THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PARIS/ FALL 2013
COURSE TITLE: DIRECTORS/ALFRED HITCHCOCK
COURSE CODE: FM 2081
PROFESSOR:
Dr. Lawrence Pitkethly
CLASS PERIOD: Monday 16.55 in G 29
OFFICE HOURS: Monday 14.00-15.00 at G 45 or by appointment
CONTACT:
Grenelle mailbox or email: lpitkethly@wanadoo.fr
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course chronicles and analyzes the work of one of the greatest, most influential film directors
in the history of cinema, whose prodigious career spanned the silent and sound eras, and who
made major contributions first to British film, then to the classic Hollywood style. We begin by
establishing Hitchcock’s concept of pure cinema, trace the biographical origins of his fascination
with “fright” and explore the major influences in his work. Among the early Hitchcock films
treated are The Lodger, Sabotage and Thirty Nine Steps. We then follow the director’s move to
American cinema and analyze his volatile work relationship with his producer, David Selznick, in
films like Rebecca and Spellbound.. Hitchcock’s command of his craft and technical innovation to
create masterpieces of suspense that transformed modern cinema, as well as capturing audiences
are then explored in films such as Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Rope, Dial M for Murder, The
Wrong Man, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo, Psycho and The Birds.
STUDENT LEARNING GOALS
By the end of the course students should have gained an understanding of the work of a master
of cinematic tension, and be able to analyze the way Hitchcock transformed the suspense
thriller into a sophisticated art form. They will gain an overview of early British film and see
some of the literary sources where Hitchcock derived his narratives. They will understand the
difference between ‘British’ film and the classical Hollywood style in which Hitchcock worked
for most of his career. They will see how a great director broke away from many ‘theatrical’
conventions to create pure cinema that has influenced directors as disparate as Truffaut and
Brian de Palma. They will also be trained to interpret these “suspense’ stories as reflections of
Hitchcock’s “dark genius” and of the audiences who clamored to see them. As a result students
will be able to think critically about the way cinema works, and how one ‘great’ director shaped
cultural and social discourse.
REQUIRED TEXTS
“Hitchcock’s Films Revisited” Robin WOOD
“Hitchcock/Truffaut” (Definitive interview of Hitchcock by Truffaut
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/05/hitchcock.html
RECOMMENDED:ON RESERVE
“The Dark Side of Genius” Donald SPOTO (Fascinating biography of Hitchcock)
EVALUATION
Attendance at class is obligatory, except for medical or other emergency reasons for which an
administrative note is required. Attendance and participation in class accounts for 20% of the
student’s class grade. Class presentations count for 10%. Each student must write two papers,
each of which counts for 25% of the class grade. The final exam counts for 20%.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Students studying at The American University of Paris are expected to attend ALL scheduled
classes. A maximum of four (4) excused absences per semester may be requested for all 4-credit
courses. Two (2) excused absences per semester per 1-credit course may be requested.
The French Department has its own attendance policy. Students are responsible for compliance.
Attendance at all exams is mandatory.
Student Affairs will recommend that a professor excuse an absence for the following reason only:
involuntary absences due to illness or personal emergencies, upon presentation of documentary
proof of illness or emergency.
Religious and National Holidays:
Due to the large number of nationalities and faiths represented at the University, religious and
national holidays (other than those on the academic schedule) will not be excused by Student
Affairs.
Academic Affairs will excuse an absence for students’ participation in study trips related to their
courses.
Lateness to course meetings:
If a student arrives at course meetings more than 10 minutes late without documentation for
one of the above scenarios, it will be considered an unexcused absence.
All documentation must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs within ONE WEEK
following the first day of the absence.
IN ALL CASES OF MISSED COURSE MEETINGS, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMUNICATION
WITH THE PROFESSOR AND FOR ARRANGING TO MAKE UP MISSED WORK RESTS SOLELY
WITH THE STUDENT.
Whether an absence (excused or unexcused) is accepted or not is ALWAYS up to the discretion
of the professor or the department. Unexcused absences can result in a low or failing
participation grade. In the case of excessive excused and unexcused absences, it is up to the
professor or the department to decide if the student will receive an “F” for the course. An
instructor may recommend the withdrawal of a student whose absences from any course,
excused or not, have made it impossible to continue in the course at a satisfactory level. The
professor may consult with Student Affairs for additional information.
Students must be mindful of this policy when making their travel arrangements, and
especially during the Drop/Add and Exam Periods.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY STATEMENT: As an Anglophone University, The American
University of Paris is strongly committed to effective English language mastery at the
undergraduate level. Most courses require scholarly research and formal written and oral
presentations in English, and AUP students are expected to strive to achieve excellence in these
domains as part of their course work. To that end, professors include English proficiency
among the criteria in student evaluation, often referring students to the university Writing Lab
where they may obtain help on specific academic assignments. Proficiency in English is
monitored at various points throughout the student's academic career, most notably during the
admissions and advising processes, while the student is completing general education
requirements, and during the accomplishment of degree program courses and senior theses.
CLASSES
CLASS 1: Monday 9 September
THE HITCHCOCK STYLE /PURE CINEMA
Screening of interview with Hitchcock (1964), and of excerpts from SABOTAGE (1936) and
PSYCHO (1960)
PURE CINEMA
Reading: Wood pp 55-85 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp11-20 pp 105-125
Screening of interviews with Hitchcock and excerpts from NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
CLASS 2: Monday 16 September
EARLY INFLUENCES (Wilde, Poe, Murnau/German Expressionism) and BRITISH PERIOD
Screening of excerpts - THE LAST LAUGH (Murnau, 1924) THE LODGER (Hitchcock, 1927)
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 24-61 Spoto (on reserve) pp 38-42 pp 66-74 pp 81-95
BRITISH PERIOD
Reading: Wood: pp 239-287 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 63-103 Spoto pp 144-151
Screening of excerpts from THE THIRTY NINE STEPS (1935)
CLASS 3: Monday 23 September
CROSSING TO AMERICA
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 133-143
Screening of excerpts from FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940)
CLASS PRESENTATIONS
CLASS 4: Monday 30 September
THE STRUGGLE WITH SELZNICK
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 125-133 Wood pp 231-232 Spoto pp 208-221
Screening of excerpts from REBECCA (1940)
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 163-167
Screening of excerpts from SPELLBOUND (1945)
CLASS 5: Monday 7 October
NOIR AND THE DARK SIDE OF AMERICAN FAMILY DRAMA
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 151-155 Wood pp 288-302 Spoto pp256-263
Screening of excerpts from SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943)
Reading: Wood pp 86-99 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 193-199
Screening of excerpts from STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)
CLASS 6: Monday 14 October
MASTERY OF CRAFT
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 167-173 Wood pp 303-335
Screening of excerpts from NOTORIOUS (1946)
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 177-184 Wood pp 78-80
Screening of excerpts from ROPE (1948)
FIRST RESEARCH PAPER DUE 21 OCTOBER
CLASS 7: Monday 21 October
THEATER AND FILM
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 209-213
Screening of excerpts from DIAL M FOR MURDER (1953)
CLASS 8: Monday 28 October
REAR WINDOW
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 213-223 Wood pp 100-107 and pp 377-379
Screening of excerpts from REAR WINDOW (1954)
CLASS 9: Monday 4 November
VERTIGO
Reading: Wood pp108-130 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 243-248
Screening of excerpts from VERTIGO (1958)
NO CLASS MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER
CLASS 1O Monday 18 November
MISTAKEN IDENTITIES
Reading Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 235-243
Screening of excerpts from THE WRONG MAN (1956)
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 227-233
Screening of excerpts from THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956)
CLASS 11: Monday 25 November
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Reading: Wood pp 131-141 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 249-257
Screening of excerpts from NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
CLASS PRESENTATIONS
CLASS 12: Monday 2 December
THE BIRDS
Reading: Wood pp 152-172 Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 284-299
Screening of excerpts from THE BIRDS (1963)
CLASS PRESENTATIONS
CLASS 13: Monday 9 December
MARNIE
Reading Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 300-320 Wood pp173-197
Screening of excerpts from MARNIE (1964)
Reading: Hitchcock/Truffaut pp 259-283 Wood 288-301
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/00/6/modernity.html
CLASS PRESENTATIONS
SECOND RESEARCH PAPER DUE 9th DECEMBER
FINAL EXAM TBA