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Instructor: |
Don Sundheim |
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Course: |
World Film, EIU
4104G, section 2, Spring 2006 |
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This
section is taught online exclusively except for
two required, on-campus meetings in Coleman Hall 1170
from 6-9 p.m. on Feb. 23 and April 13 |
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Meeting Times: |
Spring Semester 2006,
Jan. 9 - May 5, 2006 |
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Phone: |
217-345-3602 (Home
Phone & Answering Machine) |
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E-Mail: |
LDSUNDHEIM@EIU.EDU-
However, please use WebCT
email for your messages to me. This will
greatly help me sort out your messages from my other
mail. Thank you! |
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"Film is like a language. It’s one you’ve already spent
a good part of your life learning to read, if not yet to
speak. In fact the hardest thing you’ll be asked to do
in this class is to unlearn what you already know: to
notice what you’ve agreed not to notice when you watch a
movie and to remember what you’ve agreed to forget: the
editing seams, the narrative shortcuts, the cultural
clichés and stereotypes, the spaces just off-screen
etc." |
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Class Texts: |
Film Art: An
Introduction (2004) by David Bordwell and Kristin
Thompson (this is your main text for this class - all
chapter assignments & exams refer to this text) |
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Introduction to
World Cinema (2000) by Aristides Gazetas (this text
will only be used for reference) |
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Class Assignments,
Methodology & Objectives: |
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By comparing
American & other English-language films to a variety of
foreign-language films, we will be able to more fully
appreciate the often profound cultural differences
between Hollywood productions and the struggling film
industry of the rest of the world. |
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Some of
the many questions to be asked are: Can non-English
films continue to compete in an increasingly
competitive, international market? Will the Internet
become more or less multilingual in future years? Will
digital delivery of all media increase access to world
markets or simply put the technology beyond the reach of
3rd world nations?
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Some of
these questions cannot be answered definitively at this
point but we can make educated guesses based on trends
in recent years. In addition to probing the cultural
differences and merchandizing problems inherent in the
world film marketplace, this course will try to examine
what makes a film "great" whatever the language or
culture.
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There
is no art as complex or perhaps as rich (or as difficult
to analyze!) as film. On the other hand, the complexity
of movie production offers everyone something of
interest, no matter what his or her specialization.
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Therefore, your final paper / presentation can be on the
art, the culture & language, the science, the acting, or
the music of film just to name a few aspects worthy of
research.
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Grading &
Evaluation |
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Quizzes for
Film Art textbook (most of these will be done in
WebCT) |
20% |
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Project 1 - "My
Favorite Film or Type of Film" (uploaded within
WebCT via "Assignments") |
15% |
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Project 2 -
"American Remake of Foreign Film" (uploaded within
WebCT via "Assignments" ) |
25% |
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Personal
Reviews of 8 Additional "Foreign" Films Posted in WebCT |
15% |
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Oral Presentation
of Project 2 (done at April 13, on campus meeting) |
10% |
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Final Exam |
15% |
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Total = 100% |
