-1-
English 550 -Film TheoryGraduate Course
Department of English and Journalism
Western Illinois University (QC Campus)
Fall 2014
Meeting Day/Time: TH 5:30-8:00 (229 RIVERFRONT)
Dr. Roberta Di Carmine
Office: 219 Simpkins Hall (309-298-2192)
Office hours: TH from 4:30 to 5:30 (QC campus); 12-2 (T) and 12-1
(M)- both on Macomb Campus and 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
1
-2Films:
Week 1. Trip to the moon (1902, dir. George Melies. 12 m., France) and
The seashell and the clergyman (La coquille et le clergyman ,1928, dir.
Germaine Dulac, 41 m. France); Meshes of the Afternoon (1943, dir.
Maya Deren, 14 m. US)
Week 2. The Man with the Movie Camera (1929, dir. Dziga Vertov, 68
m., Soviet Union)
Week 3.
The Passion of Joan of Arc (La passion de Jeanne d’Arc,
1928, dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer. 84 m. France)
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 (1953, 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. Roma, citta’ aperta (Rome, Open City, 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)
Week14. Thanksgiving vacation
Week 15: final considerations
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: For any additional screenings, remember that these films
2
-3are easy to find online, in case you have trouble locating them please let
me know and I will help you out.
Evaluation: Grades will be based on weekly response papers (550 pts
total-50 pts each paper) and a final research paper (450 pts).
Total points: 1000. Grading Scale: 900-1000 A; 800-899 B; 700-799 C;
600-699 D; below 600 F
Attendance and Participation Policy:
Students are expected to come to class prepared for a discussion on the
readings and film(s).
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
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 religious obligations. Students always need to provide
documentation from university officials.
Writing Requirements:
You are required to write weekly critical responses to films/readings and a
final research paper.
* Weekly papers (total of 11 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
3
-4hadn’t done the reading that week? What caught my eye or ear? How
was 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, choose 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, choose the
MLA Style.
Final paper is due December 18 (Thursday) by 6:00 pm via email (rdicarmine@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:
1) Describe the film theory, relevant people involved, and its importance.
4
-5Refer 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 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 if you need, but I
will not take questions about the weekly papers or the final paper the day
before they are due.
Additional Course Policies:
-
NO incompletes are given in this class.
-
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
quoting directly from another, whether it is a few words, a
5
-6sentence, 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/)
-
If a student is found plagiarizing a paper, the student will receive an
F.
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 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
(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
attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such
6
-7particular 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.
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.
7
-8-
Schedule*
*The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course but some changes may
be necessary. Students will be informed in advance of any changes
Week 1: Introduction: Origins of Film Theory and Avant-Garde
08/28 (TH): Screening: Trip to the Moon (1902, dir. George Melies. 12
m.); La coquille et le clergyman (The seashell and the clergyman, 1928,
dir. Germaine Dulac, 41 m. France) and
Meshes of the Afternoon (1943,
dir. Maya Deren, 14 m. US)
Reading for next Th: “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); “Cinematography: the
creative use of reality” (Maya Deren, p. 144);
WEEK 2: Soviet Film Theory
09/04 (TH): FILM PAPER # 1 DUE IN CLASS (on either Melies, Dulac or
Deren). Screening: Man with the movie camera (1929, dir. Dziga Vertov,
68 m., Soviet Union).
Reading for next Th: “Vertov’s “Film directors: a revolution” (p. 257);
Eisenstein’s “The Dramaturgy of Film Form” (p. 262);
“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); “Phenomenology and Film Experience, p. 62)
8
-9WEEK 3: Film Movements of the 1920s and 1930s
09/11 (TH): PAPER # 2 DUE IN CLASS (on Vertov). Screening: The
Passion of Joan of Arc (La passion de Jeanne d’Arc, 1928, dir. Carl
Theodor Dreyer. 84 m. France)
Readings for next Th: “Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle over
Representation” (by Shohat and Stam, p. 800); “First Principles of
Documentary” (Grierson, 657); “Performing Documentary” (by Bill
Nichols, p. 672)
WEEK 4: Ethnography
09/18 (TH): PAPER # 3 DUE IN CLASS (on Dreyer’s film). Screening:
Nanook of the North (1922, dir. Robert Flaherty, 79 m., US/France)
followed by discussion on the film/readings
Reading for next Th: Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (Mulvey, p.
713)
WEEK 5: Feminist Criticism of Classical Hollywood Cinema. Part I
09/25 (TH): PAPER # 4 DUE IN CLASS (on Flaherty’s film). Screening:
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, dir. m. US) and discussion on the film/readings
(Mulvey)
Reading for next Th: re-read Mulvey’s essay; read “Disavowal, Fetishism”
(Christian Metz, p. 17); “Hitchcock, Feminism and the Patriarchal
Unconscious” (Modleski, p. 375)
WEEK 6: Feminist Criticism: Part II
10/02 (TH): PAPER # 5 DUE IN CLASS (on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes).
Screening: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 112 m. US) followed
and discussion on the film/readings (Modleski, Mulvey)
Reading for next Th: “Auteur theory revised: (Sarris, p. 354); “Auteur
Theory” (Wollen, p. 361); “Film Genre and the Genre Film” (Thomas
9
- 10 Schatz, p. 453); Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” (Comolli and Narboni, p.
478)
WEEK 7: Auteur Theory and Classical Hollywood Narrative
10/09 (TH): PAPER # 6 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 Th: “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
10/16 (TH): PAPER # 7 DUE IN CLASS (on Rebel without a Cause).
Screening: Blade Runner (1882, dir. Ridley Scott, 117 m. US/Hong Kong)
Reading for next Th: 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); “Notes Towards a Theory of Animation”
(Paul Wells, p. 213)
Week 9: Digital Cinema and the Philosophical Turn
10/23 (TH): PAPER # 8 DUE IN CLASS (on Postmodernism). Screening:
Toy Story (1995, dir. John Lasseter, 77 m. US) followed by discussion on the
readings/film
Readings for next Th: “Some ideas on the Cinema” (Zavattini, p. 915);
“Reconceptualizing National Cinema/s” (Stephen Crofts, p. 939)
WEEK 10: National and Transnational Film Histories
10/30 (TH): PAPER # 9 DUE IN CLASS (on Toy Story). Screening:
Rome, Open City (Roma citta’ aperta, 1945, dir. Roberto Rossellini, 93
m. Italy) followed by discussion on the film/readings
10
- 11 Reading for next Th: “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
11/06 (TH): PAPER # 10 DUE IN CLASS (on Rome Open City). Screening:
The Battle of Algiers (1966, dir. Gillo Pontecorvo, 120 m. Italy/Algeria)
followed by discussion on the readings/film.
Reading for November 20: “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:
11/13 (TH): NO CLASS. DR. DI CARMINE WILL ATTEND AN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. PAPER # 10 (on film manifestos) is
due on November 20 (Th)
WEEK 13: Queer Studies and Adaptation Theory
11/20 (TH): PAPER # 11 DUE (on Manifestos). Screening: The Hours
(2002, dir. Stephen Daldry, 114 m. US/UK) followed by discussion.
WEEK 14: THANKSGIVING VACATION
WEEK 15:
12/04 (TH): (on queer studies and/or adaptation theory). Discussion, final
consideration and students evaluations
Week 16:
11
- 12 12/11 (TH): NO CLASS. DR. DI CARMINE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE
OFFICE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS [VIA EMAIL or by Phone FROM
5:00 TO 7:00 PM (309-298-2192)]
WEEK 17:
Final Paper is due Thursday, December 18 by 6:00 pm via email (rdicarmine@wiu.edu). Papers received after 6:00 pm will be penalized 50
pts for each hour
12