AssignmentS

English 4950/5950: Film, Fall 2012

Section 01: MW 2:00-3:15PM, Arts & Sciences 368

Screening Schedule

Except for films available online only, films will be screened at 5:30PM in A&S 351B on the scheduled date. Due to sporadic attendance, I ask that anyone wishing to view the film come to my office in A&S 330 at 5:20PM to request that the film be set up; if no one asks me to set up the film by 5:25PM, the film will not be screened.

 

Date

Film
M, 8-20

Modern Times
M, 8-27

Citizen Kane
W, 9-5

Casablanca
W, 9-12

Double Indemnity
W, 9-19

Vertigo
W, 9-26

Breathless
W, 10-3

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
W, 10-10

The Exorcist: The Director's Cut
W, 10-17

Blade Runner: The Final Cut
F, 10-26

The Rocky Horror Picture Show performance screening at 11:59PM in Russell Auditorium
W, 11-7

Do the Right Thing
W, 11-14

Magnolia
W, 11-19

Take Shelter

Scheduled Assignment Sign Up

Use the following table to sign up for scheduled assignments: the undergraduate article summary (sum), the undergraduate scene analysis paper and presentation (scene, note that you will be working on this assignment in pairs), and the graduate presentation (present).

 

Graduates should sign up for one slot (present).

 

Undergraduates should sign up for two article summaries and one scene analysis spaced out at least two weeks for the other two slots they've signed up for.

 

Written Due Date
Presentation Due Date

Film or Article

 Student
F, 8-17
M, 8-20

Dick, "Graphics/ Sound"

sum 1 Skylar Kufchak
F, 8-17 M, 8-20

Baudry

sum 2 Robert Hudgens
S, 8-19 W, 8-22

Metz

sum 3 Amelia Esguerra
F, 8-24 M, 8-27

Balazs

sum 4 Krissy Anderson

Kuleshov

sum 5 Amelia Esguerra
W, 8-29
W, 8-29

Citizen Kane

scene 1

scene 2
NA W, 8-29

Citizen Kane

present 1
S, 8-26 W, 8-29

Dick, "Film, Space"

sum 6 Kayleigh Reeg
S, 9-2 W, 9-5

Eisenstein

sum 7 Tori Quante/Fred Serpico

Bazin

sum 8

M, 9-10
M, 9-10

Casablanca

scene 3 Krissy Anderson

scene 4 Kayleigh Reeg
NA M, 9-10

Casablanca

present 2
F, 9-7 M, 9-10

Dick, "Enhancing/Image"

sum 9 Skylar Kufchak
S, 9-9 W, 9-12

Wollen

sum 10 Krissy Anderson

Chistensen

sum 11 Alex Lockwood
M, 9-17
M, 9-17

Double Indemnity

scene 5

scene 6
NA M, 9-17

Double Indeminity

present 3 Jude Marr
F, 9-14 M, 9-17

Dick, "The Film Director"

sum 12 Tori Quante/Fred Serpico
S, 9-16 W, 9-19

De Lauretis

sum 13 Robert Hudgens

Mulvey

sum 14 Amy Floyd
M, 9-24
M, 9-24

Vertigo

scene 7

scene 8
NA M, 9-24

Vertigo

present 4
F, 9-21 M, 9-24

Dick, "Film/Literature"

sum 15 Tessa Arnold
S, 9-23 W, 9-26

Modleski

sum 16 Jessica Burgett

Williams

sum 17 Suzan Wills
M, 10-1
M, 10-1

Breathless

scene 9

scene 10

NA M, 10-1

Breathless

present 5
S, 9-30 W, 10-3

Schatz

sum 18 Jake Ryals

Altman

sum 19 Amy Floyd
W, 10-10
W, 10-10

Good/Bad/Ugly

scene 11 Robert Hudgens

scene 12 Amy Floyd
NA W, 10-10

Good/Bad/Ugly

present 6
M, 10-15
M, 10-15

The Exorcist

scene 13 Suzan Wills

scene 14 Tessa Arnold
NA M, 10-15

The Exorcist

present 7 Michelle Stinson
S, 10-14 W, 10-17

Elsaesser

sum 20 Rachel Freeman

Clover

sum 21 Garrett Korn
M, 10-22
M, 10-22

Blade Runner

scene 15 Fred Serpico

scene 16

NA M, 10-22

Blade Runner

present 8
S, 10-21 W, 10-24

Dyer

sum 22 Jessica Burgett

Rich

sum 23 Garrett Korn
M, 10-29
M, 10-29

Rocky Horror

scene 17 Rachel Freeman

scene 18 Amelia Esguerra
NA M, 10-29

Rocky Horror

present 9

S, 10-28 W, 10-31

Dulac

sum 24 Tessa Arnold

Tasker

sum 25 Alex Lockwood
M, 11-5 M, 11-5

Blue Velvet

scene 19 Alex Lockwood

scene 20 Skylar Kufchak
NA M, 11-5

Blue Velvet

present 10
S, 11-4 W, 11-7

Shohat and Stam

sum 26 Kayleigh Reeg

Dyer

sum 27 Suzan Wills
M, 11-12
M, 11-12

Do the Right Thing

scene 21 Garrett Korn

scene 22 Tori Quante/Jessica Burgett

NA M, 11-12

Do the Right Thing

present 11 Jad Adkins
S, 11-11 W, 11-14

Diawara

sum 28 Rachel Freeman

Bambara

sum 29 Jessica Burgett

M, 11-19
M, 11-19

Magnolia

scene 23

scene 24

NA M, 11-19

Magnolia

present 12
M, 11-26
M, 11-26

Take Shelter

scene 25

scene 26

In Class Activities

1. Analyzing Modern Times

We've analyzed selected scenes from Un Chien Andalou and The Battleship Potemkin, but without looking for specific film elements. Today, we'll prepare for the undergraduate scene analysis paper by examining particular film techniques in two select scenes from Modern Times. Break into six groups and discuss the following issues from the Film Analysis handout.

  1. mise en scène: the staging of the film
  2. characterization
  3. cinematography: film stock, lighting, and the camera
  4. editing
  5. sound
  6. narrative

2. Theory into Practice

While the first third of the class focused on the ontological status and aesthetic elements of film theory, the theoretical selections in the rest of the class will illuminate such topics as genre, gender, sexuality, and race as well as be (mostly) linked to the films under discussion. Let's practice interpreting film through the lens of theory by breaking into groups with assigned group leaders and then discussing the specified questions.

  1. Jessica (leader) and three or four other undergrads: What are Laura Mulvey's main ideas? How would Mulvey analyze Vertigo?
  2. Robert (leader) and three or four other undergrads: What are Teresa De Lauretis's main ideas? How would De Lauretis analyze Vertigo?
  3. Suzan (leader) and three or four other undergrads: What are Laura Mulvey's main ideas? How would Mulvey analyze Vertigo?
  4. Jad (leader), Jude, and Michelle: What are Teresa De Lauretis's main ideas? How would De Lauretis analyze Vertigo?

Undergraduates

 

Research either 1) the meaning of one film or 2) a film issue (thematic, theoretical, technical, or aesthetic) across two or three films (subject to professor approval if the films are outside of class), and then write an 8-10 page paper that applies 2-3 theoretical articles covered in class and incorporates 3-4 scholarly criticisms researched specifically for the paper. Here's how to conduct research at GCSU.

 

Graduates

 

You will write a 12-15 page research paper that enters, engages, and advances the scholarly discourse of a film or film issue either discussed in class or selected by you and approved by the professor. First, you will compose a 250 word paper proposal following the suggestions by Owl. Your final essay should be worthy of being presented at a conference, integrate at least 4 interpretive sources and apply at least 4 theoretical articles on film. Here's how to conduct research at GCSU. You will be given 15 minutes to read your essay in class; then you will participate in a question and answer session about your paper with the class. Note that you will have to amend your paper to fit the time limit.

Final Exam

In the take home final exam, you will write two or three thesis-driven comparison/contrast two essays of your choice from a selection of four to six questions. Do not write on articles or films written about previously in the scene analysis, (sub)genre, theoretical, research, or presentation assignments.

 

Not all works are appropriate for all essays. Choose works which afford adequate material to address the issue at hand. Do not use a work to answer more than one essay.

 

Organize essays by argument and analysis. Have a controlling idea, an interpretation, a thesis that bridges the works. Support your points with textual evidence (quotations) when necessary and warranted; avoid plot summary. Make connections and distinctions among the texts; in other words, compare and contrast the works' key ideas.

 

Choose one essay from Part A: Theory

Choose one essay from Part B: Film

Undergraduate Assignments

Article Summaries

GeorgiaVIEW Post

During the semester you will sign up to write two informal papers, two article summaries, and post them to our course discussion board at GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Article Summaries.

 

The article summaries, which will summarize a particular theorist's essay, should

Informal Presentation

You will also be responsible for a brief, informal presentation. The article summary presentation should introduce the essay by defining key points and terms (without simply reading your written summary) and broaching issues for class discussion.

Due Dates

  1. Your written assignment will be due in GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Article Summaries three days before we are scheduled to discuss an article. If you do not submit your written summary to GeorgiaVIEW before the article is discussed in class, you will fail the assignment.
  2. Your brief, informal presentation will be due on the day we discuss the essay in class. This date is approximate for we will sometimes fall a day behind.
  3. I will return your graded assignment to you in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Article Summary # approximately one week after we discuss the article in class.
  4. For example, we are scheduled to discuss Balzas on Monday, 8-27. Therefore, someone's summary will be due in GeorgiaVIEW by Friday, 8-24. In class on Monday, 8-27, that student will informally present the main ideas of Balzas's essay. I will return the graded article summary to her the following week in GeorgiaVIEW >Assignments > Article Summary.

Note: As I wrote on the syllabus course schedule, we may have to slow down for certain theorists and theories. We will not be able to discuss each and every article in class. Thus, some articles may only be summarized on GeorgiaVIEW's Article Summaries discussion board and presented to the class by the person assigned to the article. Therefore, it is extremely important for each person to turn in the summaries on time and attend class for the presentation component. Summaries will be penalized one letter grade for each day, not class period, that they are turned in late. Failing to present the article to the class without providing a valid absence excuse will result in a one letter grade penalty.

Scene Analysis

Sign up in pairs to analyze a 2-3 minute scene in a formal 5-6 page paper and formal 7-10 minute presentation which includes screening the scene. Your essay and presentation should 1) address at least three elements of film (such as mise en scène, characterization, cinematography, editing, sound, narrative) from Dick's Anatomy of Film and our course film analysis handout and 2) interpret how the scene broaches the core conflict and overall theme of the film. Your essay should be driven by a thesis that argues the work's theme and logically organized by close reading of the text: unpack the tension and conflict, connotation and diction, idea and theme. Your well-organized presentation should clearly convey your ideas to the class, and each member should speak during the presentation.

(Sub)Genre

For your second paper you will 1) research either a genre we have not covered or a subgenre of one of the films we have covered, 2) analyze an exemplary film of the (sub)genre that we have not viewed, and compose an essay defining the (sub)genre's traits, and 3) argue how the film not only fits but also redefines the (sub)genre. Your essay must utilize 3-6 sources to help you define the (sub)genre. At least 2 of the sources must be scholarly journal articles or book chapters, and the other sources may include non-academic audience periodicals. Here's how to conduct research at GCSU.

 

As a class, we'll brainstorm genre and subgenres on Monday, September 17.

 

Some genres not covered in this class include but are not limited to:

Subgenres of genres covered in this class include but are not limited to:

Here is what genres and subgenres you wrote about:

  1. independent genre: Bella (Krissy Anderson)
  2. coming-of-age genre: Garden State (Tessa Arnold)
  3. crime genre: serial killer subgenre: The Silence of the Lambs (Jessica Burgett)
  4. musical genre: Freed Unit subgenre: Singin' in the Rain (Amelia Esguerra)
  5. science fiction genre: action/adventure: The Hunger Games (Amy Floyd)
  6. horror genre: comedy horror subgenre: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (Rachel Freeman)
  7. crime genre: The Godfather (Robert Hudgens)
  8. crime genre: drug subgenre: Trainspotting (Garrett Korn)
  9. science fiction genre: time travelling subgenre: Back to the Future (Skylar Kufchak)
  10. horror genre: Japanese ghost subgenre: Audition (Alex Lockwood)
  11. comedy genre: American family road trip subgenre: National Lampoon's Vacation (Tori Quante)
  12. found-footage genre: Paranormal Activity (Kayleigh Reeg)
  13. action/adventure genre: comic book superhero subgenre: The Dark Knight (Fred Serpico)
  14. action/adventure genre: comic book superhero subgenre: Batman (Suzan Wills)

Here are the assignment parameters:

Graduate Assignments

Presentation

For the 30 minute presentation, you will sign up to research/find and present/teach a scholarly criticism that advances class discussion of an assigned film. Provide the professor the article at least one week before your presentation and retrieve your graded presentation in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Presentation approximately one week after the presentation.

Theoretical Paper

In an 8-10 page paper, you will either compare and contrast two theoretical articles covered in class (what key idea do they share and how does that same idea set them apart) or summarize and evaluate a monograph on film theory by a scholar covered in class (appreciate and interrogate a book).

 

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