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Course Prefix Course Number Title SCH Component Area TCCCM Course Course Title SCH Component Area TCCCM Prefix Number MCOM 1111 Film Appreciation 1 Core Area Option MCOM1111 (A) I. Course Description: The cinema has been existed in its present form over a century. Despite its longevity in our culture however, the cinema is widely appreciated by the public as being “successful” when it provides entertainment. However, what exactly does that mean? From an art appreciation standpoint, entertainment is the often the opening shot of the film; it merely provides our gateway into a deeper experience. For instance, film also informs and is informed by our cultural beliefs and narrative traditions in other art forms. This course will analyze film appreciation beyond “two-thumbs up” and the Rotten Tomato meter. While film appreciation is often a subjective enterprise, it takes critical thinking, clear communication skills, and a historical understanding of the medium to provide it with substance. II. Course Delivery Method: Face to Face III. Required Textbooks/Resources: Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film (Pearson, 2012). Other readings may be distributed via photocopy, PDF, or e-mail. Students will also need to have Netflix, Hulu, and/or Amazon to stream certain video titles on their own. IV. Student Learning Outcomes: Before the conclusion of this course, students should be able to: 1. To demonstrate an awareness of the terminology that has defined the film as an art form (as exemplified in student participation and quizzes and group presentation). 2. To critically appraise the intersection of form and narrative content in a text (as exemplified by the student response paper). 3. To formulate arguments regarding the cultural context, formal structures, and narrative in the film (as exemplified by the student response paper). V. Course Outline: A. Wanted Lovers and the Road Movie B. The Heist Film C. Genre Bending the Noir D. Blaxploitation and Girl Power E. The Samurai Film and Ultra Violence F. The Horror Film G. The Postmodern Horror Film H. The Author and the spaghetti Western VI. Methods of Evaluation: Attendance/Participation/Homework/Quizzes: 50% Film Analysis Paper (5 pages): 40% Student Team Led Discussion: 10% (B) The primary essay will be used to demonstrate the student’s grasp of analysis, and their ability to communicate their arguments effectively. Students will also work in groups to present a lesson based on a comic book selected from a list of available titles, which will provide hands-on experience with teamwork. (C) All assigned readings are considered required readings. (D) WEEK ONE: Wanted Lovers and the Road Movie (Badlands) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter One. WEEK TWO: Wanted Lovers and the Road Movie (True Romance) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Two. WEEK THREE: The Heist Film (Rififi) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Three. WEEK FOUR: The Heist Film (Reservoir Dogs) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Four. WEEK FIVE: Genre Bending the Noir (Breathless) Reading: Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton, “Towards a Definition of Film Noir” (PDF). WEEK SIX: Genre Bending the Noir (Pulp Fiction) Reading: Drew Morton, “Postmodern Fiction” (Online). WEEK SEVEN: Blaxploitation and Girl Power (Foxy Brown) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Five. WEEK EIGHT: Blaxploitation and Girl Power (Jackie Brown) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Six. WEEK NINE: The Samurai Film and Ultra Violence (Seven Samurai) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Seven. WEEK TEN: The Samurai Film and Ultra Violence (Kill Bill Vols. 1-2) Reading: Video Essay on Kill Bill (Online). WEEK ELEVEN: The Horror Film (Psycho) Reading: Rick Altman, “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre” (Online). WEEK TWELVE: The Postmodern Horror Film (Death Proof) Reading: Robin Wood, “Ideology, Genre, Auteur” (Online). WEEK THIRTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly) Reading: Andrew Sarris, “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” (Online). WEEK FOURTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (Inglourious Basterds) Reading: Pauline Kael, “Circles and Squares” (Online). FILM ANALYSIS PAPER DUE WEEK FIFTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (Django Unchained) Justification: This survey course fits into the Core Area Option because it gives students an opportunity to develop and hone skills related to communication, critical thinking, and team work. By studying and analyzing examples of film within their historical context, students will gain an appreciation of this art form and how it has informed American culture over the past 100 years. Next is the original submission form. MCOM 2310: Film Appreciation Fall 2014 Wednesdays, 2:30-3:45 p.m., UC323. Professor Drew Morton E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: List Here COURSE DESCRIPTION AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: The cinema has been existed in its present form over a century. Despite its longevity in our culture however, the cinema is widely appreciated by the public as being “successful” when it provides entertainment. However, what exactly does that mean? From an art appreciation standpoint, entertainment is the often the opening shot of the film; it merely provides our gateway into a deeper experience. For instance, film also informs and is informed by our cultural beliefs and narrative traditions in other art forms. This course will analyze film appreciation beyond “two-thumbs up” and the Rotten Tomato meter. While film appreciation is often a subjective enterprise, it takes critical thinking, clear communication skills, and a historical understanding of the medium to provide it with substance. Before the conclusion of this course, students should be able to: 4. To demonstrate an awareness of the terminology that has defined the film as an art form (as exemplified in student participation and quizzes and group presentation). 5. To critically appraise the intersection of form and narrative content in a text (as exemplified by the student response paper). 6. To formulate arguments regarding the cultural context, formal structures, and narrative in the film (as exemplified by the student response paper). REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS: Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film (Pearson, 2012). Other readings may be distributed via photocopy, PDF, or e-mail. Students will also need to have Netflix, Hulu, and/or Amazon to stream certain video titles on their own. SCHEDULE: WEEK ONE: Wanted Lovers and the Road Movie (Badlands) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter One. WEEK TWO: Wanted Lovers and the Road Movie (True Romance) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Two. WEEK THREE: The Heist Film (Rififi) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Three. WEEK FOUR: The Heist Film (Reservoir Dogs) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Four. WEEK FIVE: Genre Bending the Noir (Breathless) Reading: Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton, “Towards a Definition of Film Noir” (PDF). WEEK SIX: Genre Bending the Noir (Pulp Fiction) Reading: Drew Morton, “Postmodern Fiction” (Online). WEEK SEVEN: Blaxploitation and Girl Power (Foxy Brown) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Five. WEEK EIGHT: Blaxploitation and Girl Power (Jackie Brown) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Six. WEEK NINE: The Samurai Film and Ultra Violence (Seven Samurai) Reading: Corrigan, Chapter Seven. WEEK TEN: The Samurai Film and Ultra Violence (Kill Bill Vols. 1-2) Reading: Video Essay on Kill Bill (Online). WEEK ELEVEN: The Horror Film (Psycho) Reading: Rick Altman, “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre” (Online). WEEK TWELVE: The Postmodern Horror Film (Death Proof) Reading: Robin Wood, “Ideology, Genre, Auteur” (Online). WEEK THIRTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly) Reading: Andrew Sarris, “Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962” (Online). WEEK FOURTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (Inglourious Basterds) Reading: Pauline Kael, “Circles and Squares” (Online). FILM ANALYSIS PAPER DUE WEEK FIFTEEN: The Author and the Spaghetti Western (Django Unchained) GRADE BREAKDOWN: Attendance/Participation/Homework/Quizzes: 50% Film Analysis Paper (5 pages): 40% Student Team Led Discussion: 10% COURSE POLICIES: Be sure to complete your reading and assignments on the date they are scheduled on the syllabus. Late assignments are docked 1/3rd of a letter grade each day they are late. Excessive absences will affect your final grade in the course (see the grade breakdown above). If you miss more than half the meetings, you will be terminated from the course. Note: If you attend each session and do not participate, the maximum grade you can earn for your attendance/participation portion is a D grade. In accordance with the University’s academic integrity policy (see below), students who violate the policy will earn an automatic F for the course. Cell phones are to be set on vibrate and not to be used during class. Be sure to bring all your course materials to class each day we meet. Finally, please allow a 24-48 hour turn-around time for any e-mails. Due to this policy, be sure not to leave any major concerns/questions about assignments for the last minute! I reserve the right to alter this syllabus. TAMUT POLICIES: Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the A&M-Texarkana Disability Services Office by calling 903-223-3062. Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and undocumented use of materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty and may be grounds for a grade of ‘F’ in the course and/or disciplinary actions.
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