A deeper look at the medium of motion pictures from the point of view of film theorists. Discussion of the film audience and the role of the Christian critic. Foreign films will be a special focus of study, together with unusual examples of cinematic expression, story films, drama as social comment, and the musical.
A deeper look at the medium of motion pictures from the point of view of film theorists. Discussion of the film audience and the role of the Christian critic. Foreign films will be a special focus of study, together with unusual examples of cinematic expression, story films, drama as social comment, and the musical.
A deeper look at the medium of motion pictures from the point of view of film theorists. Discussion of the film audience and the role of the Christian critic. Foreign films will be a special focus of study, together with unusual examples of cinematic expression, story films, drama as social comment, and the musical.
TFT 341 Spring, 2012 TuTh 2:45-4:1 0 Professor: John R. Hamilton, Ph.D. Film producer and director for over 25 years, and former head of World Vision film production unit. Author, film reviewer, university faculty member in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C, and Chicago. Wrote bi-weekly critical film review column, Media Lens, for two newspapers for seven-year period Office Hours: West Campus TFT 166 (next to Duplicating Services, all the way in back of West Campus) MW 3:15-4:15 p.m. or by appointment E-mail: jrhamilton@apu.edu; phone ext. 5541 Course Description: A deeper look at the medium of motion pictures from the point of view of film theorists, ranging from semiotics (film as language), realism, expressionism, auteur theory, cinema as art, montage, film as narrative, literature and adaptations to the screen, documentary and propaganda approaches, genre conventions, psychology, sociology, mythology, and ideology. Discussion of the film audience and the role of the Christian critic. Foreign films will be a special focus of study, together with unusual examples of cinematic expression, story films, drama as social comment, and the musical. Required texts: Leo Braudy & Marshall Cohen, eds., Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings, 7th ed. NY: Oxford University Press, 2009. Brian Godawa, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment, 2nd ed., Downers Grove: lnterVarsity, 2009. Reserve Room books: Michel Chion, The Voice in Cinema, ed. and translated by Claudia Gorbman, New York: Columbia University Press, 1999. Louis Giannetti, Understanding Movies, 9th ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, Prentice Hall, 2002. Phillip Lopate, Totally, Tenderly, Tragically: Essays and Criticism from a Lifelong Love Affair with the Movies, NY: Anchor Books, 1998. Robert Sklar, Film: An International History of the Medium, 2nd ed., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2003. and ... handout readings, including Pauline Kael, "Circles and Squares, Joys and Sarris." Pauline Kael, "Is There a Cure for Film Criticism?" plus ... articles from the 1920's film journal, Close Up, with contemporary monographs on the issue of the new sound film medium. Suggested Sites for Christian Film Reviews: http://www.christiananswers. net/spotlight/home. html http://www.gospelcom.net/hollywoodjesus/?ifc Suggested Reviewers for Nonconformist, Non-Starstruck Film Criticism: John Simon in National Review magazine (retired--no current reviews). Ross Douthat in National Review Pauline Kael in The New Yorker (retired--no current reviews). Anthony Lane and David Denby in The New Yorker Joe Morgenstern in The Wall Street Journal Other Publications for Scholarly & Critical Film Reading: Film Comment Film Quarterly Film Culture Films in Review Literature Film Quarterly Cineaste See APU Library periodical database. Student Scholarly Film Journal New! http://www.scribd.com/doc/26032519/Film-Matters The Arcane World of the MPAA Rating System: http://www. mpaa.org/movieratings/aboutlcontent4. htm Film Screenings: Every week films will be screened, usually in their entirety for artistic integrity. Foreign films, comedies, westerns, the offbeat and the unusual may be expected, as they contribute to our inductive approach to film theorizing, and are the subjects of a deductive approach working from general theories to specific applications. There may be occasional assignments for viewing on one's own (such as The Passion of the Christ) or via cable TV. / Policies: Attendance is required. An excused absence must be approved in advance. More than two unexcused absences will significantly affect class participation grade. Plagiarism: Copying material from any source, the internet, or other students will be cause for course failure and may result in suspension from the university. All work for this course must be original. The student may not turn in the same paper for this class as for another, without prior approval from both professors. Proper citation of Internet sources: A web site URL address is not an acceptable bibliographical source. That would be like giving merely the library call number of a book. A bona fide source must have a known author or organization, title, and date of publication. If you found the source on the Internet instead of hard copy, then you may append this note, "available at http://www. whatever.com/infoworld/wisdom.html." Students with disabilities: Students in this course who have a disability that might prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should meet with an advisor in the Learning Enrichment Center as soon as possible to initiate disability verification and discuss accommodations that may be necessary to ensure full participation in the successful completion of course requirements. Other Policies: The document, "Scholarly Guidelines for Intrepid Christian Students," is also incorporated as part of this syllabus. Be sure to read it regarding Wikipedia, Plagiarism, Attendance, Nonduplication of work from other courses, Cell Phones, Laptops, etc. The Azusa Pacific University Mission and Purpose Statement Azusa Pacific University is an evangelical Christian community of disciples and scholars who seek to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence in liberal arts and professional programs of higher education that encourage students to develop a Christian perspective of truth and life. Grading procedures: Three short papers @ 15% each Midterm exam Term Paper Final Exam A= 90-100% 8= 80-89 C= 70-79 D= 60-69 45% 15% 25% 15% Media Film Criticism & Theorv TFT 341 -- Spring 2011 -- Dr. Hamilton Term Paper-- at one-quarter of your semester's grade, it is considered to be a thoughtful project over which you have ruminated and researched during the term. Firstly, consider at the major theories that crop up over and over again in film theory books: 1) Realism or expressionism, "art"? 2) Genre approach 3) Auteur approach 4) Semiotics, the "language" of film plus our special studies this semester ... 5) The (disembodied) Voice in Cinema 6) Christian analysis of film worldviews Or if we do get something different in the literature of film, it's usually politically correct stuff like gay/lesbian/feminist or Afro-American or other race-based "critiques." Or it is non-cinematic philosophical criticism such as deconstructionist, postmodern, or psychological approaches. Let's have some fun: invent your own film theory, a theory of analysis and criticism: "Magee's Working Class Marginal Utility Theory of Multiplex Movie Selection" or whatever. Try looking at films, for example, from one or more of these points of view: societal mores contemporary culture history theology a philosophy economics social class ludenic or "play" theory star system avant garde hunger, sex, music, sensory deprivation, whatever! -------------- Do the following in your 7 -8-page paper: A. Show that you understand the major 4-plus approaches listed above by telling what you agree with and disagree with as you abandon them or modify them in developing your theory. Quote from their advocates, and crush the opposition! Give specific film examples of their failings (or virtues), and footnote everything with credible bibliographical sources (not just URLs). Include films seen in class. B. Develop and explain your system, your theory of film: define it show how it explains "What is cinema?" show how to use your theory briefly to critique at least three motion p'ictures irom thts pers-pecl'tve tnot o'o\itous \nat theory either--at least one apparent "deviant") CAUTION: Your theory should NOT be so eclectic and subjective that no others could explain it, repeat it, and apply it themselves. Details on short papers 3-4 pages; research papers with proper citations: I. Lopate Paper Two choices: 1. Your response to the Lopate article, agreeing or disagreeing with his ideas about "fidelity to the shot" and a "grammar of the film," and especially versus the close-up, and using the other articles on the face and the films and clips we've seen to answer. 2. Explain the issues and arguments, along with your own analysis, of the articles for this week on montage, the problem of sound, and realism (Bazin, Eisenstein, etc.) II. The Acousmetre From the assigned readings in Chion, class lecture/discussion, and the depths of your own analysis, show that you understand the problem or issues of the acousmetre and how it functions in cinema, particularly in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, Cavite, and also in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Psycho, and (at least one page) on some other examples from your own knowledge of films. (Give page references from your reading in Chion.) III. Sarris paper Explain the auteur theory according to Andrew Sarris, review his detractors such as Pauline Kael, and apply the theory to several films and directors of your choosing. Week of Blue Reader pages Jan.9 Belasz, 273-281 Barthes, 471-473 Jan. 16 Eisenstein, et al, 315-317 Bazin, 41-53 Jan.23 Doane, 318-330 Jan.30 Warshaw, 576-580 Cavell, 307-311 Feb.6 Feb. 13 CIIIBD/8 141 - lpr/116 2112 li/DI Cr/1/CIBDI & TIIBIIr Other readings Assignments Due Lecture topics Lopate, "Dumbing Down" Discuss Lopate The Human Face, 1/12/12 plain and simple Eisenstein in Lehman, 17-37 Reader or Sergei Eisenstein Sklar photospread, 140-141 Lopate paper Sound of Silents Close Up articles on sound Due 1/19/12 Chion, ix-57, 163-174 The Disembodied Voice Acousmetre paper Genre: Western Giannetti, 362-372* Godawa, Chapters 4, 5, 6 (Chapters 3, 4, 5 in 1 51 ed.) Due 2/2/12 The Psychological Western World views: Existentialism & Postmodernism Films Screened 100 Years of Cinema The Passion of Joan of Arc Fargo (clip) Girl with a Pearl Earring (clip) Stagecoach (clip) The Wild Bunch (clip) Strike (clip) There Will Be Blood Wall-E Psycho (clip) 2001 (clip) Cavite Pale Rider Naked Spur Magnolia (clips) Saved! Week of Reader pages Other readings Assignments Due Lecture topics Films Screened Feb.20 Godawa, Chapters 7 & 8 Christian themes Changing Lanes (Chapter 6 in 1 51 ed.) Feb.27 Kracauer, 141-158 Sklar, Ch. 13** Expressionism or Metropolis Bazin, 159-166 Kael, "Is There a Cure?" Realism THX1138 Arnheim, 167-170 Mar. 5 Sklar, Ch. 11 ** Take-home Nonfiction fiction Land Without Bread (clip) Lopate, "Sidney Lumet" Midterm Due Fictional Realism Network (clip) (pp.188-194) 3/18/12 El Norte (clip) Pontecorvo The Battle of Algiers Mar. 12 Sarris, 445-454 Kael, "Circles & Squares" Auteur Theory Vertigo (clip) Wood, 592-601 Lopate, "Andrew Sarris," French New Wave The 400 Blows (clip) (251-258) Tout Va Bien (clip) David Puttnam on the "Nouvelle Vague" Mar. 19 Wollen, 455-470 Sklar, 316-349** Howard Hawks To Have and Have Not Dyer, 480-485 Multiple approaches Star as Auteur Mar. 26 Haskell, 501-514 This too is Hawks? Bringing Up Baby Jewell, 515-522 Week of Reader pages April 9 Deleuze, 216-226 Pudovkin, 1-12 Eisenstein, 13-40 Metz, 65-77 April16 Altman, 552-563 Schatz, 564-575 April 23 Mulvey, 711-722 Allen, 824-833 Other readings Sklar, Chapter 23** Tuesday, May 1, FINAL EXAMINATION, 12:15-2:15 p.m. Assignments Due Lecture topics Films Screened Sarris paper Due 4/12/12 TERM PAPER Due 4/26 Avante Garde Self-referential media Semiotics & Structuralism Deconstruction & Post-Modernism Un Chien Andalou Meshes of the Afternoon Film Blowup Run Lola Run Semiotics & Genre Rashomon Texts in cinema Misc. Theories: Water Mass Culture Historical Poetics Marxism Psychoanalysis Race, Gender, Sexuality Reception Theory *NOTES: Overview of the four major theoretical approaches may be found in Giannetti, Understanding Movies, 9th ed., (on reserve), Chapter 11 and pp. 362-372. **All Sklar readings are optional enrichment.