Dr. C.’s Learning Web

ENGL 345/01: Film, Text, and Culture   Summer 2007/Combs 139   MTWR 4:00-6:00                                                                     

Dr. Campbell Combs 123/654-1131/gcampbel@umw.edu

MTWR 2:30-3:30 & by appt.

Course goals:

1. To examine film as both a text and an adaptation of text (verbal, cinematic, musical, dramatic, etc.).

2.  To examine film in its cultural context–as a product of culture, a reflection of culture, and a shaper of culture. This course is race/gender intensive, with an emphasis on consideration of gender. What does this mean, and why should we do it? No other art form or medium of public discourse has been more culturally dominant in this century than the movies. (Television is a possible exception, though the movies did have a fifty-year head start and continue to be a primary influence on television.) One can hardly begin to analyze cinema, especially Hollywood films, without engaging issues of gender and race. Many, perhaps most of our most powerful cultural stereotypes of gender, sexuality, and race are reflected in, and sustained by, the cinema. It is therefore entirely appropriate to devote a substantial part of a course on film, text, and culture to a consideration of gender and race.

PLEASE NOTE: Many of the materials in this class-films, books, lectures, discussions-concern issues and topics including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, religion, and politics. In particular, some films and books include depictions of violence and/or sexuality that some readers/viewers may find objectionable or offensive. I will do my best to treat these matters discreetly and with the highest standards of professional good conduct. In turn, I expect you to help me create a community in which these challenging and potentially uncomfortable issues can be discussed in a mature, sensitive, and tolerant manner.

SYLLABUS (subject to change)

6/25 Introduction to film analysis

I.  The Glass Key: Genre, Gender, and Culture. Film Theory and Criticism 657-669 (ending with “vital interplay between them….”), 680-690, 703-716.  Recommended for further reading: FTC 691-702.

6/26 Heisler, The Glass Key (1942)

6/27 Hammett, The Glass Key (1931), discuss Hammett/Heisler

6/28 Kurosawa, Yojimbo (1961)

7/2 FTC day

7/3 Coen, Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Cognate: Leone, A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

II.  Little Women: Text, Gender, and Culture. FTC  GROUP 2.1: 435-460 (Chatman, Andrew); FTC GROUP 2.2 634-651 (Hansen) 727-741 (Williams). Recommended for further reading: 473-486 (Chatman).

7/5 Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

7/6 George Cukor (1933) / Mervyn Le Roy (1949)

7/9 FTC day (two groups)

7/10 Gillian Armstrong (1994)

Cognate: Armstrong, My Brilliant Career (1978)

III.  Errol Morris: Fact, Fiction, Style, Metaphysics. FTC 3.1 135-153 (Intro, Kracauer), 166-173 (Bazin); FTC 3.2 183-198 (Arnheim, Deren) 270-282 (Prince). Recommended for further reading: FTC 206-223 (Baudry).

7/11 Gates of Heaven (1978)

7/12 The Thin Blue Line (1988)

7/16 No class

7/17 FTC day (two groups) Gender analysis due.

7/18 Fast, Cheap, & Out of Control (1997)

Cognates: Vernon, Florida (1981); Mr. Death (1999)

IV.  Love and its Discontents. FTC 620-633 (Haskell), 717-726 (Wood), 742-763 (Freeland).

7/19 Robert Nathan, Portrait of Jennie (1940)

7/23 William Dieterle, Portrait of Jennie (1948)

7/24 Alfred Hitchcock, Vertigo (1958) TERM PAPER DUE; must be posted to your blog by noon.

Cognates: Hitchcock, The Birds (1962); Campion, The Piano (1994); Lynch, Mulholland Drive.

FINAL EXAM - Thursday, July 26 4:00-6:00

ASSIGNMENTS (each assignment will be explained in more detail as the time approaches):

·         An analysis of femininity as constructed by a film in unit I, or masculinity as constructed by a film in unit II (3-4 pp.). You must analyze at least one scene in detail as part of your commentary. This paper is due in class on 7/17. It must be typed and double-spaced, secured with a staple or paper clip only. I will also accept e-submissions.

·         With a team of your peers, leading a discussion of a unit’s assigned FTC readings on one of the “FTC days.”

·          One substantive post per class meeting to your Learning Web blog, beginning 6/27.

·         A term paper of 3000-3500 words, posted to your class blog, analyzing a film on the syllabus or a “cognate” film in relation to one or more films/books in its unit. The paper must make substantial use of at least two of the FTC essays, and may include other secondary sources as well. For papers on films in units I, II, and IV, especially, I encourage you to devote a significant part of your paper to a consideration of gender. Late papers will receive no credit. If you need an extension, you must ask before the due date.

·         A final exam, part of which will ask you to reflect and write on gender in one or more of the films/books we’ve studied.

GRADING:

All work is graded on a 100‑point scale, as follows:

A+            98‑100             B+       87‑89               C+            77‑79   D+       67‑69  F  59 and below

A               94‑97               B         83‑86               C            73‑76   D         63‑66

A‑             90‑93               B‑        80‑82               C‑            70‑72   D‑        60‑62

Weighting for each assignment:

Term Paper 30%               Gender Analysis 20%             Final exam 25%

FTC presentation 15%      Blog participation 10%

COURSE MATERIALS ONLINE: See my Summer, 2007 Learning Webs at http;//blogs.elsweb.org/gcampbel. I’ll post announcements here, aggregate the class blogs, and link to resources (documents including this syllabus and a schedule of film screenings, websites, podcasts, etc.), and other materials of interest. Check this site regularly (ideally, via its RSS feed). The site represents one of our official modes of communication in this course. If you have any trouble accessing this site, please let me know immediately.

HONOR SYSTEM:  The UMW Honor System is in effect for our course, as per Article 1, Section 1, paragraph B of the UMW Honor Code.