SP399U FILM STUDIES II - International Film History
Winter , 2005 ; Sec.-X01; CRN 43183;

Brooke Jacobson, Ph.D.

Office Room 23c NH; Ph. 725-5379
Office hours: Wednesdays 3:00--4:00 or by Appt.
cgbj@pdx.edu

SYLLABUS

This course will trace the major trends and movements that have emerged from various national cinemas and contributed to the historical development of film as an international art form. We will view selected films and consider how they reflect their own cultural and historical context and reflect global creative confluences. While our textbook offers a comprehensive overview of international film history, students will be expected to also do outside reading related to their chosen topic for a term paper. Grading will be based upon a journal (30%) a mid-term (30 %) a critical essay (25%) and participation (15%).

 

Required textbook: David A. Cook, A History of Narrative Film, 3rd edition. 1996. (This text is available in the PSU Bookstore, and is also on 2 hour reserve in the library).

The mid-term and some quizzes will be based upon assigned readings

 

Date

Topic

Film

Reading

 

1/3

Poetic Realism to Surrealism.

ZERO DE CONDUITE (France, 1933, Jean Vigo, 45 min.). MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, (USSR, 1928, Dziga Vertov, 69 min.)

 

Cook Ch5(130-147) + Ch 9

 

1/10

Neorealism and the concept of cinematic movements.

 

I FIDANZATI(Fiancés) (Italy, 1963, Ermanno Olmi, 84 min).

Cook. 11 (421-460)+(607-627)

 

1/17

University Closed

MLK Jr B'Day

Turn in Journal entries for weeks 1-2 by 1/19; Rm 23 NH Communication Dept.

 

Catch up on reading and plan term paper.

 

 

1/24

Japan and the development of national cinemas in the post-WWII period

.

STRAY DOG, Japan, 1949. Japan, Akira Kurosawa. 122 min.)

Cook, 18 (828-860)

 

1/31

French New Wave and self-reflexive cinema.

CLEO FROM 5-7 (French, 1961, Agnes Varda. 87 min.

Cook, 13 (516-567)

 

2/7

New German Cinema Movement

LOST HONOR OF KATARINA BLUM (Volker Schlöndorff & Margarethe von Trotta, W.Germany 1975,109 min.) Journals due for wks 4 & 5

Mid-term handed out

 

Cook, 658-681

 

2/14

Spanish Cinema: Creativity under Fascist censorship

CRIA CUERVOS (Spain, 1975, Carlos Saura. 115 min.)

Mid-Term Due (No late mid-terms accepted)

 

Cook (644-658)

2/21

Third World Cinemas

Neo-realism in anti-colonial struggle.

BATTLE OF ALGIERS. (Algeria/Italy, 1965, Gillo Pontecorvo. 135 mins.)

 

Cook 19 (877-880, 901-918) & (Xeroxed) Lib

 

2/28

Middle-Eastern film Revealing deep structures in culture

 

UNDER THE SKIN OF THE CITY (Iran,

2003, Rahkshan Bani Etemad, 92min.)

Turn in journals for wks 6,7,8

 

Cook (909-916) + (Xeroxed)

Lib. Reserve

3/7

New Nordic Cinema

FIVE OBSTRUCTIONS (Denmark, Jørgen Leth, Lars von Trier, 2003, 90 min.) Final essays due (no extensions)

 

Cook (627-644)

 

3/14

Final class meeting

Summary discussion. Attendance mandatory. Turn in final Journal with all entries for the term

Papers returned

 

EXPLANATION OF ASSIGNMENTS

Films, Readings and Lectures: Films shown in class comprise our primary required text. The assigned readings for each week provide essential background information on the film industries andcultures of the various countries. Lectures will discuss specific films, theirdirectors, and historical relevance.

 

Your journal is a place to reflect upon the ideas expressed by the films you see both in classand outside. After each screening youwill have a brief time to free-write about what you have seen. Capturing your immediate impressions in this way will help you participate in class discussion.

 

Journal Assignments Due (1/19; 2/7; 2/28; 3/14): Periodically you must turn in typed entries from yourjournal. Your commentaries andreflections on the films and reading materials will show your ability to assimilatedifferent kinds of information, and to explore ideas in a thoughtful andreasoned manner. At the final class you must turn in a complete portfolio of all journal entries for the term in typed, edited form. (Your portfolios will be available for pick-up in theCommunication Department (23 NH) at the beginning of spring term)

 

Final critical essay (1400-1600 words+references) Due: March 7 (no extensions)

For this paper you mustchoose a film from another country. Consult with me about your choice. View the film. Research the director, the culture, thehistory (the times/place in which the film was made). This background information should enter into your interpretation and commentary on the film.How does its attitude or idea, style or subject matter relate to itshistorical moment? Does it have literaryor other roots? Is it related to other films? Your text book contains many bibliographic references that will help you.Begin with print sources, and be sure that not more than half yourreferences are drawn from the internet. Also, you must provide a print-out of the single pages cited from any internet source with the material cited highlighted.