ENG 2100
Dr. S. Landis
Office D-20
276-6841
(Always request receipt for emails)
Tentative Office
Hours: Section:
MWF 9:00-11:00am TR
9:50-10:50
M 4:30-5:30pm R
12:05-1:05pm
Prerequisite: Enc 1101 with a grade of “C” or higher.
An introduction to film as it reflects and shapes20th and 21st century cultures. Stress is placed upon critical analysis of film’s narrative structure and how that structure draws from and expands upon literary narrative. The course will also present students with an overview of film history and acquaint them with basic film techniques. ENG 2100 is a Gordon Rule writing course as defined by of SBE Rule 6A-10.030.
Mast, Gerald and Kawain, Bruce F. A Short History of the Movies. Abridged 9th ed.
A. Writing
Logs 50%
You will submit a response to a total of 5 films that we view in class on the following dates:
1) 09/11/07
2) 09/25/07
3) 10/13/07
4) 10/30/07
5) 11/13/03
Entries must be typed and 1-3 pages long and hard copies must be brought to class on the due dates. I will only accept emailed entries in the event of an emergency.
In the event of a documented emergency, you may submit one entry late. I will not accept additional late entries.
Each response will address the following items (numbered & in consecutive order):
1) Why the film is considered significant (based either upon your own observations or what you find when researching the film)
2) Innovations important to the film (again, based either upon your own observations or what you find through research)
3) The visual or aural elements you found most impressive and why (entirely your own opinion)
4) List of definitions with examples of specific film terms. The definitions need to be paraphrased to demonstrate your understanding of the term. Examples need to be detailed carefully to illustrate the term and taken from films we watch in class.
Keep your graded responses, making any revisions on a separate sheet.
On the next-to-last meeting of the semester (12/03/07), you will submit your completed folders with all 5 responses and revisions for final grading. You may include 1 additional entry at that time for extra credit.
B. Research Paper or
Presentation 40%
1) Research Paper Due by 11/27/07
(4-6 typed pages plus Works Cited list using MLA documentation style, 6 source minimum)
For this paper, you will be researching a specific approved film from the Library’s collection and writing an essay using 1 of the following approaches:
1) An essay comparing and contrasting a film to the literary work upon which it is based—your thesis should draw attention to contrasts and/or similarities between the 2 works, speculating as to historical conditions that might account for those contrasts.
2) An in-depth discussion of a single technical aspect of the film—your thesis should argue how that aspect contributes to the film’s overall effectiveness
3) A discussion of how some technical aspect of the film works to support 1 of its ideological messages with a thesis statement to that effect
4) A comparison of an original version of a film to its remake—your thesis should point to historical conditions that account for variations between the versions
Regardless of approach, you need to be sure to include relevant discussion of specific examples to support you thesis statement.
2) Presentation Due
Date: based on film choice
Length: 2-4 page
outline, 10-15 minute presentation (no longer)
Assignment:
For your film presentation, you will need to provide members of the class with an outline including the following information:*
I. Full Film Title, Director, Release Date, Running Time
A. Number of this Film in Director’s Repertoire
B. Representative Listing of Director’s Other Films (including screenplays where appropriate)—list those most highly critically acclaimed and any others of special interest to you
II. Background Info. On Year of Film’s
Release & Director in both the film’s country of origin and the
A. Major events of the Year (and Before/After where appropriate)
B. Birth place, education, work background
C. Acknowledged (and speculated) Influences On Director (contemporary or later interviews with director)
III. Importance
of
A. Record of Historical Event (for films based on actual events)
B. Technological Innovations
C. Social Commentaries in the Film
D. Commentaries on the Film (contemporary reviews)
E. Continued Influence of the Film
IV. Bibliography in proper MLA Format (listing the film as well as all sources you consult)
You may wish to present your material in a different order. Just be sure to include each category for discussion.
*I will happily make copies of the outlines for you, but to do so I will need your original the day before class.
C. Class
Participation 10%
Because this class is essentially a lab, your attendance is extremely important. Try to miss only in the event of an emergency, and please contact me as soon as possible if an emergency does arise if you are scheduled to present.
Meeting 1:
08/21/07
Course Intro.
Early Film Samples
Meeting 2
08/28/07
Chs. 1-3
Meeting 3:
09/04/07
Meeting 4:
09/11/07
Chaplin, The Gold Rush (1925, 82 min.)
Writing Log 1 Due
Meeting 5:
09/18/07
Keaton, The General (1927, 75 min.)
Meeting 6:
09/25/07
Chaplin, Modern Times (1936, 87 min.)
Writing Log 2 Due
Meeting 7:
10/02/07
Chapter 13: “Neorealism and the New Wave” (pp. 275-77)
Tati, Mr. Hulot’s Holiday (1953, 114 min.)
Meeting 8:
10/09/07
Murnau, Nosferatu (1922, 60 min.)
Writing Log 3 due
Meeting 9:
10/16/07
Eisenstein, Battleship Potemkin
(1925, 74 min.)
Research Paper Topics Due
Meeting 10
10/23/07
Ch. 16, “National Cinemas II: 1968- “(395-end)
Herzog, Nosferatu (1978, 107 min.)
Meeting 11
10/30/07
Merhige, Shadow of the Vampire (2000, 92 min.)
Writing Log 4 Due
Meeting 12
11/06/07
Cocteau, Beauty and the Beast (1946, 93 min.)
Meeting 13
11/13/07
Chapter 11: “The American Studio Years: 1930-1945”
Welles, Citizen Kane (1941, 119 min.)
Writing Log 5 Due
Meeting 14
11/20/07
Kurosawa, Rashomon (1950, 83 min.)
Meeting 15
11/27/07
Chapter 13: “Neorealism and the New Wave”
DeSica, The Bicycle Thief (1948, 90 min.)
Research Papers Due
Meeting 16
12/04/07
Ch. 16, “National Cinemas II: 1968-“ (395-end)
I am
Writing Log Folders Due
Meeting 17
Film To Be Announced
Classes end 5pm, 12/11/07