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English 550 -Film TheoryGraduate Course
Department of English and Journalism
Western Illinois University (Macomb Campus)
Fall 2014
Meeting Day/Time: M 5:30-8:00 (220 SI)
Dr. Roberta Di Carmine
Office: 219 Simpkins Hall (tel. 298-2192)
Office hours: M and W 12:00-1:00; T 12-2 or by appointment
Email: R-Dicarmine@wiu.edu
Course Aims and objectives: This course is designed to introduce students
to film theories in an attempt to understand the evolution of film
criticism and appreciate how films reflect cultural attitudes and allow
viewers to interpret dominant ideologies. Students will be exposed to
classical film theories (including formalism, semiotics, psychoanalysis, the
feminist and Marxist critical approaches of the 1960s and 1970s) and
contemporary theories related to gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity,
and cultural identity. The class involves discussions, weekly response papers,
and a research paper.
Required Texts:
Critical Visions in Film Theory: Classic and Contemporary Readings (edited
by Timothy Corrigan, Patricia White and Meta Mazaj. Boston: Bedford St
Martins, 2011): Writing about Movies (by Karen Gocsik and Richard
Barsam, third ed., 2012 (or ecopy)
COURSE POLICY: STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TURN OFF THEIR CELL
PHONES
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-2Films:
Week 1. Trip to the moon (1902, dir. George Melies. 12 m., France); The
seashell and the clergyman (La coquille et le clergyman, 1928, dir.
Germaine Dulac, 41 m. France); The Man with the Movie Camera (1929,
dir. Dziga Vertov, 68 m., Soviet Union)
Week 2. Labor day
Week 3. Meshes of the Afternoon (1943, dir. Maya Deren, 14 m. US)
Week 4. Nanook of the North (1922, dir. Robert Flaherty, 79 m.,
US/France)
Week 5. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, dir Howard Hawks, 91 m. US)
Week 6: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 112 m. US)
Week 7. Rebel without a cause (1955, dir. Nicholas Ray. 111 m. US)
Week 8: Blade Runner (1982, dir. Ridley Scott, 117 m. US/Hong Kong)
Week 9: Toy Story (1995, dir. John Lasseter, 77 m. US)
Week 10. Rome, Open City (Roma, citta’ aperta, 1945, dir. Roberto
Rossellini, 93 m. Italy)
Week 11. The Battle of Algiers (La battaglia di Algeri, 1966, dir. Gillo
Pontecorvo, 120 m. Italy/Algeria)
Week 12-13. The Hours (2002, dir. Stephen Daldry, 114 m. US/UK)
Week 14. Thanksgiving
Week 15 Coraline (2009, dir. Henry Selick, 96 m. US)
Class Meetings and Procedures: Students are responsible for reading the
material scheduled for each class period. Also, given the structure and
schedule of this graduate course, I expect students to expand on the
readings on their own as we won’t be able to cover all each week.
Video Screenings: Films used in this class are easy to find online (Netflix).
Check also at the WIU Malpass Library for available copies.
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-3Evaluation: Grades will be based on weekly response papers (600 pts
total-50 pts each paper) and a final research paper (400 pts).
Total points: 1000. Grading Scale: 900-1000 A; 800-899 B; 700-799 C;
600-699 D; below 600 F
Attendance Policy:
Participation in class discussions is expected. Students are required to read
materials as assigned, before each class meeting.
I am not going to take attendance. if a student misses a class, for
whatever reason, he/she will miss the lecture and most importantly the
discussion on the readings. I am NOT going to give notes of my lectures to
students who miss classes. Furthermore, if a student misses a class because
he/she is sick or for any other personal reason, it is always up to the
student to check with a classmate (NOT the instructor) for notes (and/or
for any announcements). Exceptions considered: absences related to
hospitalization and in that case they require documentation from doctors
from the hospital; absences due to university activities (sports/students
organization), and to religious obligations. Students always need to provide
documentation from university officials or other professionals regarding these
absences in order to be able to meet with the instructor and go over the
material missed in discussion.
Writing Requirements:
You are required to write weekly critical responses to films/readings and a
final research paper.
* Weekly papers (total of 12 papers): the paper should be 5 FULL pages
(double-spaced) long and follow an essay form. Each paper should be a
discussion of the film in light of the readings you have done. You are not
being asked to closely analyze the film(s), but to think about their
relationship to the theories we are studying. Ask yourself these questions
about each film: What did I notice in this film that I would not have if I
hadn’t done the reading that week? What caught my eye or ear? How
3
-4was my appreciation and understanding of the film influenced by what I
read and saw so far in class? What specific conventions (narrative and
aesthetic) does the film show?
You will be graded on your clarity, understanding of the course material
and your creativity. For quotation standards, use the MLA style. Check
those online for information or check with me BEFORE you start writing
your paper. Late papers won’t be accepted.
* Research Paper (15-18 pages)
For this essay, choose one theoretical approach studied and apply it to
two films to choose among those screened in class. Focus on a sequence
(for each film) and name as many formal and narrative elements as
possible. You must consider: mise-en-scene, camera movements, distances
and angles, lighting, color (or shades, if in black and white), character
types. After you have completely studied this sequence, discuss what
theoretical issues you think this sequence raise in the viewer. What is/are
the filmmaker’s statement(s) in that sequence? What is the intended
audience reaction to the sequence? How does the filmmaker’s specific use
of formal elements shape the depiction of the main theme(s) of the film?
How is this sequence informing of the theoretical approach you have
chosen? The purpose of the paper is to see how well you are able to pick
out specific film elements and analyze how and why they are used in
relation to a theoretical approach. For quotation standards, use the MLA
Manual Style.
Final paper is due December 15 (Monday) by 6 pm and needs to be sent
via email to r-dicarmine@wiu.edu. Late papers will be penalized 50 pts per
hour
For your paper, when you refer to outside sources, make sure to include a
“Sources Cited” or “Bibliography” page at the end of the paper.
You may structure your paper any way you like, but make sure you
address the following:
4
-51) Describe the film theory, relevant people involved, and its importance.
Refer to any readings done in class (at least 4) and, in addition to that,
you need to refer to 4 essays/articles/book chapters on the theory and
relevant people you have chosen. For researching these secondary readings
for this final paper, I will distribute a list of film journals to be consulted
later in the semester. Quote or paraphrase when necessary.
2) Mention some important films related to the theory chosen.
3) Discuss the influence of that theory in relation to the two films
chosen.
I will happy to explain these assignments in more detail but I will NOT take
questions about the weekly papers or the final paper the day before they
are due.
Additional Course Policies:
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NO incompletes are given in this class.
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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 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
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-6quoting 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. 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.”
"http://www.wiu.edu/provost/student/"http://www.wiu.edu/provost
/student/
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If a student is found plagiarizing a paper, the student will receive an
F.
The University Writing Center (on Macomb Campus) is available to assist
you with general and specific questions on writing assigned in any discipline
and at any academic level. The one-on-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 (309-298-2815)
Special Accommodation and Disabilities:
“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. It is imperative
that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor’s
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-7attention, 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 Support Services 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. 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.
Schedule*
*The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course but some changes may
be necessary. Students will be informed of any changes in advance.
Week 1: Introduction. Origins of Film Theory: Soviet Film Theory
08/25
Screening: La coquille et le clergyman (The seashell and the clergyman,
1928, dir. Germaine Dulac, 41 m. France) and Trip to the Moon (1902,
dir. George Melies. 12 m., France). Followed by discussion. Screening: Man
with the movie camera (1929, dir. Dziga Vertov, 68 m., Soviet Union)
Reading for Monday, Sept. 8: “Why we go to the movies’ (Hugo
Munsterberg, p. 9); Plato’s “The allegory of the Cave” (p. 5); “The
Cinema of attractions: early films, its spectators, and the avant-garde”
(Gunning, p. 69); “The Avant-Garde Cinema” (Dulac, p. 651); Vertov’s
“Film directors: a revolution” (p. 257); Eisenstein’s “The Dramaturgy of
Film Form” (p. 262); “Cinematography: the creative use of reality”
(Maya Deren, p. 144); “First Principles of Documentary” (Grierson,
657); “Performing Documentary” (by Bill Nichols, p. 672);
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-8“Film/Reality/Illusion” (Currie, p. 45); “from Cinema II: The Time-Image”
(Gilles Deleuze, p. 185); “Ideological Effects of the Basic” (Jean-Louis
Baudry, p. 34)
WEEK 2: NO CLASS/LABOR DAY
09/01
WEEK 3: Film Movements of the 1920s and 1930s
09/08 (M): PAPER # 1 DUE IN CLASS (on Vertov’s, Melies’ or Dulac).
Discussion on the readings/films. Screening: Meshes of the Afternoon
(1943, dir. Maya Deren, 14 m. US)
Readings for next Monday: “Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle over
Representation” (by Shohat and Stam, p. 800)
WEEK 4: Ethnography
09/15 (M): PAPER # 2 DUE IN CLASS (on Deren). Screening: Nanook of
the North (1922, dir. Robert Flaherty, 79 m., US/France) followed by
discussion on the film/readings
Reading for next Monday: “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”
(Mulvey, p. 713);
WEEK 5: Feminist Criticism of Classical Hollywood Cinema. Part I
09/22 (M): PAPER # 3 DUE IN CLASS (on Flaherty’s film). Screening:
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and discussion on the film/readings (Mulvey)
Reading for next M: re-read Mulvey’s essay; read “Disavowal, Fetishism”
(Christian Metz, p. 17); “Hitchcock, Feminism and the Patriarchal
Unconscious” (Modleski, p. 375)
WEEK 6: Feminism. Part II
09/29 (M): PAPER # 4 DUE IN CLASS (on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes).
Screening: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 112 m. US) and
discussion on the film/readings (Modleski, Mulvey)
Reading for next M: “Auteur theory revised: (Sarris, p. 354); “Auteur
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-9Theory” (Wollen, p. 361); “Film Genre and the Genre Film” (Thomas
Schatz, p. 453); Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” (Comolli and Narboni, p.
478)
WEEK 7: Auteur Theory and Classical Hollywood Narrative
10/06 (M): PAPER # 5 DUE IN CLASS (on Hitchcock). Screening: Rebel
without a cause (1955, dir. Nicholas Ray. 111 m. US)
followed by discussion on the film/reading.
Reading for next M: “The evolution of the language of cinema” (Andre
Bazin, p. 309); “A Semantic/Syntactic/Pragmatic approach to Genre”
(Altman, p. 487); “Postmodernism and Consumer Society (Jameson, p.
1031)
WEEK 8: Postmodernism
10/13 (M): PAPER # 6 DUE IN CLASS (on Rebel without a Cause).
Screening: Blade Runner (1882, dir. Ridley Scott, 117 m. US/Hong Kong)
Reading for next M: Deleuze (“From: Cinema II: the Time Image,” 185);
Lev Manovich (“What is digital cinema?” p. 1058); D. N. Rodowick (“An
Elegy for Theory,” p. 1109)
Week 9: Digital Cinema and the Philosophical Turn
10/20 (M): PAPER # 7 DUE IN CLASS (on Postmodernism). Screening:
Toy Story (1995, dir. John Lasseter, 77 m. US)
Readings for next M: “Some ideas on the Cinema” (Zavattini, p. 915);
“Reconceptualizing National Cinema/s” (Stephen Crofts, p. 939)
WEEK 10: National and Transnational Film Histories
10/27 (M): PAPER # 8 DUE IN CLASS (on Toy Story). Screening: Rome,
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Open City (1945, dir. Roberto Rossellini, 93 m. Italy) followed by
discussion on the film/readings
Reading for next M: “film and Reality” (Arnheim, p. 279); “Towards a
Third Cinema: Notes and Experiences for the development of a Cinema of
Liberation in the Third World” (Solanas and Getino, p. 924)
WEEK 11: Film Manifestos
11/03 (M): PAPER # 9 DUE IN CLASS (on film and reality). Screening:
The Battle of Algiers (1966, dir. Gillo Pontecorvo, 120 m. Italy/Algeria)
followed by discussion on the readings/film.
Reading for next M: “The Death of the Author” (Roland Barthes, p.
345); “Beyond Fidelity: The Dialogics of Adaptation” (Robert Stam, p.
541); “New Queer Cinema” (Rich, 767)
WEEK 12: Adaptation
11/10 (M): PAPER # 10 (on film manifestos) is due BY EMAIL. Screening:
The Hours (2002, dir. Stephen Daldry, 114 m. US/UK). Dr. Di Carmine
won’t be present at the screening because she will be attending an
international conference. There will be a graduate student or a faculty
colleague taking care of the screening. Discussions on the film will be
covered during an extra day that will be decided according to the
students’ availability and schedule.
Reading for M: read “Notes Towards a Theory of Animation” (Paul Wells,
p. 213)
WEEK 13: Adaptation and Queer Studies
11/17 (M): NO CLASS. DR. DI CARMINE ON THE WAY BACK FROM AN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. PAPER # 11(on adaptation or queer
theories) is due by email. Dr. Di Carmine will hold extra office hours on
Tuesday, November 14, to return the papers n. 10 and 11 and discuss any
issues with students. Students can request appointments on that day.
Reading for after Thanksgiving: “Notes Towards a Theory of Animation”
(Paul Wells, p. 213)
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WE WILL MEET ONCE AGAIN DURING WEEK 13 (TBD)
WEEK 14:Thanksgiving vacation
WEEK 15: Animation
12/01 (M): Screening: Coraline (2009, dir. Henry Selick, 96 m. US)
followed by discussion on animation; students’ evaluations
Week 16:
12/08 (M): PAPER # 12 (on animation) sent by email. NO CLASS. DR.
DI CARMINE IS AVAILABLE FOR EXTRA OFFICE HOURS
Week 17:
12/15 (M) Final Paper due by 6:00 pm sent via email (rdicarmine@wiu.edu). Papers received after 6:00 pm will be penalized 50
pts for each hour
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