ARTS in CONTEXT Italian Cinema: Masterworks from Neorealism to the Present Spring 2016

LONDON & FLORENCE: ARTS IN CONTEXT Italian Cinema: Masterworks from Neorealism to the Present Spring 2016

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Stefano Socci CREDITS: 3

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course examines the historical, social and cultural roots of Italian Cinema, starting with silent movies (Cabiria, 1913), and traces its development from Neorealism to the present. The course covers leading directors as Antonioni, Bertolucci, De Santis, De Sica, Fellini, Giordana, Leone, Moretti, Muccino, Pasolini, Placido, Rossellini, Sorrentino, Tornatore, Visconti, and Zeffirelli. The course offers an outline of main genres in Italian Cinema: drama, melodrama, comedy, spaghetti western, and peplum (sandal movie).

COURSE OBJECTIVE The main purposes of this course are: (1) to introduce students to major Italian movies from Neorealism to the present; (2) to examine some of the basic principles of film criticism; (3) to show how Italian history is described by Italian directors.

REQUIRED TEXTS P. Bondanella, Italian Cinema from Neorealism to the Present, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1983. M. Marcus, Italian Film in the Light of Neorealism, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1986. M. Liehm, Passion and Defiance, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.

COURSE CONTENT Week 1 Preliminary Class: Silent Era and Fascist Cinema. The beginning of Neorealism: Ossessione (Visconti, 1942), viewing and discussion.

Week 2 Italian Cinematic Neorealism: Roma città aperta (Rossellini, 1945), viewing and discussion. The climax and the end of Neorealism: Ladri di biciclette (De Sica, 1948), La terra trema (Visconti, 1948), Riso amaro (De Santis, 1948).

Week 3 The Golden Era of Realism: La dolce vita (Fellini, 1960), viewing and discussion; 8 ½ (Fellini, 1963), Per un pugno di dollari (Leone, 1964), Deserto rosso (Antonioni, 1964).

Week 4 Realism and the comedy: Divorzio all’italiana (Germi, 1962), viewing and discussion; Il sorpasso (Risi, 1962), I mostri (Risi, 1963), Matrimonio all’italiana (De Sica, 1964).

Week 5 From Realism to the Metaphoric Era: Blow-up (Antonioni, 1966), viewing and discussion; Edipo re (Pasolini, 1967), Il conformista (Bertolucci, 1970), Amarcord (Fellini, 1973).

Week 6 The Metaphoric Era: Cinema Paradiso (Tornatore, 1989), viewing and discussion; Sogni d’oro (Moretti, 1981), Bianca (Moretti, 1981), Ginger e Fred (Fellini, 1985).

Week 7 Italian Cinema Today: La grande bellezza (Sorrentino, 2013), viewing and discussion; Cinecittà Studio System: L’ultimo bacio (Muccino, 2000), La meglio gioventù (Giordana, 2003), Le conseguenze dell’amore (Sorrentino, 2004), Romanzo criminale (Placido, 2005).

ASSESSMENT Readings, class discussions. Students will be required to take a Midterm Exam and a Final Exam. Students are expected to go to classes prepared in order to participate actively in class discussions. Every week students watch one movie, as above, out of class, and this movie is discussed in the first class of the week.

Method of Evaluation: Class attendance (questions, comments, etc.): 25% Midterm Exam: 25% Final Exam: 50%

ACM POLICY ON ACADEMICS A complete listing of ACM policies can be found in your student handbook.

Class attendance and participation: You are expected to attend and participate fully in all classroom sessions, site visits, and field trips.

Academic honesty: Actions of dishonesty are destructive to the well-being of the academic community, and ACM staff respond to them vigorously. Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic theft will result in a failing grade for that assignment and may result in failure for the course.

ACM POLICY ON NON-DISCRIMINATION The Associated Colleges of the Midwest does not discriminate in the operation of its educational programs, activities, or employment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, marital status, or disability.

CLASSROOM CONDUCT Expectations will be discussed at the first class session.

The Beloit College Florence Program is registered with the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research and recognized as a private non-profit institution of higher education in Italy. Beloit College is a founding affiliate of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) and a member of the American Association of College and University Programs in Italy (AACUPI). The Beloit College Florence Program is facilitated in the U.S. by the ACM on behalf of Beloit College and the other ACM affiliates.