American Cinema
Spring I - PEL
Tom Hammond
Objectives:
This class is a survey of the
history, origins and influences of American Film. We will consider the American Cinema as an
art form, an industry, and a system of representation and communication. We
will explore the process by which an American identity is both formed and
reflected through movies, and how films work technically, aesthetically, and
culturally to reinforce and challenge our national self-image.
The course is designed to build an
integrated understanding of U. S. society, politics, and culture. The
inter-relationship of these domains is reflected in the films we will
study.
Face to face
meetings can be arranged before or after class.
Required Text:
John Belton,
“American Cinema, American Culture”
Netflix – A
monthly subscription is a good idea for the class. All home assigned movies are “streamable” on
Netflix. It costs $9 per month and the
first month is usually free. You can
obtain all the films at the library, but availability might be a problem with a
limited number of copies on hand. You
can rent or buy, but Netflix is easily the most convenient and affordable
method. If you subscribe, for an extra
$7 you can receive the films by mail as well as streaming. Turnaround is about 2-3 days.
Course Requirements and Grading:
·
Attendance & Participation 20% of grade
·
Quiz & Exam 30%
of grade
·
Research
Paper 30% of grade
·
Blog Posting 20%
of grade
Attendance & Participation –
Every class covers a component of film history, theory and criticism vital to
your overall understanding of the subject.
If you can’t avoid missing a class, let me know in advance. Any pattern of absence or chronic lateness
will be noted and will adversely impact your final grade. Speak up in class. If that is difficult for you, bring in
something that will inspire discussion.
The Blog is a component of participation. Contributing to it will generate interest in
the class and good grades for you.
Quizzes – There will be at least
one quiz given during the course. It/they
will be at random and will cover the home viewing assignments. The questions will be general and not
analytical. They are designed to
determine if you have watched the film(s).
There will be no make-ups.
Final Exam – You are responsible
for the information presented in class, the content of the assigned readings,
and being familiar with class and required outside viewings. The exam will be a combination of objective
and short answer questions.
Blog Postings – You will be invited to participate in the
class blog. Postings and comments all
work in your favor.
Research Paper – A 3-5 page
paper on a topic of your choice dealing with class subject matter is due on the
final day of class. Be sure to get my
approval of your selection by the 4th week of class.
Academic Integrity – If you use
an idea from another source, you can quote it or paraphrase it, but please CITE
IT. Failure to do so will be a
violation of the Honor Code.
The Eckerd
College Honor Code: “On my honor, as an Eckerd College student, I pledge not to
lie, cheat or steal, nor to tolerate these behaviors in others.”
To affirm
this, you will write, “Pledged” followed by your signature on all assignments,
papers and exams.
Assignment Schedule:
·
All readings are chapters in the required text,
“American Cinema, American Culture” by John Belton.
·
Assigned Viewings are films you are required to
see outside of class (all “streamable” on Netflix).
·
In class we will watch films, clips from various
movies and documentary material on filmmaking.
Much of this will also be posted on the Blog for your further study.
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GENERAL GUIDELINES
Written work must be in standard
written English, using conventional guidelines for style and citation (also
typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins). The presentation of your work
is an extension of your competence and ability to produce college level work.
If you wish, I am willing to review your work in progress. Contact me to arrange a time.
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If a problem exists which will
prevent you from completing work on time, please contact me.
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You are responsible for in-class
viewing and any handouts.
The required textbook is a great
reference and you are encouraged to read all of it. However, you will be tested on the first
five chapters only. Further material for
which you are responsible will be covered in my lectures.
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CLASS SCHEDULE
Pre Class Assignments
Reading:
Belton, Chapter 1
Assigned
Viewing: ”Steamboat Bill Jr.” (Buster
Keaton) & “The Thief of Bagdad” (Fairbanks version)
Session 1: The Classic Hollywood Style
The
Emergence of Style and Narration
Advancement
of Technology and Technique
Reading: Belton, Chapter 2
In-Class
Viewing: “Landmarks of Early Film” &
“Notorious” (1946)
Assigned
Viewing: “Giant”
Session 2: The Studio System
Growth of
the Studio System
Reading: Belton, Chapter 3
In-Class
Viewing: “The Public Enemy” & “Frankenstein”
Assigned
Viewing: “The Grapes of Wrath”
Session 3: The
Star System
Developing
the Star System
Reading: Belton, Chapter 4
In-Class
Viewing: “Casablanca”
Assigned
Viewing: “Sunset Blvd.”
Session 4: The Genre System
Categories
and Conventions
The Western
Reading: Belton, Chapter 5
In-Class Viewing:
“Unforgiven”
Assigned
Viewing: “Shane”
Session 5: Comedies & Musicals
Musical
Styles & Types
The Advent
and Influence of Sound
In-Class Viewing: “Singin’ in the Rain”
Assigned Viewing: “Duck Soup”
Session 6: Film Noir
Origins and
Influences of Film Noir
In-Class
Viewing: “The Set-Up” & “The Big Sleep”
Assigned
Viewing: “The Long Goodbye”
Session 7: The 60s
and Beyond
Politics and
Censorship
In-Class
Viewing: “Easy Rider”
Assigned
Viewing: “This Film Is Not Yet Rated”
Session 8: Final Exam
Final Exam
Research
Papers Due
Class
Evaluation
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
In the event
of an emergency or campus shutdown, class work will continue online at:
You will be
invited to contribute as a blog correspondent at the beginning of the
semester. This is part of the
participation segment of your grade and the location for all information if
class can’t be held as scheduled.
Assignments will be posted there as well as suggested readings. Video lectures will be available if a
shutdown continues for more than one week.
You may also post any written assignments on the blog or send them to my
email at:
You can
contact me by phone at: 813-900-4759
Be sure to review the school handout on
procedure in the event of a hurricane.
AMERICAN CINEMA – REQUIRED VIEWING
Landmarks of
Early Film
Steamboat
Bill Jr.
The Thief of
Bagdad (1924)
Duck Soup
Frankenstein
The Public
Enemy (1931)
Casablanca
Notorious
The Grapes
of Wrath
The Set-Up
The Big
Sleep (1946)
Sunset Blvd.
Singin’ in
the Rain
Shane
Giant
Easy Rider
The Long
Goodbye
This Film Is
Not Yet Rated
Unforgiven
