Home Syllabus contents: Course Description Course Requirements	Great Directors: Alfred Hitchcock     Comparative Literature 271     Winter 2014
	Professor James Tweedie             Email: jtweedie@u.washington.edu Screenings:  MW 1:30-3:20 Kane 220 Class Meetings:   TTh 1:30-3:20 Kane 220 TAs Dong-Hee Han: dhhan@uw.edu Qian He: qianh@uw.edu Sarah Ross: seross@uw.edu Andrea Schmidt: schmia@uw.edu
	Course Description   This course provides an overview of the career of Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most popular directors in history, one of the key artists for post-WWII film critics and scholars, and one of the most profound influences on filmmakers from the 1950s to the present. The course examines each of these aspects of his career: the films themselves, from his early days in Britain to his migration to Hollywood, from the series of masterpieces of the 1950s and 1960s to his final days; his crucial role in film criticism and theory, including his foundational importance in academic cinema studies; and the film world that developed under his influence, including the domestic thrillers of Claude Chabrol, the many Hitchcockian Cold War spy stories, and the various recent remakes and homages to his work. Course work includes weekly lectures, reading, and screenings, as well as two examinations and an online discussion board.   After successfully completing the course, students should be able to ·   identify crucial films, figures, and events in the career of Alfred Hitchcock; ·   situate Hitchcock’s films within their historical and biographical context; ·   trace the influence of Hitchcock’s work and persona on both his contemporaries and more recent filmmakers; ·   analyze the relationship between Hitchcock and the discipline of film studies and film theory; ·   understand and apply various methodological approaches to the writing of film history and biography; ·   communicate a critical analysis of the films and approaches to film studies in discussion and in writing.   <-- Return to Top Course Requirements Readings: The readings will consist of interviews with the director and critical essays that introduce both the content of the course (the crucial films, figures, and events that shaped Hitchcock’s career) and its methodology (the various approaches to film studies that help us understand Hitchcock’s work). Those methods range from the close analysis of particular films to auteurist approaches that focus on the director himself to more theoretical models that examine Hitchcock’s work through the lens of psychoanalysis, feminism, etc. The only “textbook” for the course is a series of interviews with Hitchcock conducted by French director François Truffaut. This book provides some basic biographical information and the background to each film, but it’s also a rare opportunity to witness two of the greatest artists in film history discussing the details of their craft. Like this course, the book is organized chronologically, so we’ll progress through the interviews as we move through the career of Hitchcock. The other reading material is contained in a course reader available through online course reserves hosted by UW Libraries. These readings range from reviews written just after the release of the films to critical essays that situate Hitchcock within a larger theoretical framework. Because these readings will provide background for and supplement the lectures, they should usually be finished before the relevant class meeting (i.e., an essay concerned with a specific film should be completed after the screening of that film but before the next day’s lecture). The exams will focus in part on material contained in the reading, so it’s important to remain current on these assignments.    Screenings: The films are the foundation of this class. We will usually screen two films per week, moving in roughly chronological order through Hitchcock’s long career. Even with this dense screening schedule we will not be able to see some very important films, so you are invited and encouraged to fill in the necessary but regrettable blanks in this syllabus (his documentaries and many of his silent films being the most conspicuous omissions). In addition to the Hitchcock films, lectures will also introduce films and directors who influenced or were influenced by Hitchcock’s work. Study questions for each film will be posted on the course website (they will be hyperlinked to the film title on the schedule) and they should serve as a guide for class discussions and your exam review. The actual screening times for the films vary (from 75 minutes at the shortest to 135 at the longest) and the MW classes will last only as long as the film itself, with a few minutes added on for announcements and setup time. For longer films, the screening will have to be continued at the beginning of class the following day (that is, we won’t finish the film in one sitting). If you want to know the precise length of any film, please consult www.imdb.com.   Assignments: There will be two in-class midterm exams, and each exam will count for 40% of the final grade). The exams will consist primarily of short answer or short essay questions, some of which will be adaptations of questions posted on the course website. The second midterm will focus on material presented after the first midterm. Active participation in discussion sections and the online discussion board is also required; it will account for the final 20% of the overall grade. For the discussion board, at least one post per week is recommended. The logistics of the discussion board will be explained in class. Students are required to complete all evaluated assignments. Non-fulfillment of any written assignment listed above (i.e., either the midterms or regular participation in the online discussion board) may result in a non-passing grade for the course as a whole.   Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious offense. It undermines the fundamental mission of the university and sanctions are therefore severe. For information about the definition of plagiarism and the mandated UW penalties, please see the following website: http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/help/academicintegrity.php   Disability-Related Needs: To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact UW Disabled Students Services, and please contact me as soon as possible to discuss any necessary accommodations. Required Texts: 1) Truffaut, François, Hitchcock: The Definitive Study of Alfred Hitchcock, revised edition, trans. Helen G. Scott (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985). 2) A Course Reader (abbreviated CR; online course reserves, UW Libraries: http://www.lib.washington.edu/services/course/; requires UW Netid). <-- Return to Top
Return to Top Last Updated: 01/06/14	Contact the instructor at: jtweedie@u.washington.edu