Cell: 206-226-6430

Office: B-519 Padelford

Course Description:

This course will provide an introduction to several important tendencies in world cinema from the early 1960s to the late 1980s. The course will address the following topics: the rise of “art cinema” in the post-WWII era, the international new waves of the 1960s and after, political modernism of the late 1960s, third cinema and “imperfect cinema,” the decline of the Hollywood studio system, American independent cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, the American and Hong Kong blockbuster, and China’s Fifth Generation.

After successfully completing the course, students should be able to

· identify crucial movements and events in world cinema during the period covered in the course;

· situate individual films and artists within their cultural and industrial context;

· understand the relationship between technological change and film history;

· recognize and apply various methodological approaches to the writing of film history;

· engage with primary source materials from the period and develop historical research strategies;

· communicate a critical analysis of both films and historical methods in discussion and in writing.

Readings: The readings will consist of essays and book excerpts that introduce both the content of the course (the crucial films, figures, and events that shaped world cinema from 1960 to 1988) and its methodology (the various approaches to writing a history of this period). Those methods range from the close analysis of particular films to studies of national film industries (e.g., Geoff King’s The New Hollywood Cinema), from auteurist approaches (Antoine de Baecque and Serge Toubiana on François Truffaut or Robert Kolker on Martin Scorsese) to star research (Ginette Vincendeau on Jeanne Moreau), from reviews written just after the release of the films to important documents that themselves altered film history (Truffaut’s “A Certain Tendency” essay and the manifestoes for third and “imperfect” cinema by Fernando Solanas, Octavio Gettino, and Julio García Espinosa). Because these readings will provide background for and supplement the lectures, they should usually be finished before the first class meeting each week. Reading that addresses a specific film should be completed after the screening of that film. The exams will focus in part on these accounts of film history, so it is important to remain current on the reading.

Screenings: The films screened for the class will provide a point of departure for the lectures and readings. Study questions for each film will be posted on the course website soon after each screening (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.

Assignments: There will be two exams, a midterm (30% of the final grade) and a final (30% of the final grade). The exams will consist primarily of short-answer questions and analysis of films screened in class. In addition to these exams, there will be one major writing assignment, a historical and analytical essay (6-7 pages; 30% of the final grade). The potential topics and format of the paper will be explained in a forthcoming handout, but its overall purpose will be to allow students to analyze particular films in detail, to examine historical documents, to develop a method for approaching films from the period, and to begin to write film history. Because deadlines are a necessary part of academic and everyday life, late papers are only barely acceptable and will be penalized by one quarter of one grade point for each day late. Class participation will account for the remaining 10% of the final grade. Students are required to complete all evaluated assignments. Non-fulfillment of any individual assignment listed above 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:

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.

Home Syllabus contents: Course Description Course Requirements	Film History, 1960-1988 Comparative Literature 312 Winter 2011
	Screenings: MW 11:30-1:20 THO 101 Lecture/Discussion: TTh 11:30-1:20 THO 101 Office Hours: T 9:30-11:20
	Professor James Tweedie Email: jtweedie@u.washington.edu Cell: 206-226-6430 Office: B-519 Padelford Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to several important tendencies in world cinema from the early 1960s to the late 1980s. The course will address the following topics: the rise of “art cinema” in the post-WWII era, the international new waves of the 1960s and after, political modernism of the late 1960s, third cinema and “imperfect cinema,” the decline of the Hollywood studio system, American independent cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, the American and Hong Kong blockbuster, and China’s Fifth Generation. After successfully completing the course, students should be able to · identify crucial movements and events in world cinema during the period covered in the course; · situate individual films and artists within their cultural and industrial context; · understand the relationship between technological change and film history; · recognize and apply various methodological approaches to the writing of film history; · engage with primary source materials from the period and develop historical research strategies; · communicate a critical analysis of both films and historical methods in discussion and in writing. Course Requirements: *Readings: The readings will consist of essays and book excerpts that introduce both the content of the course (the crucial films, figures, and events that shaped world cinema from 1960 to 1988) and its methodology (the various approaches to writing a history of this period). Those methods range from the close analysis of particular films to studies of national film industries (e.g., Geoff King’s The New Hollywood Cinema), from auteurist* approaches (Antoine de Baecque and Serge Toubiana on François Truffaut or Robert Kolker on Martin Scorsese) to star research (Ginette Vincendeau on Jeanne Moreau), from reviews written just after the release of the films to important documents that themselves altered film history (Truffaut’s “A Certain Tendency” essay and the manifestoes for third and “imperfect” cinema by Fernando Solanas, Octavio Gettino, and Julio García Espinosa). Because these readings will provide background for and supplement the lectures, they should usually be finished before the first class meeting each week. Reading that addresses a specific film should be completed after the screening of that film. The exams will focus in part on these accounts of film history, so it is important to remain current on the reading. *Screenings: The films screened for the class will provide a point of departure for the lectures and readings. Study questions for each film will be posted on the course website soon after each screening (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. Assignments: There will be two exams, a midterm* (30% of the final grade) and a final (30% of the final grade). The exams will consist primarily of short-answer questions and analysis of films screened in class. In addition to these exams, there will be one major writing assignment, a historical and analytical essay (6-7 pages; 30% of the final grade). The potential topics and format of the paper will be explained in a forthcoming handout, but its overall purpose will be to allow students to analyze particular films in detail, to examine historical documents, to develop a method for approaching films from the period, and to begin to write film history. Because deadlines are a necessary part of academic and everyday life, late papers are only barely acceptable and will be penalized by one quarter of one grade point for each day late. Class participation will account for the remaining 10% of the final grade. Students are required to complete all evaluated assignments. Non-fulfillment of any individual assignment listed above 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://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm. 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 Text*: 1) An online course reader (on UW Libraries website under Course Reserves) <-- Return to Top
Return to Top Last Updated: 01/03/11	Contact the instructor at: jtweedie@u.washington.edu