INTRODUCTION TO FILM 2450
Christopher Eccleston in Shallow Grave (Danny Boyle, 1994)
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ENG 2450, FLM/SPF 2010, Sec 006, T TH 1.35-3.25
Location: 226 Manoogian
Professor: Dr. Kirsten Moana Thompson (313)577-3358
(office), (313) 577-2450 (Dept.)
Office Hours Monday 4-5 or other times by appointment,
Room 1252, Ground Floor English Department 51 W. Warren E-mail: kirsten_thompson@wayne.edu,
Web Page: http://www.english.wayne.edu/~thompson
This course introduces you to major films from
a broad-based spectrum of styles, genres, historical periods, and national
cultures. The primary methodology of the course is to break films
down into their component features—i.e., narrative, mise-en-scène,
cinematography, editing, and sound; to analyze the operations of each of
these constituent parts in detail; and then to return each of the parts
to the whole. The course seeks to train you in the specific
techniques and critical methods necessary to describe, analyze, and appreciate
the artistic text. You must see each film featured in class
(screening copies on VHS DVD or LD are also available at Ademany Undergraduate
Library for study purposes) and you are encouraged to watch additional
films discussed in the Bordwell/Thompson textbook, many of which are also
available at this library.
A Course Materials Fee of $15.00 was billed to
your account when you registered for this class. This fee contributes
to the cost of film/video/laserdisc rentals and purchases for the course,
as well as equipment maintenance. NOTE: This course fulfills the Visual
and Performing Arts requirement of the General Education Requirement in
Humanities
COURSEWORK: quiz 20%, close analysis 30%, mid-term exam 25%, Final Paper 25%
REQUIRED TEXTS:
1) Film Art; An Introduction, (Sixth Edition)
David Bordwell & Kristin Thompson (McGraw Hill) 2001
CD ROM Film Form & Culture (packaged with
Film Art)
2) A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Timothy
Corrigan (Harper, NY) 4th Edition, 2001
Key in syllabus, BT= Bordwell/Thompson, TC= Timothy
Corrigan
A Course Materials Fee of $15.00 was billed to
your account when you registered for this class. This fee contributes
to the cost of film/video/laserdisc rentals and purchases for the course,
as well as equipment maintenance.
WEEK 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE
STUDY OF FILM
Sept. 3 & 5 The shot
Class Overview & introduction to the study
of film
Screening: Dead Again (Kenneth
Branagh, 1991) UK
Reading: Chaps 1, & pp.
400-402 BT; Chap 2, TC
WEEK 2 MISE-EN-SCÈNE
/VISUAL STYLE
Sept. 10 & 12 & COMPOSITION
WITHIN THE FRAME
Screening: Elizabeth
(Shehkar Kapur,1998,) Great Britain
Readings: chap. 6 &
pp. 402-406 BT; chap 1 & pp. 41-54 TC
WEEK 3 MISE-EN-SCÈNE
II
Sept. 17 & 19 CINEMATOGRAPHY
(CAMERA WORK)
Screening: Sudden Fear (David
Miller, 1952)
In class quiz
Readings: chaps 7 & pp.
415-417, BT; pp. 55-66 TC
WEEK 4 EDITING I/CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD
CONTINUITY EDITING
Sept. 24 & 26 Screening: The Hunger
(Tony Scott, 1983) 97 m., US Readings: chap 8 pp.
249- 278 BT; pp. 66-92 TC
WEEK 5 EDITING II/ ALTERNATIVES TO CONTINUITY
EDITING
OCT. 1 & 3 Screenings: Requiem
for a dream (Darren Aranofsky) 2000
clips: Battleship Potemkin/Odessa
Steps sequence (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) USSR
Readings: pp. 278-288, 412-415
BT; chap 4 TC
Close Analysis exercise/ 2
week take home
WEEK 6 SOUND/MUSIC
Oct 8 & 10 What’s Opera Doc?
(Chuck Jones, 1957)
Screening: The Piano (Jane
Campion, 1993) NZ
Reading: chap. 3 & 9 BT; chap 5 TC
WEEK 7 COLOR
Oct. 15 & 17 close analysis assignment
on Elizabeth due
Screening: Raise The
Red Lantern (Zhang Yimou, 1991) 125 m,
China/Taiwan/Hong Kong
“Pink Elephants” sequence
from Dumbo (Walt Disney, 1941)
Reading: chap 6 TC;
pp. 144-151 BT
WEEK 8 GENRE/ HORROR
Oct. 22 & 24 Shallow Grave (Danny
Boyle) Scotland
Readings: chap 4
& pp. 406-408 BT
WEEK 9 GENRE II /THE WESTERN
Oct. 29 & 31 Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood,
1992)
Readings: chap 2 BT
Midterm Revision with clips
WEEK 10 NARRATIVE
Nov. 5 & 7 Screening: Memento
(Christopher Nolan, 2000)
MIDTERM
Readings: pp. 327-332 BT & CHAP 11
BT
WEEK 11 SOCIAL REALISM & AUTEURISM
Nov. 12 & 14 Screening: The Defiant
Ones (Stanley Kramer, 1958) US
Readings: pp. 417-419
BT
WEEK 12 EXPERIMENTAL FILM
NOV. 19 & 21 Love Song for Persis
K. (David Kalal, 1999)
Meshes of the Afternoon
(Maya Deren)
Illusions (Julie Dash)
Readings: BT pp 128-144; chap 6 TC
discussion of final paper
WEEK 13 POLITICAL & IDEOLOGICAL
ANALYSIS
Nov 26 Screening: The Manchurian
Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962) 126 m, US
Reading: chap. 7 TC (on writing papers)
Thanksgiving Day recess Nov.
28- Nov. 30
WEEK 14 INDEPENDENT CINEMA
Dec 3 & 5 Screening: Bamboozled
(Spike Lee, 2000)
Final Papers due in class Dec 11
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THE FINE PRINT
Note on Grading: All assignments MUST be submitted
for successful completion of the course.
Failure to submit one or more assignments will
result in a final grade of C or worse.
Attendance Policy:
Since regular attendance is important for the
success of the class, students are expected to be able to arrange their
schedules around class meeting times. (That includes work schedules, vacations,
etc.). In the event that a student’s final attendance record is very
poor (say, more than two unexcused absences; or a pattern of arriving late
and/or leaving early), points will be subtracted from the final grade.
The penalty for poor attendance can be severe, resulting in a final grade
of C or worse. In my view, a student with a poor attendance record
has not really taken the course at all.
Late enrollment, withdrawal, and other special
policies:
Withdrawals: The last day to drop the course
is Nov 1. You cannot drop the class because of poor assignment grades
after this date.
The English Department attendance policy is as
follows
Students enrolled in any English course must
attend at least one of the first two class sessions of the term in order
to maintain a place in the class. If a student does not show up he/she
may be required to drop the class. The student is responsible for
dropping the class.
Other Policies:
1. There are no makeup screenings of films,
so if you must miss a screening, try to rent the videotape or laser disc
version. Ademany has most of the class titles. Attendance at film
screenings is a requirement of the course.
2. In previous courses, I have received
some complaints about talking and noise during film screenings, so please
use common sense and be courteous to others during screenings. Please
don’t talk during the films (or during class discussion, for that matter).
I don’t object to food and drink in the screening room, as long as you
eat quietly. PLEASE take all trash out with you when you leave the room.
Also, please keep in mind that the end of a film
is just as important as the beginning. Please do not walk out in
the middle of films, and please do not start packing up to leave until
the auditorium lights go up.
3. All written assignments for the course
are due in class. Please do not leave papers for me at the English
Department, unless you have first secured my permission. (This is
to prevent papers from getting lost, and please do not slide papers under
my office door!)
4. Please photocopy your papers prior to
submitting them, or keep a backup copy on computer. If your paper
gets lost, I will ask you for the backup copy. Computers or printers
crashing are not acceptable excuses
5. GRADING SCHEDULE: I will try to return assignments
as soon as possible, but it will usually take me at least one week to grade
a given paper or test. It is important that students receive assignments
back promptly, but it is also very important that I have the time to make
detailed comments and suggestions. I try to grade quickly, but also
carefully—and that takes time.
6. Handing in an assignment late will result
in loss of points, unless a valid excuse is provided. For every two
days the assignment is late, the score drops by half a letter grade.
Except for dire emergencies, I will not accept papers that are more than
2 weeks late.
7 . Makeups for missed tests or quizzes
require a valid excuse, and under most circumstances I will ask for written
documentation about the reason for absence (doctor’s receipt, auto repair
bill, etc.). If for some reason you miss a test, PLEASE notify me
as soon as possible—generally within 1 or 2 days.
8. If you cannot make it to a scheduled
office meeting with me, please call to cancel as soon as possible.
9. PLAGIARISM. Plagiarism (unacknowledged
use of another person’s work) and cheating are both serious offenses.
Like most American universities, Wayne State Univ. has a fairly severe
policy about penalties for both. Evidence of plagiarism (or fabrication
of sources) or cheating will result in a zero for the assignment and an
F for the class. Prior to submission of the final paper, students
will be given the opportunity to discuss what constitutes plagiarism. College
of Liberal Arts Policy on Plagiarism (Undergraduate Bulletin, page 272:The
principle of honesty is recognized as fundamental to a scholarly
Students are expected to honor this principle
and instructors are expected to take appropriate action when instances
of academic dishonesty are discovered. An instructor, on discovering
such an instance,
may give a failing grade on the assignment or
for the course. The instructor has the responsibility of notifying
the student of the alleged violation and the action being taken.
Both the student and the instructor
are entitled to academic due process in all such
cases. Acts of dishonesty may lead to suspension or exclusion.
10. Students must put away ALL papers, notebooks,
clipboards, and books during tests. You will be given paper for the
test. I will circulate around the classroom during exams. CHEATING
WILL RESULT IN AN F FOR THE TEST AND CLASS
11. Writing Standards
Although I can provide some writing tips, this
class is too large for extensive individual tutoring in basic writing techniques.
Students who have difficulties with English grammar or spelling should
contact the Writing Center for assistance: 313/577-2544; 337 State Hall.
Hours of operation vary from semester to semester. You will be penalized
if your writing standards are insufficient for university work
12. Personal Problems/ Physical or Mental
Health
If you feel overwhelmed or stressed out, there
is always help available at the WSU Counseling Services at 1001 Faculty
Administration Building --call (313)577-3398. Alternatively
there is the Detroit-Wayne Community Mental Health Emergency Telephone
Service (313)224-7000 (24 hour service). Don't drop your classes--talk
to someone first! If you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed or seriously
stressed, TELL your professors in your classes so they can help you if
you are having difficulties. If you have a physical or mental impairment
that may interfere with your ability to complete successfully the requirements
for this course, please contact EAS in Room 583 of the SCB to discuss appropriate
accommodations on a confidential basis. Telephone: 577-1851.