St. Louis Community College at Meramec
Communications Department
MCM:130 Film Appreciation
Office: CS112 Phone: 314-984-7532
Dr. Diane Carson, Ph.D.
Email: decarson@stlcc.edu
Office Hours: Mondays & Fridays: By appointment
Tuesdays: 12:00-1:00, 3:00-4:00, 6:00-7:00 p.m. &10-10:30 p.m.;
Wednesdays: 12:40-2:00, 6:00-7:00 p.m. & 10-10:40 p.m.
Thursdays: 12:00-1:00, 3:00-4:00, 6:00-7:00 p.m. and 10-10:30 p.m.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this course is to help you learn to understand
and appreciate the film medium. By the end of the semester, you should have:
1. The ability to use appropriately the basic terminology of film production and film
analysis.
2. An understanding of the basic technical elements of film production including music and
sound, editing (montage), composition (mise en scène), and camera movement and
angle.
3. An understanding of the creative contributions to film, including screenwriting, directing,
and performance.
4. An ability to apply various approaches to film analysis, including feminist, economic,
historical, psychological, and sociopolitical.
5. An acquaintance with a variety of classic films, American and foreign, early and recent,
narrative and nonnarrative, animated and live action.
6. An ability to think critically about your own and other individuals’ responses to film and to
have insight into the film under consideration.
We will attempt to do all this through lectures, discussions, readings, writing, and, of
course, film screenings.
This is a beginning course in film analysis, so I will assume that you have not previously
studied film in an academic setting. What you will quickly discover is that film is a complex
medium. Mastery demands time, thought, energy and discipline. If you like film and apply
yourself, this class will be very enjoyable. Still, it is a college-level course that demands
that you be conscientious in fulfilling all the requirements listed below.
EVALUATION CATEGORIES: Your grade in this class will depend on the following. If you
have any questions or concerns at any time during the semester concerning your work or
your grade, please feel free to talk with me during office hours or at any other agreed upon
time. I am here to help you learn as much as possible about film in the time we have. I
encourage you to take advantage of any help I may provide to increase your learning.
Course Requirements:
1. Punctual attendance at all classes.
2. Class preparation and involvement in discussions.
3. Completion of reading assignments.
4. On-time quizzes on reading assignments, discussions, and films screened.
5. In-class writings.
6. Out of class critical/analytical essays.
7. Individual oral presentations to qualify for an A.
8. Final, in-class essay.
1. ATTENDANCE: This is very important. You are expected to attend ALL classes and to
be here the entire time. Our time is extremely limited and learning is cumulative, so we
must take advantage of every class hour. Since this is a screening, lecture and discussion
class, you miss experiences that can not be made up when you miss a session for any
reason.
Your absences will affect your grade and your progress in film study. If you miss more
than four classes, you can not receive above a C for the course. If you miss more than
six classes, you can not receive above a D for the course.
There are NO excused absences. When you are not present for any reason, you are
absent. Should you miss class, you are responsible for missed work, information and any
change in assignments. Call or see me well BEFORE the next class period.
If you know you will be absent, let me know in advance. I do not “excuse” absences;
you are present or not, but I do consider your keeping in touch a matter of courtesy and
effort on your part. If you stop attending class and do not officially withdraw from the
course, I have no choice but to assign you an F for the course. To withdraw, you must
do so in person in the Advising/Counseling office by Friday, April 13, 2007.
Class begins promptly. If you repeatedly come late to class, I may mark you absent.
2. ASSIGNMENTS: To earn at least a C for the course, you must complete all of the
following writing assignments. Any late work will automatically lose one full grade. Each
assignment will be graded on how well it demonstrates your thoughtful insight into the
assigned film topic.
A. CRITICAL ANALYSIS PAPERS: You must write at least three, one-page
papers as a response to the films we study. The topic for each critical/analytical response
paper will come directly from our class discussions and readings. At the conclusion of
each class I will post these topics on our Blackboard page.
All of your writings must be submitted electronically to decarson@stlcc.edu by 5:00 p.m.
on the assigned dates. Use a word processor and use 12 point type. Your name and
email address, my name, the class number and section, date, and assignment number
must appear in the upper right corner. Double space You will lose up to 10 points per
essay if you do not follow these directions. Use spell check to make your essays more
readable. Grammatical errors interfere with the clear communication of your ideas and will
seriously lower your grade. All rules of grammar also apply.
Note: When letter or numerical grades are used, this is what they stand for:
A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69% and F= 59 or below.
Do NOT give me your essays printed on paper. I will grade your essays on line and email
them back to you. Until the assignment is in my email box, it is not officially submitted.
Late papers: Assignments are due by 5:00 p.m. on due dates. You are responsible for
emailing it to me by that time. Any paper not emailed on time will receive, at best, a D, so
do not act surprised when you earn a D. Note also that ALL three essays must be
submitted in order to earn course credit, even though late. Your essays must respond to
one of the topics I have suggested, not a topic of your own choosing.
We will also do some written analysis in class when time permits.
Your out-of-class essays are due: Week 5—February 15, Week 10—March 29, and
Week 15—May 3.
Assistance with Writing Projects: Meramec offers all students free help in completing
writing assignments through the College Writing Center, CN 124 (984-7570). Please
ask me for help and visit the Writing Center for help with focusing your topic, organizing,
using examples, incorporating quotations, revising, and editing. The CWC staff is very
knowledgeable and willing to help you at any stage in the work, but you must go early
enough, for they will not merely proofread your essay at the last minute. Take the
assignment sheet, your notes, outlines, and drafts with you when you want assistance.
NOTE: PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. A student who
deliberately or unintentionally submits as his or her own work anything which is in any part
taken from another person without proper acknowledgement, use of quotation marks,
credits, etc., is guilty of plagiarism.
Put very simply, “Writing facts, quotations, or opinions that you got from somebody else
without identifying your source: or using someone else’s words without putting quotation
marks around them” constitutes plagiarism (Silverman, et al., Rules of Thumb 86).
Don’t do it. If you submit any plagiarized work or cheat in any way, I will give you an F
for the assignment and an F for the course.
Further, a student guilty of submitting plagiarized material, for any course at Meramec,
may be reported to the appropriate deans for disciplinary action and may be dismissed
from this college. I will pursue this action if you plagiarize or cheat on any of your work.
With the rich, convenient resources of the Internet and the ease of copying text from the
many documents found there, it may be tempting to merely move facts, phrases,
sentences, paragraphs, and sections into your own essays, without acknowledging the
sources. And you can find on the Net complete essays free and for sale. Don’t give in,
whether out of panic or deceit, to the “easy” way. It is also an easy way to fail the course
and then, if you have any conscience at all, you will have to live with the knowledge that
you are a cheat and a liar, a nagging fact that you will never outlive. If you are merely
unsure how to document the sources for information you want to use, ask me or one of
the CWC instructors for help. If you get behind in your assignments, talk to me about
your options, but don’t cheat.
The college subscribes to a plagiarism detection service called Turnitin.
B. QUIZZES and FINAL EXAM: We will have regular, short quizzes, usually 15 to
25 points. These quizzes will cover your readings, our discussions and the films we've
watched. They will be multiple choice and will be accessed on Blackboard. We will also
have a final exam. The quizzes, usually one a week, will be available on Blackboard
immediately after our class. Each week you will have until Sunday at 10 p.m. to complete
that week’s quiz.
Quizzes must be taken on time. If you do not, you will receive 0 points for that quiz.
Note: You may make up one quiz without penalty IF you contact me BEFORE the next
class period. No quizzes may be made up after our next class. Computers are available in
the library if you need access to one while on campus.
Online Blackboard Course Site: I will maintain a basic online site for this course
where you can find this syllabus, announcements, the assignments calendar, course
documents, and essay assignments.
C. CLASS PREPARATION AND PARTICIPATION: You are expected to complete
all the assigned readings BEFORE our class for the week. Be sure to ask about anything
you don't understand before, during, or after class.
Because we all learn a great deal from each other, you are expected to be attentive to and
involved in all discussions. You should listen carefully to the observations and insights of
others and offer your own in a spirit of open discussion and investigation. If you are not
polite, you will be asked to leave because behavior that is disruptive to the instructor or
students is contrary to quality education. Should I determine that an individual's verbal
or nonverbal behavior is disruptive to me or other students, I will first speak with the
student. If the behavior continues, I will ask the student to leave the class. The student
must then make arrangements after class to speak with me about the problem prior to
being admitted to the class again
D. TO EARN AN "A" GRADE: ORAL or VISUAL PRESENTATION: In order to
qualify to earn an "A" in this course, you must do something extra. That extra is an
independent project on a film NOT viewed and studied in class AND approved by me. This
presentation should run approximately 10 minutes and will be delivered on or before the
last class period.
As the semester progresses, we will discuss this requirement and what I expect you to do
should become clear. I encourage you to talk with me about your project as you develop
your ideas. You must hand in notes after your presentation, and you must speak from at
least an outline to avoid forgetting what you want to say or just talking randomly about the
film.
Grade Computation for B, C, D, and F: Writing assignments:
45%
Quizzes/Tests:
45%
Attendance/ Participation: 10%
To earn an A: An A average on the above plus an A on your independent project.
Controversial Course Content: There may be times when legitimate class
discussions, assignments, films or videos shown will deal with issues, images or
symbols that might be considered controversial by some members of the class. This is
unavoidable in a course that deals with contemporary issues and themes. Student
should be aware that some materials covered in class may be perceived as offensive to
their sensibilities.
If you feel that any film we will be studying contains material you find offensive, inform me
at least one week ahead of that class period. I will give you an alternative assignment. I
will try to alert you to controversial films, but I can not anticipate differences of opinion from
all of you. Therefore, it is your responsibility to research the upcoming films if you are
concerned about their content. Material on all these films is available in book, articles, and
on the web.
Student Disability Notification Responsibility: It is students' responsibility to notify the
instructor of any disability that may have relevance to their performance in this course.
This notification should be given prior to any assignment that may be influenced by the
disability. All disabilities must be verified by the college's ACCESS Office. Every
reasonable effort will be made to accommodate these disabilities. Students claiming to
have "undocumented" disabilities should contact the ACCESS office.
If you know you have any type of learning disability, support services exist here at
Meramec. It is your responsibility to make your needs known to me as soon as possible.
Classroom expectations:
1. Turn off cell phones and pagers before coming to class. Put them away and do
not use them for the duration of the class period. If I hear a signal, I will ask you
to leave and count you absent.
2. Bring your text and appropriate course materials to each class meeting. When
we discuss a reading or writing assignment, have the materials in front of you on
your desk.
3. Listen, take notes, and participate.
4. If you sleep or appear to sleep during class I will ask you to leave and then count
you absent.
5. No cursing, racist, sexist, or insulting comments will be tolerated.
6. Come to class on time and prepare to leave when I direct you. Please do not
leave when class is in session. It is distracting and discourteous. Take care of
your personal needs before and after class.
7. Soda, water, and coffee are okay, if you clean up after yourself. Do not bring
chips, candy, or other foods.
8. Only one person speaks at a time. Please pay attention to the person speaking.
Do not engage in private conversations not directed to the teacher or the class.
Unless you have something to say related to the discussion topic or the class,
save it until you leave.
9. Do not bring children or pets to class.
10. Reading the newspaper, planning parties, making shopping lists, and studying or
doing homework for another course should be completed or suspended before
coming to class.
If any of these guidelines to appropriate classroom behavior bothers you, please talk it
over with me in my office during conference times. For a fuller discussion of students’
rights and responsibilities, read the current edition of Fact Finder: Student Handbook.
Note: For a variety of reasons, course requirements and assignments may change at
any time. Changes will be announced in class, so be on time and listen to
announcements.
St. Louis Community College at Meramec
Communications Department
MCM:130.602 FILM APPRECIATION
Professor Diane Carson, Ph.D.
Email: decarson@stlcc.edu
Tues/Th 1:00-2:50 p.m. HE134
Phone: 314-984-7532 CS 112
Text: William H. Phillips. Film: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martins,
Boston: 2005.
WEEK 1: January 16 & 18
Introduction to course
Films: Duck Amuck (1953), Chuck Jones, 6 mins.
The Lunch Date (1989), Adam Davidson, 10 mins. & clips
Read: Introduction, pp. 1-7, Chapter 1, Mise en Scène, pp.11-35 &
How to Read Film Credits, pp. 613-619 .
WEEK 2: January 23 & 25
Film: His Girl Friday (1940), Howard Hawks, 92 mins.
Read: Chapter 6, Aspects of the Fictional Film, pp. 247-279 &
Chapter 7, Types of Fictional Films, pp. 291-295.
WEEK 3: January 30 & February 1
Films: Psycho (1960), Alfred Hitchcock, 109 mins., B&W
Read: Chapter 2, Cinematography, pp. 61-102.
WEEK 4: February 6 & 8 & WEEK 5: February 13 & 15
Film: Citizen Kane (1941), Orson Welles, 119 min, B&W
Read: Chapter 1, Composition: the uses of space, pp 35-53 & ; Film Noir, pp. 302-307
WEEK 6: February 20 & 22
Film: Touch of Evil (1958, restored 1998), Orson Welles, 111 mins., B&W
Read: Chapter 4, Sound, pp 159-185.
WEEK 7: February 27 & March 1
Film: Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Arthur Penn, 111 mins, color
Read: Chapter 3, Editing, pp. 113-152.
WEEK 8: March 6 & 8
Films: excerpt from The Godfather (1972)
Avant-garde films: A Movie (1958), Bruce Conner, 12 mins., b&w &
Un Chien Andalou (1928) Salvador Dali & Luis Bunuel, 20 mins.
Read: Chapter 8, Experimental Films, pp. 367-389.
SPRING BREAK—March 12-18
WEEK 9: March 20 & 22
Film: Documentary film TBA
Read: Chapter 8, Alternatives to Live-Action Fictional Films, pp. 345-367.
WEEK 10: March 27 & 29
Film: Get on the Bus (1996), Spike Lee, 121 mins.
Read: Chapter 5, Sources for the Fictional Film, pp.195-239.
WEEK 11: April 3 & 5
Film: Smoke Signals (1998), Chris Eyre, 88 mins.
Read: Chapter 9, Understanding Films through Contexts, pp. 411-434.
WEEK 12: April 10 & 12
Film: Girlfight (2000), Karyn Kusama, 110 mins.
Read: Chapter 9 continued, pp. 435-455.
WEEK 13: April 17 & 19
Film: Ju Dou (1994), Zhang Yimou, 92 mins., Chinese & video excerpts
Read: Chapter 7, Other Cinemas, pp. 317-336.
WEEK 14: April 24 & 26
Film: TBA
Week 15: May 1 & 3
Animated films: Claymation, Mindscape, The Owl Who Married the Goose, Neighbors,
The Fly, Begone Dull Care and others
Read: Digital Cinematography, pp. 102-104) & Chapter 8, Animation, pp. 389-396.
EXAM DAY: Tuesday, May 8, 1:00-2:50 p.m.