Fall 2009 Class Schedule

      

All Films Shown in Merrifield Hall, Room 300,
except where noted or announced otherwise in class,
Screenings are at 2:00 pm Tuesdays
(NOTE: Some films run slightly over two hours and may last until 4:15 or so)

NOTE:  FILM TITLES SUBJECT TO CHANGE!!
It is possible that in rare cases a different film might be substituted for the one on the schedule, or that one section might view an alternate film in Merrifield 116 or a different classroom at the same time period. There is also an outside chance that one or two films might be shown at a local movie theatre. Be sure to verify the assigned film and location with your instructor the week before.  Be aware that your instructor may also give additional reading, writing, and/or viewing assignments during the small group class meetings.

 

TEXTBOOK:  Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film (second edition) by Richard Barsam

WEEK DATE

FILM SCREENING
(“Lab” on Tuesdays)

READING ASSIGNMENTS and DISCUSSION TOPICS
(for Wed-Thur small group class lecture/discussion)

Aug. 25-26-27

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen

Ch. 1a (pp xv-xx, 2-23)  - What is a Movie?

Also read Appendix pp 345-371 - Hollywood Production Systems

 – ONLINE READING: Night at the Movies

 - “PRETEST” in lecture/discussion sections this week! -

Sept 1-2-3

Film history anthology of short films (1870s-1920s)

with live commentary

Ch. 1b (pp 23-38) – film technology, business, & cinematic storytelling  – D.W.Griffith documentary in class;    – ONLINE READINGS:  Development of Cinema and D. W. Griffith

Sep 8-9-10

American Movie (1999)

Chris Smith

Ch. 1c (pp 38-50) - documentary & genre

start to read Gocsik & Barsam’s “Writing About Movies” booklet,

especially p. 12 and pp 21-53

Sep 15-16-17

The General (1926)

Buster Keaton  - plus Easy Street (1917) and Never Weaken (1921)

Ch. 2a (pp 54-78) – narrative; genres, silent comedy

 (Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd)

Sep 22-23-24

Stagecoach (1939)

John Ford  

2b (pp 78-89)  – narrative; genres, the Western

FIRST UNIT TEST

(narrative form, film history, genre, production & distribution) 

Sep 29-30-Oct 1

Wild Boys of the Road (1933)

William Wellman  - plus short

Ch. 3a (pp 92- 122)– mise en scene – B&W; social commentary films  – ONLINE READING: Hollywood Production Code

Oct 6-7-8

A Room With a View (1986)

James Ivory

Ch. 3b (pp 122 - 137) - mise en scene - color,

  (note especially significant uses of location, costumes, props)

Oct 13-14-15

In Cold Blood (1967)  134min.

Richard Brooks

Ch. 4a (pp140-170) – cinematography – B&W 

     PAPER 1 DUE this week!

Oct 20-21-22

The Professionals (1966)

Richard Brooks

Ch. 4b (pp170-193) – cinematography - color

  (Be sure to watch all the various DVD tutorials for this chapter!)

Oct 27-28-29

Citizen Kane (1941)

Orson Welles

Ch. 5 (pp 196-236) – acting, Citizen Kane, Orson Welles   (you may wish to find one or more other Welles-directed films to watch on your own)

Nov 3-4-5

Rocky (1976)  John G. Avildsen

or Deliverance (1972) John Boorman

  (or some other appropriate 1970s film)

SECOND UNIT TEST  

(mise en scene and cinematography, acting; filmmaking styles)

      –     FORX FILM FEST – extra credit potential!!

Nov 10-  -12

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Spike Lee

Ch. 6 (pp 238-262) – editing

  (Watch Snapshot on the second DVD, and all the DVD tutorials for this chapter, especially the “evolution of editing” tutorial!!)

Nov 17-18-19

Run Lola Run (1999)

Tom Tykwer;

plus Success Through Violence (2003) & other shorts

Ch. 6-7 (pp 262-294)  – editing and sound

Watch also the chapter 5 DVD tutorial “Editing and Performance in Snapshot” and the chapter 7 tutorial “Sound in Snapshot”)

Nov 24 - Thanksgiving

The 400 Blows (1959)

François Truffaut

Ch. 7 (pp 294-312)  – sound & style, French “new wave”           

 PAPER 2 DUE this Tuesday !

 

Dec 1-2-3

Last Year at Marienbad  (1960)

Alain Resnais

Ch. 8 (pp 316-342) – theory and analysis, meanings and interpretations

Dec 8-9-10

The Seventh Seal (1957)

Ingmar Bergman

LAST UNIT TEST

(editing, sound, film theory & analysis)

Dec 15*

FINALS WEEK

View final movie projects

Student movie projects will be screened at the time normally scheduled for a final exam (*TBA, usually Tuesday afternoon)

CHRISTMAS

VACATION

HAVE A GOOD BREAK!!

Outline Notes on the Textbook Readings and Lecture/Discussions 

Film Casts, Production Credits, and Discussion Questions (selected titles)

PAPER ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

General Guidelines for Writing Papers

FILMS OUTSIDE OF CLASS : You will be expected to see a certain number of films on your own, on DVD, videotape, and/or public screenings in order to complete the assigned papers. See the writing assignments and/or ask your instructor for details and films to see. It is recommended that you try to attend part of the Forx Film Fest of new independent movies, scheduled at the historic Empire Theatre in downtown Grand Forks the first week of November. Also try to attend the Global Visions foreign film series on the UND campus and watch for other special movie screenings scheduled at the Empire Arts Center, as well as independent films that may play at the River Cinema in East Grand Forks (and rarely at the Carmike Theatre in Grand Forks). You may do extra-credit reaction papers for those special movie showings you attend.

      

           

              

        

Reading Assignments:

LAM = Richard Barsam, Looking at Movies – Second Edition
ADDITIONAL READINGS on line are accessible through this website.
Use the DVDs that came with your text to review the chapters and view film clips that help illustrate the concepts in greater detail.


Some Additional Readings Not in the Textbook:
(go ahead and read them now and
don’t wait for your instructor to assign them!)
          A Night At The Movies
          Orson Welles: Three Views
          Shakespeare and Film
          The Development of the Cinema
          D. W. Griffith
          The Production Code of 1930

 NOTE: Individual class sections may have
substitute reading assignments and/or
additional reading assignments for any
given week. Be sure to check with your
instructor.

Students are encouraged to do outside
readings related to the particular films
and topics being discussed. Many of
the films mentioned in the textbook
are available on home video. DVDs
with commentary tracks are especially
valuable for independent study. The
Chester Fritz Library has an extensive
selection of books about film makers,
film history, film genres, and individual
films (both scripts and analyses). A small
but useful selection of film books can be
found at the UND Bookstore. There
is also a great deal of material available
through the internet.

As in all research, any single source
can not be relied upon as fact. All
sources should be cross-checked with
others, and if possible verified
using original first-hand materials.

       

       

A few of the films shown in previous semesters … well-worth finding on DVD to watch on your own!

BACK to Syllabus

    (Try clicking on the some of the posters!)