Netherlands
03/09 (W): PRESENTATION N. 3
Reading for next week: “Masculinity as Spectacle: Reflections of Men and Mainstream cinema”
(by Steve Neale, p. 253) and “Women’s Stake: Filming the female body” by Mary Ann Doane, p.
86 (Kaplan)
Week 9:
SPRING BREAK
Week 10:
03/21 (M): Discussion on the film/reading.
03/21 (M): Screening: Southern Comfort (2001, dir. Kate Davis, 90 m. US)
03/23 (W): PRESENTATION N. 4
Reading for M: read “Introduction” (Tasker and Negra, in Postfeminism)
Reading for W: read chapter 2 Mass magazine Cover Girls: Some Reflections on Postfeminist
Girls and Postfeminism’s Daughters,” p. 40 (Projansky in Posfeminism)
Week 11:
03/28 (M): discussion on the readings
03/28 (M): Screening: The Good Girl (2002, dir. Miguel Artega. 98 m.
US/Germany/Netherlands)
Reading for W: chapter 4 “I Hate my job, I hate everybody here,” Adultery, Boredom, and the
Working Girl in Twenty-First century American Cinema” (by Suzanne Leonard, in Postfeminism)
03/30 (W): PRESENTATION N. 5
Reading for next W: read “Divas, Evil Black Bitches, and Bitter Black Women..” (by Springer,
in Post-feminism, p. 249)
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Week 12:
04/04 (M): Discussion on the readings. FILM ESSAY N. 3 DUE
04/04 (M): Screening: Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005, dir. Tyler Perry. USA, 116 m.)
04/06 (W): PRESENTATION N. 6
Reading for M/W: “The Carapace that Failed: Ousmane Sembene’s Xala” (by Laura Mulvey, p.
535, in Kaplan)
Week 13:
04/11 (M): discussion on the readings.
04/11 (M): Screening: Xala (1975, dir. Ousmane Sembene. 123 m. Senegal)
04/13 (W): discussion on the film/readings
Reading for next W: to be assigned
Week 14:
04/18 (M): discussion on the readings
04/18 (M): Screening: two episodes, The Killing
04/20 (W): discussion on the films
Readings for next week: to be assigned
Week 15:
04/25 (M): discussion on the readings
04/25(M): Screening: two episodes, The Fall
04/27 (W): discussions on the films
Week 16:
05/02 (M): Final considerations/students evaluations. DRAFT final paper due in class.
PRESENTATION GRAD STUDENT’S RESEARCH PAPER
05/02 (M): no screening.
05/04 (W): conferences in my office
Week 17:
FINAL WEEK. FINAL PAPER IS DUE WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 @ at 1:00 pm in my
office.
NOTE: LATE PAPER WILL BE PENALIZED 50 PTS FOR EACH HOUR LATE
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