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Writing 125-14/CAMS 120
Wood, Fall 2001
Please note: All films will be shown twice, on Sunday and Monday evenings, in Founders 120 at 7:00 pm, unless otherwise indicated. You are encouraged to view each film twice.
Textbooks abbreviations:
Film = Film: An Introduction (Phillips)
WFN = Women in Film Noir (Kaplan)
HO = class handout or initial reading packet
Project 1. The elements of film: A case study of The Player
W, 9/5 Introduction to the course; how to watch a film
Th, 9/6 Read: Film, "Introduction," pp. 1-5; Ch. 2, pp. 69-77 (on film stock and color--skim only) and pp. 100-116 (on camera angles and shots—read very carefully)
Writing due: Thought Letter 1
Sunday and Monday, 9/9 and 9/10: Showing of The Player
M, 9/10 Discussion of The Player
Read: Film, pp. 122-130 and 137-158 (on editing), and pp. 456-481 (on The Player)
W, 9/12 More discussion of The Player
Read: Comolli and Narboni, "Cinema/Ideology/Criticism" (HO)
Writing due: Thought Letter 2
Th, 9/13
Read: Film, 106-108 (a student shot analysis)
In-class: working in pairs, you’ll construct your own shot table of a scene from The Player.
Project 2: The parts of a film; introduction to feminist film analysis
Casablanca and Gilda
Sunday, 9/16, Showing of Casablanca
Monday, 9/17, Showing of Gilda
M 9/17 Discussion of Casablanca
Writing: Thought letter 3
Read Film: Ch. 1, "Mis-en-Scène," pp. 9-68; Ch. 2 "Lighting" pp. 77-86; Ch. 3, "Transitions," pp. 130-137 and "Montage," pp. 158-162.
W 9/19 Discussion of Gilda
Read Dyer, "Resistance Through Charisma: Rita Hayworth and Gilda" (WFN pp 115-122) and "Postscript: Queers and Women in Film Noir," (WFN pp. 123-129).
Writing: Thought letter 4
Th 9/20 Draft due, Paper 1: Analysis of a pair of scenes
In class: Share drafts. Discuss organization of comparison/contrast essays.
Conferences: Schedule a conference with me between F, 9/21 and W, 9/26.
M 9/24 A classic feminist analysis of film.
Read Laura Mulvey, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" (HO)
Writing: Thought letter 5
W 9/26 In-class scene analysis: Be prepared to show and discuss the scene(s) you are writing about for your paper
Th 9/27 In class, we’ll discuss selected writing issues.
Final drafts for Paper 1 due no later than 4:30 pm Friday, 9/28, 2 copies, in my mailbox.
Project 3: Introduction to genre; Women in film noir
Double Indemnity and The Grifters
Sunday, 9/30 and Monday, 10/1: Showing of Double Indemnity
M 10/1 Read Film, 235-260, "Classical Hollywood Cinema"W 10/3 Discuss Double Indemnity in class
Th 10/4 NO CLASS (Wini gone to a conference)
M 10/8 NO CLASS (Fall break)
W 10/10 Read Janey Place’s "Women in Film Noir," WFN 47-68.
Thought letter 5: Elements of film noir
Th 10/11
Sunday, 10/14 and M, 10/15: Showing of The Grifters
M 10/15
W 10/17
Th 10/18 Draft due, paper 2
M 10/22
W 10/24 NO CLASS (Colloquium Day)
Th 10/25 Final draft due, Paper 2, 2 copies, in class
Project 4, Revisions, remakes, reinterpretations, and references: women in westerns
My Darling Clementine; McCabe & Mrs. Miller; Thelma & Louise
Sunday and Monday, 10/28 and 29: Showing of My Darling Clementine
M 10/29 Read Film pp. 200-231, "Sources for Fictional Films"
Read selection on the historical basis of "My Darling Clementine" (HO)
W 10/31
Th 11/1
Sunday and Monday, 11/4 and 11/5, Showing of McCabe and Mrs. Miller
M 11/5
W 11/7
Th 11/8 Draft due, paper 3, in class, multiple copies for peer editing
Sunday and Monday, 11/11 and 11/12, Showing of Thelma and Louise
M 11/12
W 11/14
Th 11/15 Final draft due, paper 3, 2 copies
Project 5: Weeks 11, 12, and 13: Competing and shifting interpretations of films
Sunday and Monday, 11/18 and 11/19, Showing of Psycho
M 11/19
W 11/21
Th 11/22 NO CLASS, Thanksgiving Break
Monday only, 11/25, Showing of American Beauty
M, 11/25
W 11/28
Th 11/29 Draft due, paper 4,
M 12/3
W 12/5
Th 12/6 Final draft due, paper 4. In-class presentations.
M, 12/10 Last day of class. Presentations
Project 6: End of term portfolio
Portfolio due no later than 4:30 pm, December 20, in my office. Please hand deliver: no faxes, no fed-ex.