UNDERSTANDING POLITICS THROUGH FILM
(“Film, Politics & Social Change”)
POLI 357
Spring 2012
M 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Gambrell 152
Jerel Rosati
Department of Political Sciene
Gambrell Hall 310
777-2981 (777-3109, main office)
Rosati391m@gmail.com (Email)
http://people.cas.sc.edu/rosati/index.htm (Rosati website)
What To Know About This Class:
WARNING 1: YOU MUST READ
WARNING 2: COMING TO CLASS WILL IMPROVE YOUR GRADE (OR NOT COMING WILL HURT YOUR FINAL GRADE)
WARNING 3: THERE WILL BE SHORT EXERCISES GIVEN FOR EXTRA CREDIT
WARNING 4: YOU MUST READ AND ABSORB THE REQUIRED MATERIAL THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER
WARNING 5: IF YOU DON’T READ OR COME TO CLASS REGULARLY, PLEASE DON’T TAKE THIS CLASS FOR MANY OTHER
STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO ENROLL
WARNING 6: NO LAPTOPS ARE ALLOWED AND ALL CELL/SMART PHONES ARE TO BE OFF.
WARNING 7: YOU WILL BE TREATED AS A RESPONSIBLE ADULT
THIS IS NOT A MICKEY MOUSE CLASS BECAUSE WE WATCH AND DISCUSS FILMS. IT IS AN ENJOYABLE BUT
A SERIOUS COURSE WHICH REQUIRES READING, VIEWING, DISCUSSING AND WRITING TO GET A GRADE OF C OR
HIGHER. Please read the entire syllabus carefully for I have given great thought and time to the development of this course, and it lays out
the objectives, the requirements and the expectations.
COURSE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
What is “political” about film? Are films more than just entertainment? How do films produced by the Hollywood film industry differ
from those produced by independent filmmakers? What are the political ideas within films? What images do films provide of government,
politics, economics, class, gender, race and ethnicity, as well as American society and the world? What are the political implications AND SOFT
POWER of film at home and abroad?
In answering these questions, students are expected to learn and acquire the following:
1) to increase your information, knowledge, and understanding of the political content of film;
2) to make you aware of the "realities" of the evolution and nature of the film industry;
3) to be able to analyze films making use of three major “levels” or “perspectives: the “social” context (or the times), the “industrial”
context (or the nature/evolution of the film industry), and the “narrative/stylistic” context (or the analytic techniques or themes that we will
use in class for analyzing the content of the films--such as the use of the story, genre, journey, language, music, etc.);
4) to become aware, consider, and evaluate different explanations and interpretations of films as entertainment, political messages,
and their political implications;
5) to appreciate the SOFT POWER of films and the movie industry, and
6) to help you improve your ability to reason, and to communicate through a variety of assignments.
The goal is for you to learn and to grow intellectually. You should be able to see how the media and communications process affects
your life and the life of others. It is hoped that by the end of the semester you will find the course to be informative, interesting and
enjoyable! And that you understand and enjoy films more than ever.
.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Class Attendance/Participation/Quizzes (extra credit exercises).* All films WILL BEGIN
AT 2:30 pm. DO NOT BE LATE FOR CLASS. In order to get the most out of class, you must be
prepared when you come to class. There are special days devoted more to the readings and class
discussion. PLEASE BRING YOUR READING PACKETS TO CLASS. You must read the assignments to
make thoughtful contributions to the discussion and have quality journal entries.
* Note. If I feel that anybody in the class is not completing and understanding the readings, I will
give pop quizzes to the entire class.
2. 3 Film journals (30%, 30%, 40%).* You must keep complete 3 FILM JOURNALs that
records your thoughts about and reactions and analyses to the films, EXPLICITLY INTEGRATING a
minimum of TWO FILM REVIEWS AND a minimum of TWO REQUIRED READINGS. Each journal
serves as a running record of your views and responses; if thoughtfully written, the journal allows you to
realize later how you have grown intellectually and emotionally in relation to the topic of this course.
Writing a bunch of pages the night before the journal is due defeats the point of a journal, making it
merely pages written to fulfill an assignment--the deadliest of all material to write and to read (AND
GRADE). You should write in your journal while the material is still fresh in your mind.
MORE DETAILS ON WRITING THE JOURNAL ARE AT THE END OF THE SYLLABUS.
* Note. If I believe that you are not completing and absorbing the readings, I retain the option of giving the entire class a final.
3. Final Exam (optional). Your exam will consist of a variety of questions that allow you to demonstrate your mastery of the
information and concepts provided in the assigned readings as well as the ideas generated in class discussions revolving around the films. THE
FINAL EXAM MUST BE TAKEN AS SCHEDULED if it becomes required. There is no make-up.
4. Nickelodeon Film Journal (optional, 5% extra credit).
This can be achieved by watching a movie at The Nickelodeon on S. Main Street, making a journal entry, and attaching a receipt for the movie.
Not only are the movies usually new independents and quite good, but the admission price and popcorn are cheap, and they have beer for sale.
5. Clink Eastwood Comparative Analysis (optional, 5%).
View an early Eastwood film (60s & 70s) and a later film (90s to present), and in 1 page single-spaced identify, discuss, and explain the
similarities and differences over time. Must read and integrate "Clint Eastwood" and "Clint Eaastwood Filmology" in Wikipedia and "Out
of the West: Clint Eastwood’s shifting landscape,"by David Denby, The New Yorker (March 8, 2010), google online all three.
Missing a film or class. It is your responsibility to make-up a missing class as soon as possible. If a film was shown, rent the film and
watch it. Contact one of your colleagues in class to find out what was the discussion you missed.
I am treating each of you as a RESPONSIBLE YOUNG ADULT now that you are in college. Therefore, I expect you to act responsibly
and with simple courtesy. PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES.
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ICT & PERSONAL POLICY
(Information Communication Technology)
No laptops are allowed and all cell/smart phones should be off,
you have emergency needs.
unless
Each of you is being treated as a RESPONSIBLE YOUNG
ADULT now that you are in college. Therefore, you are
expected to act responsibly and with simple courtesy (which
includes cell phones should be off, completely)
GRADES
Your grade will be assessed, not on how well you do compared to others in the class, but
based on your quality of substantive knowledge, quality of analysis, and effective communication
demonstrated--in other words, the level of understanding demonstrated. Therefore, you should
work together and help each other out.
A (average of 90%-100%) represents "excellent" understanding
B+ (87%-89%) represents "very good" understanding
B (80%-86%) represents "good" understanding
C+ (77%-79%) represents "satisfactory yet promising" understanding
C (70%-76%) represents "satisfactory" understanding
D+ (67%-69%) represents "poor" understanding
D (60%-66%) represents "very poor" understanding
F (below 60%) represents an "appalling" level of understanding.
Your final course grade will be determined using a 1,000 point scale.
Requirement
Journal 1
Journal 2
Journal 3
Final Exam
Nick XC
Eastwook EC
% possible
w/o Final
30%
30%
40%
Not taken
5%
5%
110%
With Final
20%
20%
30%
30%
5%
5%
110%
REMEMBER, THE CLASS REVOLVES THE FILMS, THE REQUIRED READINGS, AND FILM REVIEWS. THEREFORE, JUST TO BE CLEAR,
YOU MUST “DO” THE READINGS, YOU MUST “UNDERSTAND” THE READINGS, AND YOU MUST BE ABLE TO “COMMUNICATE” AND
INTEGRATE THEM IN THE JOURNALS, OF YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PASSING GRADE. GRADE.
WARNING 1: YOU MUST READ
WARNING 2: COMING TO CLASS WILL IMPROVE YOUR GRADE
(OR NOT COMING WILL HURT YOUR FINAL GRADE)
WARNING 3: THERE WILL BE SHORT EXERCISES GIVEN FOR EXTRA CREDIT
WARNING 4: YOU MUST READ AND ABSORB THE REQUIRED MATERIAL
THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER
WARNING 5: IF YOU DON’T READ OR COME TO CLASS REGULARLY,
PLEASE DON’T TAKE THIS
WARNING 6: NO LAPTOPS ARE ALLOWED AND ALL CELL/SMART PHONES ARE TO
BE OFF.
WARNING 7: YOU WILL BE TREATED AS A RESPONSIBLE ADULT
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
The University of South Carolina, like all institutions of higher education, is fundamentally dependent upon the maintenance of
proper standards of honesty. Maintenance of those standards is the responsibility of every member of this academic
community--students, instructors, and staff alike. When confronted with clear evidence of academic dishonesty, we will
respond vigorously. SUCH IMPROPRIETY IN THIS CLASS WILL RESULT IN AN F FOR THE COURSE, and a visit to the
DEAN’S OFFICE.
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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND STRATEGY (AND DAILY PROCEDURES)
We will watch a film every day in order to better understand American society and politics, as well as the
evolution and impact of the Hollywood industry on people throughout the world. Therefore, this is somewhat of a
unique (yet serious and demanding) course in terms of material and organization structured around the following:
A. Class Organization. The class is organized around WATCHING A FULL-LENGTH FEATURE FILM and
DISCUSSING THE FILMS AND REQUIRED READINGS. For days when we watch a full-length film, the film will
BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AT 2:30 PM. PLEASE COME TO CLASS EARLY OR ON TIME. If you are late, please enter
the room quietly and do not disturb the viewing of the film. The films are listed under course topics below, BUT ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. The discussion and lecture ABOUT THE FILM AND THE REQUIRED READINGS will usually
occur after a short break after the film is over, with whatever remaining time is left.
B. The Class Dialogue. The class dialogue emphasizes the importance of student participation and active
learning as a means to improve one's skills, interest, information, knowledge, and, ultimately, understanding. In
essence, class discussions will consist of an active exchange between the student and professor. When deemed
necessary, lectures will be provided for some of the more difficult material and to provide appropriate background. Naturally, the larger the
class, the more challenging it will be to have active learning.
C. The Required Readings. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE REQUIRED READINGS, whether we discuss them or not in
class. I expect every student to come to class prepared. Every student should be able to summarize and analyze each assigned reading and
place it in perspective relative to the specific film we are watching and to previous films, and in general relative to the course and
learning objectives. There will be special days devoted more to the readings and class discussion. PLEASE BRING YOUR READING PACKETS
TO CLASS.
REMEMBER, this is a unique, but serious, course and we will have only limited time to address the films and the readings—which you
remain ultimately responsible. Again, please come to class on time and be courteous at all times.
NATURE OF THE COURSE
DISCLAIMER: THIS COURSE MAY INCLUDE SOME FILMS CONTAINING LANGUAGE AND OTHER SITUATIONS DEEMED
OFFENSIVE BY SOME AS WELL AS AWKWARD SITUATIONS BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE
INVOLVED, AS WELL AS THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS, FILMS WILL NOT BE EDITED AND
WILL BE SHOWN IN THEIR ENTIRETY. ANYONE WHO FEELS THAT SUCH FILMS COULD OFFEND THEM SHOULD SEE THE
PROFESSOR TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS (or drop the class).
One ultimate purpose of higher education and the offering of this course is to broaden your knowledge and understanding about the
world around you--to learn about things that you probably don't know much about and to think about things that you haven't given much thought
to. At the same time, I recognize that many individuals hold strong beliefs and feelings, often based more on faith and emotion rather than
substantive knowledge. Therefore, much of the material in this course may be controversial and will challenge you to think about many beliefs
and assumptions you hold (and have rarely examined). Your role is to act as student, social scientist, or policy analyst, not policymaker, activist,
or true believer. Remember, our goal is to better understand reality--in this case the history and contemporary practice of film and politics-regardless of what your feelings and opinions are about that reality. Learning and understanding are to be accomplished through the
accumulation of information and knowledge and reliance on an open and critical mind.
Hopefully, this course will increase your knowledge and critical thinking skills by having you:
i) acquire lots of information,
ii) appreciate the complexity and contradictions of reality,
iii) identify patterns and be able to make generalizations supported by evidence, and
iv) be exposed to different views and interpretations (including my views which I believe I have a responsibility to provide).
These are the building blocks to knowledge, growth and understanding—ALL BY WATCHING AND READING ABOUT CINEMA
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
A brief professional biosketch is provided on my website. At a more personal level, I enjoy travel, music, movies,
athletics, reading, food and spirits, family and friends, good company, and relaxing. My father had duo-citizenship
(American and Italian), and fought in World War II (on the allied side); My mother was born and raised in Florence, Italy
and came to the United States as a war bride; and I retains close family in Italy. I came of age during the late 60s early
70s as an undergraduate at U.C.L.A (where I took some film courses) when the events surrounding the Vietnam War and
Watergate reached a crescendo, which had a profound impact on my intellectual and personal development to the present
day. Being born and raised in Los Angeles, I have grown up watching and loving movies and have acquired a certain feel for
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the nature of so-called Hollywood and Tinseltown (see my website for more on born and raised too). In addition to being a Yankee (Californian?)
from Tinseltown, I have lived half my life in South Carolina and consider myself half-Southern.
The past few years I have visited Argentina three times as a Fulbright Senior Scholar and Visiting Scholar, Armenia as a Visiting
Scholar, Barbados, Canada, Colombia three times with Witness for Peace and as a Fulbright Senior Scholar, Cuba, Italy regularly, Mexico many
times, and Romania. In Armenia I was asked to give two talks on the role of American media and film at the American Embassy. I usually visit
L.A. and Hollywood twice a year.
CONTACTING ME AND INTERACTING
Please feel free to contact me. Early afternoon, and before and after class are the best times. Let me know if you have any questions
or complications.
The most consistent way to contact me is probably through class and email. I am good about checking my email and responding
throughout the workweek. I am notoriously bad at checking my email during the weekend.
Please check your emails, for you will be sent articles and updates on the class.
REQUIRED READINGS
(If you feel that readings are too demanding to do in college, please do not take this course. Personally, I believe that the quantity of the
readings is extremely reasonable and accessible (actually too light for a university-level course).
IMPORTANT: The course revolves around the readings. I EXPECT YOU TO DO ALL THE READING IN A TIMELY FASHION. The
readings are intended to be accessible and diverse so as to improve your ability to acquire an understanding of the dynamics of politics and its
real-world relevance. The required readings for each class are specified under Course Topics and Readings below.
1. Most required readings are in a Universal Copies packet, available at 631 S. Main Street (close to Moe’s). Call 254-8931 to make sure
they are available and that you are coming.
2. Some readings are available online with a simple google search.
2. Emailed articles and updates. Additional required readings will be emailed to you . PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL REGULARLY FOR I
WILL BE SENDING YOU ARTICLES, REMINDERS, AND UPDATES FOR THE CLASS.
The readings are intended to be accessible and diverse so as to improve your ability to acquire an understanding film and their political
implications. The required readings for each topic are specified under Course Topics and Readings below.
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RECOMMENDED STUDY/VIEWING PROCEDURE (Please read carefully)
Obviously, there is no one perfect study method that is appropriate for all individuals. Therefore, the following is purely suggestive —
you ought to refine it to fit your individual needs.
First, before you actually view a film, you should do some of the required reading. In this way you will develop some foundation which will
allow you to comprehend and digest the video material more fully.
Second, view the movie. Pay attention not only to the visual action, but also to the narrative and the sounds (including the music and the
words in the songs). Try to relate what you have read to what you are watching and hearing. Be an active viewer!!!
Finally, complete the required reading. As a result of the initial reading and the viewing, you should now begin to more fully see and
retain the variety of information and political perspectives that are offered by the films and the readings.
Hopefully, each day you will be able to build on the knowledge and understanding that you have obtained previously.
*
*
*
THIS SYLLUBUS REFLECTS THE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FULFILL.
COURSE TOPICS, FILMS AND READINGS
[All films WILL BEGIN AT 2:30 pm.
DO NOT BE LATE FOR CLASS–class attendance will be marked downward.
Films are meant to be watched from beginning to end.
The films listed are likely but tentative; they may change.
There are no breaks just like in a real movie theater.
Go to the bathroom before class.
Feel free to bring popcorn and food to class and eat while you are watching the film.]
[If you miss a class, you are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what went on in class and to watch the film on your own.]
[Please bring the required readings with you to class for each session.]
OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION:
- I EXPECT YOU TO DO ALL THE READING IN A TIMELY FASHION.
– Each numerical topic below refers to one class session and lists the required (and recommended, if any) readings for that
session
– Read and be able to summarize the required readings
– For required articles sent by email or on the course website, print them out, read, and save
– Recommended readings are just that: recommended if you would like additional information and knowledge
– PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR ARTICLES AND UPDATES ON THE CLASS
PART I – HOLLYWOOD AS ENTERTAINMENT AND BLOCKBUSTER
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1. Introduction and Overview
Read over syllabus closely; come to next class with any questions.
Recommended for future: Cohen Anthology and Tom Wolfe.
FIRST MANDATORY EMAIL/INFORMATION ASSIGNMENT. Due tomorrow. I will delete 2 points every day it is late. Email
ME the following information as a list in the following numerical order (you cannot get a passing grade unless you fulfill this assignment): with
poli 357 or poli film as subject title
1) name (as registered)
2) social security # (optional) or last 4 numbers
3) phone numbers (home; work; cell; other)—in case I need to contact you
4) email address
5) major
6) class (e.g., freshman)
7) have you taken or are you enrolled in university 101?
8) do you work during school? hours per week? doing what?
9) career goal?
10) home town (raised most of life)?
11) where have you traveled to outside the U.S.? If not outside the U.S., then outside the southeast?
12) what was your first “political” experience (in person or through, e.g., t.v.)?
13) name three of your favorite movies?
14) have you seen a movie at the nickelodeon?
15) Have you taken a course with me before? Which?
16) Have you been to L.A. (which refers to the larger metropolitan area)? Where and for how long?
2. From Independent Art to Hollywood Blockbuster
View Star Wars (1977, 125 min)
Read “Our Movies, Ourselves,” Newsweek (special issue, 1998), pp. 10-15, 98-101
Read Louis Menand, “Billion-Dollar Baby: Star Wars Episode I–The Phantom Menace,” New York Review of Books (June 24, 1999), pp. 9-11
Recommend read. David Axe, “Darkside of the Force,” Free Times (September 15-21, 2004), pp. 15-18.
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3. Hollywood as Entertainment?
or
View True Lies (1994, 145 min)
Read Jan Bone & Ron Johnson, “The Most Popular Art Form,” in Understanding the Film: An Introduction to Film Appreciation (National
Textbook Company, 1991), pp. 1-27
Read Michael Parenti, "Political Entertainment," in Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment (New York: St. Martin's, 1997), pp. 1-12
Recommend read, “Louis Giannetti and Scott Eyman, Flashback: A Brief History of Film, “The Hollywood Studio System,” (Prentice-Hall, 2006),
pp. 102-127
Other Film Recommendations for Part I:
X-Men
Independence Day
Spiderman
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Dirty Harry
The Terminator
Meet John Doe
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Batman
Peacekeepers
James Bond series
most Westerns
PART II - HOLLYWOOD ACTION AND WAR
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4. Vietnam and the Return of War Movies
View Platoon (1988, 120 min, 1566V)
Read Frank Beaver, “Making Sense of the Oliver Stone Prism” and “Platoon,” in Oliver Stone: Wakeup Cinema (New York: Twayne Publishers,
1994), pp. xv-xvi, 1-20, 83-98
Read Harold Schechter, “Leatherstocking in ‘Nam: Rambo, Platoon, and the American Frontier Myth,” in James Combs, ed., Movies and Politics:
the Dynamics of Relationships (New York: Garland, 1993), pp. 115-127
5. War Movies Don't Have to be Action Packed
View The Quiet American (2002, 101 min)
Read Jeanine Basinger, “Combat,” in American Cinema: One Hundred Years of Filmmaking ((New York: Rizolli, 1994), pp. 166-175
Read Clayton R. Koppes and Gregory D. Black, Hollywood Goes to War: How Politics, Profits and Propaganda Shaped World War II Movies
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987), “Preface,” “Hollywood, 1939”, “Hollywood, 1945", pp. vii-ix, 1-16, 317-328
Read "The Quiet American" Wikipedia (the book; online)
Read, "The New Hollywood, Version I: The Hollywood Renaissance," in Geof King, The New Hollywood Cinema (New York: Columbia University
Press, 2002), pp. 11-48 [READ THIS CHAPTER VERY CLOSELY—PROVIDES THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE ENTIRE
COURSE.]
Recommend read Graham Greene, The Quiet American (1955)
Recommend“A Cautionary Tale: Dr. Strangelove (1964) as a Vision of Nuclear Engame, in James J. Lorence, Screening America: United States
History Through Fil Since 1900 (New York: Longman, 2006), pp. 131-143
[bring your readings packet to discuss Parts I and II]
Other Film Recommendations for Part II:
Dr. Strangelove
Seven Days in May
Failsafe
The Green Berets
Apocalypse Now
Deer Hunter
Born on the 4th of July
Good Morning Vietnam
Coming Home
Hombre
Russia House
James Bond movies
Head of State
JOURNAL #1 DUE
MARCH 20,2012
(hardcopy must be handed in; digital copy to be emailed as attachment as a backup)
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PART III – THE FILM INDUSTRY, HOLLYWOOD AND AMERICAN CULTURE/MODERNITY/LIFESTYLE/RELATIONSHIPS
6. The Suburbs and the American Dream?
View American Beauty (2000, 125 minutes)
Read “Suburban Anxiety in Modern America: American Beauty (1999) and the Pitfalls of Prosperity,” in James J. Lorence, Screening America:
United States History Through Film Since 1900 (Pearson, 2006), pp. 195-203
Read, "The New Hollywood, Version II: Blockbusters and Corporate Hollywood," in Geof King, The New HollywoodCinema (New York: Columbia
University Press, 2002), pp. 49-84 [AGAIN, READ CLOSELY. A CRITICAL CHAPTER.]
7. Women and American Society
View Thelma and Louise (1991, 129)
Read John Morgan Wilson, “Los Angeles Overview,” “From Yesterday to Today–An Overview,” and “The Movie Industry,” in Inside Hollywood
(Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1998), pp. map of Los Angeles, pp. 4-69
8 Dystopia and the Underside of American Society
View Sherry Baby (2006, 96 minutes)
Read "Cinema in America," Wikipedia (online)
Read "Sherry Baby" Amazon.com, customer reviews (online)
[bring your readings packet]
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Other Film Recommendations for Part III:
Chinatown
Bourne series
Bladerunner
Network
The Doors
Fahrenheight 451
Minority Report
TheTruman Show
Ground Hog Day
Sweet Home Alabama
Along Came Poly
Something’s Gotta Give
Lost in Translation
Meg Ryan movies
When Harry Met Sally
2001
Wallstreet
Ordinary People
28 Grams
Joe Somebody
Spiderman
Terminator
The Island
Up in the Air
PART IV - HOLLYWOOD AS MUCKRAKER AND EDUCATOR
9. The Political Thriller
View Norma Rae (1979, 110)
Read “Political Thrillers,” in Gary Crowdus, ed. A Political Companion to American Film (Lakeview Press, 1994), pp. 319-322
Read “Worker Solidarity and Human Dignity: Norma Rae (1979) and Southern Labor Activisim,” in James J. Lorence, Screening America: United
States History Through Film Since 1900 (New York: Longman, 2006), pp. 157-168
Read "Thriller" Wikipedia (online)
Other Film Recommendations for Part IV:
Grapes of Wrath
The Way We Were
Russia House
Rainmaker
A Civil Action
JFK
Norma Rae
Silkwood
The Philadelphia Story
All the President’s Men
The Candidate
A Time to Kill
Nixon
Three Days of the Condor
Conspiracy Theory
China Syndrome
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Seduction of Joe Tynan
To Kill a Mockingbird
Good Night and Good Luck
The Bourne Identity
The Interpreter
Born to Kill
The Insider
PART V - HOLLYWOOD AND FILM AT HOME AND ABROAD
10. Images of America Abroad
View Rendition (2007, 122 min)
Read Thomas H. Guback, “Hollywood’s International Market,” in Tino Balio, ed., The American Film Industry (University of Wisconsin Press,
1976), pp. 387-409
Read Michael Medved,” That’s Entertainment? Hollywood’s Contribution to Anti-Americanism Abroad,” The National Interest (Summer 2002),
pp. 5-14
Read, "Extraordinary FRendition by the United States," Wikipedia (online)
Other Film Recommendations for Part V:
Any standard Hollywood movie highlighting sex, violence, action, . . . , especially if it’s a blockbuster or cheesy with silly entertainment value
(what used to be called “B movies”--although cheesy and little entertainment value is in the eyes of the beholder)
Such as Charlie's Angels
Titanic
(see also any popular American movies, such as recommended above in Part I, Hollywood as Entertainment)
For American and Non-American Quality Films:
Lone Plains Drifter
The Recruit
Lost in Translation
The Girl in the café
Year of Living Dangerously
JOURNAL #2 DUE (can be turned in earlier)
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PART VI – INDEPENDENTS AND DOCUMENTARIES
11. The Rise of Independent Cinema
View Lonestar (1996, 135 min)
Read Emanuel Levy, “The New American Independent Cinema,” Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film (New York: New
York University Press, 1999), pp. 13-51
Read "John Sayles," Wikipedia (online)
12. Indies Continued
View Inside Job 92010, 120 minutes)
Emanuel Levy, “The New American Independent Cinema,” Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film (New York: New York
University Press, 1999), pp. 494-514
Read "Inside Job (film)" Wikipedia (online)
13. Neo-Documentaries
View Sicko (2007, 123 min)
Read "Michael Moore" and "Sicko" Wikipedia (online)
Read "The Populist", The New Yorker (February 16, 2004) online
Recommend "The Unseen War," The New York Review of Books (May 29, 2003), by Michael Massing. On course website.
Other Film Recommendations for Part VI:
Pulp Fiction
Woody Allen movies
John Sayles movies
Miramax/Weinstein movies
21 Grams
Momento
Good Will Hunting
Shakespeare in Love
The English Patient
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Sling Blade
Boogie Nights
Howards End
A Room with a View
Raising Arizona
Sex, Lies and Videotape
Four Weddings & a Funeral
Sixth Sense
Traffic
Bowling for Columbine
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election
Roger & Me
Hotel Rwanda
Supersize Me
Uprising of ‘34
Fahrenheit 911
Motorcycle Diaries
The War Room
Control Room
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Sicko
Good Night and Good Luck
PART VII – THE POWER OF AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT & FILM: THE SOURCE OF CONTEMPORARY HISTORY AND
IMAGES
14. Understanding and Seeing Films: A Test
View It’s a Wonderful Life (1946, 132 min)
Read "Sentimental Hogwash: On Capra's It's a Wonderful Life," Humanitas (2005), online
Summary, discussion and implications of film and politics (and films and readings)
Jerel Rosati, “The Media and the Communications Process,” in The Politics of United States Foreign Policy (Wadsworth, 2004), READ pp. 481509. READ pp. 470-475, 478-483, 486-491 (peruse essay 16.1), essay on 494-495, 501-504, 509. PERUSE the rest of the chapter
[Even though this reading focuses on foreign policy and the news, what is true for foreign policy and the news also applies to the
entertainment media and films as you will read later. This also gives you a good idea of your professor’s overall perspective. And it
may help to summarize much of the material covered in the class for the final.]
[bring your readings packet]
JOURNAL #3 DUE (can be turned in earlier)
FINAL EXAM
Do not make any travel plans to leave Columbia before you complete the exam if required. Thank you.
OTHER RECOMMENDED FILMS
Absolute Power (1997) [120 min.]
Advise & Consent (1962) [139 min.]
Afterburn (1992) [105 min.]
Air Force One (1997) [124 min.]
All the King’s Men (1949) [109 min.]
All The President’s Men (1976) [138 min.]
American President, The (1995) [115 min.]
Andromeda Strain, The (1971) [131 min.]
Arlington Road (1999) [119 min.]
Bedford Incident, The (1965) [102 min.]
Best Man, The (1964) [102 min.]
Blade Runner (1982) [117 min.]
Bob Roberts (1992) [101 min.]
Broadcast News (1987) [127 min.]
Bulworth (1998) [107 min.]
Candidate, The (1972) [109 min.]
Capricorn One (1978) [124 min.]
City Hall (1996) [111 min.]
China Syndrome (1979) [122 min.]
Conspiracy Theory (1997) [135 min.]
Contender, The (2000) [125 min.]
Dave (1993) [105 min.]
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Dick (1999) [90 min.]
Distinguished Gentleman, The (1992) [112 min.]
Dr. Strangelove (1964) [93 min.]
Election (1999) [103 min.]
Eraser (1996) [115 min.]
Executive Action (1973) [91 min.]
Executive Decision (1996) [132 min.]
Fail-Safe (1964) [112 min.]
Gabriel Over the White House (1933) [87 min.]
Glass Key, The (1942) [85 min.]
Great McGinty, The (1940) [81 min.]
Hunt For Red October, The (1990) [134 min.]
The Insider (1999) [155 min.]
In the Heat of the Night
JFK (1991) [188 min.]
Last Hurrah, The (1958) [121 min.]
Logan’s Run (1976) [120 min.]
Mad Max (1979) [93 min.]
Meet John Doe (1941) [132 min.]
Mercury Rising (1998) [131 min.]
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) [129 min.]
Murder at 1600 (1997) [107 min.]
Natural Born Killers (1994) [118 min.]
Network (1976) [120 min.]
Nixon (1995) [190 min.]
Parallax View, The (1974) [102 min.]
Passenger 57 (1992) [84 min.]
Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing (1997) [91 min.]
Pelican Brief, The (1993) [141 min.]
Pentagon Wars, The (1998) [105 min.]
Perfect Candidate, A (1996) [105 min.]
Power (1986) [111 min.]
President’s Mystery, The (1936) [80 min.]
Primary Colors (1998) [143 min.]
Rock, The (1996) [136 min.]
Seduction of Joe Tynan, The (1979) [107 min.]
Seven Days in May (1964) [118 min.]
Silkwood (1983) [131 min.]
Spygame
Star Chamber, The (1983) [109 min.]
State of the Union (1948) [124 min.]
Thirteen Days (2000) [145 min.]
Three Days of the Condor (1975) [117 min.]
Wag The Dog (1997) [97 min.]
War Room, The (1993) [95 min.]
Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932) [79 min.]
Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997) [100 min.]
OTHER RECOMMENDED READINGS
Albert Auster & Leonard Quart, How the War was Remembered: Hollywood & Vietnam (New York: Praeger, 1988)
Tino Balio, ed., The American Film Industry (University of Wisconsin Press, 1976)
Jeanine Basinger, American Cinema: One Hundred Years of Filmmaking ((New York: Rizolli, 1994)
Frank Beaver, Oliver Stone: Wakeup Cinema (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1994)
James Combs, ed, Movies and Politics: The Dynamic Relationship (New York: Garland, 1993)
Gary Crowdus, ed. A Political Companion to American Film (Lakeview Press, 1994)
Jerey M. Devine, Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of Over 400 Films About the Vietnam War
(McFarland & Co., 1995)
Phillip L. Gianos, Politics and Politicians in American Film (New York: Praeger, 1998)
Robert W. Gregg, International Relations of Film (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998)
Edward S. Hermann and Robert W. McChesney, Global Reach: The Missionaries of Global Capitalism (New York: Continuum International
Publishing, 1997)
Emanuel Levy, Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film (New York: New York University Press, 1999)
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Greg Merritt, Celluloid Mavericks: The History of American Independent Film (Berkeley: Publishers Group West, 2000)
Michael Parenti, Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment (New York: St. Martin's, 1997)
David Puttnam, Movies and Money (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998)
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Movies as Politics (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997)
Anthony Smith, The Age of Behemoths: The Globalization of Mass Media Firms (New York: Priority Press, 1991)
Robert Brent Toplin History by Hollywood: The Use and Abuse of the Past (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1996) [includes
analyses of Mississippi Burning, JFK, Missing, All the President’s Men, Norma Rae]
Kenneth Turan, Sundance to Sarajevo: Film Festivals and the World They Made (Berkeley: University of California, 2002)
John Morgan Wilson, Inside Hollywood: A Writer’s Guide to Researching the World of Movies and TV (Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest
Books, 1998), pp. map of Los Angeles, pp. 4-39
Cinema Wars
Flashback: A Brief History of Film
THE FILM JOURNAL
The most important requirement is for you to create a JOURNAL that records your thoughts about and reactions to the films and the
readings. Each journal entry must be on a 8 1/2" by 11" paper. The journal format is provided below (just make multiple copies from the
syllabus here or cut’n’paste from the website). You must DISCUSS A MINIMUM OF TWO FILM REVIEWS AND TWO REQUIRD READINGS
(again, if you miss a class you are responsible for finding the film and viewing it on your own).
A journal serves as a running record of your views and responses; if thoughtfully written, the journal allows you to realize later how you
have grown intellectually and emotionally in relation to the topic of this course. A journal allows you to discover motifs and themes in your
reading and to focus your thoughts on the film experience. Writing a bunch of pages the night before the journal is due defeats the point of a
journal, making it merely pages written to fulfill an assignment--the deadliest of all material to write and to read. You should write in your
journal while and immediately after you read and view to record your thoughts while the material is still fresh in your mind.
Finally, your journal should record how you honestly feel and what you truly think about the movie and what you read. The journal, as
the poet William Stafford noted, is a good place to "go fishing" for what is in your heart and on your mind.
YOU MUST FULLY CITE AND INTEGRATE (DISCUSS) at LEAST 2 FILM REVIEWS AND AT LEAST 2 REQUIRED READINGS
FROM THE CLASS. To do so, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the next section below.
FINDING FILM INFORMATION AND REVIEWS
To better enjoy and appreciate the films, as well as for writing your journal, you will need to know how to track down information film and
appropriate reviews about them. The internet and the USC library has a great deal of resources, but it helps to know which databases and
indexes are the most appropriate and where to locate them.
Sources for Film Information and Film Reviews:
www.imdb.com (excellent movie database)
www.mrqe.com (excellent movie review query engine)
http://movies.go.com (more contemporary-oriented)
www.rottentomatoes.com (more contemporary-oriented)
Wikipedia (although does not count as a film review)
Electronic Sources at Thomas Cooper
Can be found at http://www.sc.edu/library/ei.html (there’s a link on my website homepage) or in Cooper Library.
Infotrack (For reviews in magazines written after 1980): From the start menu, select library resources, then from the drop-down menu
select expanded academic. From there, select the General Reference Magazine Index and search things like subject (i.e., Vietnam), movie title
(i.e., “Good Morning Vietnam”), or director (i.e,. Stanley Kubric, Oliver Stone, etc.). While 1980 seems late, there are still many selections.
Some of the articles are FULL TEXT; otherwise you must locate it in the library. Do this through USCAN, and/or ask a librarian – (they know
everything)
LexisNexis: This is an excellent source. Get this from the same drop down menu as above, only select – Lexis-Nexis. Searching with
the same categories gives you articles from New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post etc. Not only do you get the source, but you
get the article as well–the FULL TEXT! You can read it, print it, or even e-mail it to your house/dorm. LexisNexis is the single greatest
advancement for college students since the computer. You can access just about any major newspaper, magazine, journal article, etc., in the
world without having to physically go to the library or leave your computer. If you’ve never heard of it or used it, it is time for that to change.
Enjoy.
Print Sources at Thomas Cooper
Film Literature Index: In the reference section (in the short bookshelves, on the far right side of the library as you walk in and walk
past the computer terminals). These are big white books organized by year. Just look up the movie title and you will find tons of reviews
followed by abbreviated names of the journals. The names of the periodicals and their abbreviations are listed in the front of each book. To
locate the actual article – go back to USCAN.
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New York Times and Variety Reviews of Films: These two periodicals are known for film reviews. They are located in the taller
bookshelves in the PN section near the Film Literature Index shelves. New York Times books are black, Variety is garnet.
Film Facts: It is a shame that this publication stops in 1973, because it is just what you need. Located one row over from the NY Times
and Variety indexes, these orange books contain film reviews in full, listed by title. Under each listing, you will find the full reviews from a
number of different publications, such as Variety and others, so you can compare what the critics said about a film.
Appropriate Film Reviews: Finding and watching a movie is the easy part. Finding appropriate reviews is a little trickier. Here are some tips.
What is an appropriate review? You will encounter a variety of articles on films ranging from fan writing on the internet to popular movie
reviews in magazines or newspapers such as Entertainment Weekly or the New York Times.
While it is easy to find fluffy reviews (usually quite short), you want the more substantial reviews (usually longer then 500-800
words and in more legitimate outlets). If you’re lucky (or simply tenacious in your search), you may find even more academic, in-depth
critiques that analyze social, political, and historic elements of the film. Use the electronic and print sources above to find appropriate film
reviews.
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UNDERSTAND POLITICS THROUGH FILM JOURNAL–THE FORMAT
(copy to word document; complete by typing; add lines for more space if you like)
Name of student:
Date:
Film Title:
Year:
Author/Screenwriter:
Rating:
Producer:
Director:
Production Company(ies):
Distribution Company(ies):
# of U.S. screens opening week:
# of U.S. screens maximum:
# of weeks in U.S. theaters:
Film Budget:
U.S. box office gross:
foreign box office gross:
Major Awards & Nominations:
[MINIMUM OF TWO TO BE DISCUSSED AND INTEGRATED]
Film Review #1 (provide complete bibliographic cite):
Film Review #2 (provide complete bibliographic cite):
[MINIMUM OF TWO]
List required readings in course packet that will be explicitly discussed in the journal:
Other Sources:
(BE SURE TO INTEGRATE & DISCUSS AT LEAST 2 FILM REVIEWS AND AT LEAST 2 REQUIRED READINGS FROM THE CLASS—
whether specifically about the film or discussing major points about movies in general.
This must be done in order to get a passing/good grade.)
1a. To what extent did you like or enjoy the film?
1b. To what extend did you find it interesting? ?
Briefly, why or explain?
Very much 5
Very much 5
2. What was the principal purpose(s) of the movie? Explain.
a. entertainment,
b political-social commentary
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
Not very much
Not very much
c. both
3. Was there a political message and/or point of view? What was it? How explicit or implicit was it? How intentional or unintentional was it?
Provide one or two examples from the film to illustrate your points? [THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.]
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4. How was this done in terms of the NARRATIVE/STYLISTIC elements (such as film's story, the journeys undertaken, the dialogue, the
language, the music, the images, etc.)? Provide one or two examples from the film to illustrate your points? [THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION.]
5. How popular was it abroad and how do you think it impacted the views of foreigners of the U.S. and Americans? (Keep in mind the year it
came out and the times). Provide one or two examples from the film to illustrate your points?
6. Have you seen the movie before? If yes, did you see things in this movie that you did not notice before? Explain.
7. Did certain readings (or film information and reviews) help you better understand the film (specifically or in general---such as the historicalsocial context, the industrial-business context, and the narrative-stylistic context)? Please explain. [SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION.]
8. Would you recommend the movie to friends? Yes or No
Would you recommend the movie to be used again for this course? Yes or No
Explain.
(Remember: BE SURE TO INTEGRATE & DISCUSS AT LEAST 2 FILM REVIEWS AND AT LEAST 2 REQUIRED READINGS FROM THE
CLASS to get a passing grade)
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