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TV/VIDEO COMM 103 - History of Film to 1945

Santa Ana College: Fall 2018

Mondays, 10:15am - 1:25pm, Room A-210

TEXT:  Flashback: A Brief History of Film, Louis Giannetti & Scott Eyman, Sixth Ed.

INSTRUCTOR: Ezra Lunel, B.A., MFA

EMAIL: lunel_ezra@sac.edu

COURSE OUTLINE

A survey course exploring film as an art form and developing appreciation of historical, artistic, and technical advances from the 1890s to 1945.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Student will identify and analyze, in written form, past and current film trends, genres and techniques, through reading and research.  By watching films in class, the student will be able to apply terminology and movie-making techniques discussed in class to the films being screened.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students must complete all assignments and take all quizzes and tests in order to be eligible for a passing grade.  Deadlines are real-world and will not be extended.

  1.  Assignments: Analysis Papers

Students will be required to write two analysis essays on films viewed in class.  Students will explore and examine their ability to categorize and appraise film formats and techniques by choosing either to write on a film director of the period covered or a comparison of films within a favorite genre. Minimum of 2 full pages.  Due at the beginning of the next class.  Late papers will not be accepted.

Papers must be typed in MLA Format:

  • Use 1-inch margins on the top, bottom and both sides.
  • Indent the first sentence of each paragraph from the left margin of your paper.
  • Use standard double spacing throughout the entire text of your paper.
  • Do not add space between paragraphs.
  • 12 point font / Times Roman Numeral or Arial.

  1.  Tests & Quizzes

Quizzes, Mid-term and Final exam will be based on:

  • reading assignments from the textbook, “Flashback: A Brief History of Film”
  • knowledge of the films screened in class
  • class lectures.

You must take quizzes and tests on their scheduled date.  No makeups.

  1.  Participation

Your attendance and participation is a vital part of your grade.

*FILMS LISTED IN CLASS SCHEDULE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON GUEST LECTURERS & OTHER FACTORS.

GRADES

Class Assignments & Quizzes: 140 points

Mid-Term: 100 points

Final 100: points

Participation: 20 points (extra credit)

A = 306-340

B = 272-305

C = 238-271

D = 204-237

TARDY & ABSENCE

Attendance will be taken twice every class. Two tardies of 15 minutes or more will be considered 1 absence.  If you are tardy, you will be marked absent. You must “check in” if you arrive tardy in order to clear the absence on the day of the tardy. Leaving class early is also a tardy. More than two absences will result in an automatic drop from the class.

You are responsible for all materials missed when you are absent.  This includes lectures, handouts and assignments.

All cell phones must remain off during class.  Any student disrupting class with the use of a cell phone will be asked to leave the class, and the removal will be marked as a tardy.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Aug. 27

(Session 1)

Introduction, Course Overview, Goals

Lecture: Silent Comedy’s Golden Age: 1920’s

Film: The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)


HW Assignment: Analysis Essay (Option #1): The Gold Rush

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 1

Sep. 3

Labor Day - SAC Closed - No Class

Sep. 10

(Session 2)

Lecture: The Movies Begin: Masterpieces of Early Film


Films: The Kiss (Edison Kinetoscope Films, 1894-1896); Exiting the Factory, The Arrival of the Train at La Ciotat, and The Sprinkler Sprinkled (Lumiere Films, 1895-1897) ; A Trip to the Moon (Georges Melies, 1902) ; The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter, 1903) ; The Whole Dam Family and the Dam Dog (1905); The Girl and Her Trust (D.W. Griffith, 1912)


Due Today: Analysis Essay (Option #1): The Gold Rush

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 2

HW Assignment: Read Handout on Canvas: James Agee on Charlie Chaplin

HW Assignment: Study for Quiz #1 (Chapters 1 & 2)

Sep. 17

(Session 3)

Lecture: Soviet Montage Theory • Early Silent Cinema: Hollywood as Film Capitol (1910-1920)

Films: Eisenstein • Griffith • DeMille • Robert Flaherty: Nanook of the North - 1922


Today: Take Quiz #1: Chapter 1 & 2

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 3

Sep. 24

(Session 4)

Lecture: German Expressionism & European Influences: Lang, Murnau, Lubitsch, Gance, et. al. • Film: The Last Laugh (F.W. Murnau, 1924)


HW Assignment: Analysis Essay (Option #2) The Last Laugh

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 4

Oct. 1

(Session 5)

Lecture: The Coming of Sound, the Hays Code, the Studio System and the 1930’s Musical

Clips: The Jazz Singer (Starring Al Jolson, 1927) ; Sunrise (F.W. Murnau) ; The Broadway Melody (1929), Love Me Tonight (1932), 42nd Street (1933), A Night at the Opera (1935), Swing Time (1936)


Film: Top Hat (Starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, 1935)


Due Today: Analysis Essay (Option #2) The Last Laugh

HW Assignment: Study for Quiz #2 (Chapters 3 & 4)

Oct. 8

(Session 6)

Lecture: The Screwball Comedy

Clips: Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938) ; Ball of Fire (Howard Hawks, 1941) ; The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941)


Film: It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934)


Today: Take Quiz #2: Chapters 3 & 4


HW Assignment: Analysis Essay (Option #3) It Happened One Night

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 5

Oct. 15

(Session 7)

Lecture: Mise-en-Scene and the John Ford Western

Film: Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)


Due Today: Analysis Essay (Option #3) It Happened One Night

HW Assignment: Study for Midterm Exam

Oct. 22

(Session 8)

MIDTERM EXAM


HW Assignment: Read Chapter 6

HW Assignment: Study for Quiz #3 (Chapters 5 & 6)

Oct. 29

(Session 9)

Lecture: The Suspense Thriller: Alfred Hitchcock, A Genre of His Own • Film: Shadow of a Doubt (Alfred Hitchcock, 1943)


Today: Take Quiz #3: Chapter 5 & 6

Nov. 5

(Session 10)

Lecture: Hollywood Goes to War (1940-1945)

Film: Casablanca (Starring Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman, 1943)


HW Assignment: Analysis Essay (Option #4) Casablanca

HW Assignment: Read Chapter 8

Nov. 12

Veterans Day - SAC Closed - No Class

Nov. 19

(Session 11)

Lecture: Politics on Film

Film: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939)


Due Today: Analysis Essay (Option #4) Casablanca

HW Assignment: Study for Quiz # 4 (Chapter 8)

Nov. 26

(Session 12)

Lecture: The Greatest Film? The Genius of Orson Welles and Citizen Kane • Film: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)


Today: Take Quiz #4: Chapter 8

Dec. 3

(Session 13)

Lecture: Film Noir: The Darker Side of Filmmaking

Film: Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)


Due Today: Extra Credit Paper

Dec. 10

(Session 14)

FINAL EXAM



Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due