E349S l Wes Anderson

Instructor: Kornhaber, Donna Cross-lists: LAH 350 (29760) Unique #: 34980 Flags: Writing Semester: Fall 2020 Computer Instruction: No

Time and Location: 9:30am-11:00am (Online via Zoom)

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.

Description: Wes Anderson – a UT Austin alum – is one of the most complex film directors working today. Known for his meticulous visual constructions and eclectic, unmistakable sense of design, he is one of the foremost cinematic stylists of his generation; at the same time, his work shows a persistent concern with weighty issues of loss, abandonment, and alienation. Many have criticized Anderson for what they perceive as his incessantly “twee” or “hipster” sensibilities, while others detect an unsettling emotional detachment in his work. This course will present an in-depth look at Anderson’s full body of work, considered in light of the director’s unique visual and narrative proclivities and in terms of the various criticisms of his work that have followed his career. We will also pay careful attention to the numerous works of classical and international cinema that influenced Anderson and to which he frequently pays homage within his films. Topics to be considered include formalism and aestheticism; animation; music; concepts of “indiewood,” “new sincerity,” and “smart cinema”; auteurism and its criticisms; and questions of representation and appropriation in cinema. No prior knowledge of film is required, and students can expect to leave with a solid grounding in the principles of film studies.

Flags: Writing. This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Films:

Director Title Date Wes Anderson Bottle Rocket 1996 Wes Anderson Rushmore 1998 Wes Anderson The Royal Tenenbaums 2001 Wes Anderson The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 2004 Wes Anderson The Darjeeling Limited 2007 Wes Anderson Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009 Wes Anderson Moonrise Kingdom 2012 Wes Anderson The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014 Wes Anderson Isle of Dogs 2018

Requirements & Grading:

Participation (15%); two 5-page essays (25% + 25%); one 8-page essay (35%)

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Updates

Please note that supplemental readings or films may be added throughout the semester to provide additional context and background for the films listed above. Additionally, dates for guest speakers should be regarded as tentative and may be changed. Updated syllabi will be posted to Canvas as needed throughout the term.

Schedule:

Week Day Date Assignment/Event

1 Th 8/27 Introduction 2 T 9/1 The Royal Tenenbaums Th 9/3 The Royal Tenenbaums 3 T 9/8 The Royal Tenenbaums Th 9/10 The Darjeeling Limited 4 T 9/15 The Darjeeling Limited Th 9/17 The Darjeeling Limited 5 T 9/22 Fantastic Mr. Fox Th 9/24 Fantastic Mr. Fox 6 T 9/29 Fantastic Mr. Fox Th 10/1 Rushmore First short paper due 7 T 10/6 Rushmore Th 10/8 Rushmore 8 T 10/13 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Th 10/15 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 9 T 10/20 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Th 10/22 Bottle Rocket 10 T 10/27 Bottle Rocket Th 10/29 Bottle Rocket 11 T 11/3 Moonrise Kingdom Second short paper due Th 11/5 Moonrise Kingdom 12 T 11/10 Moonrise Kingdom Th 11/12 Grand Budapest Hotel 13 T 11/17 Grand Budapest Hotel Th 11/19 Grand Budapest Hotel 14 T 11/24 Isle of Dogs Th 11/26 Thanksgiving Holiday – no class 15 T 12/1 Isle of Dogs Th 12/3 Isle of Dogs Last class day 16 F 12/11 Final Papers Due

Policies:

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Documented Disability Statement: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone), or visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd.

Honor Code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

Academic Integrity: Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work. For additional information on Academic Integrity, see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acadint.php.

Religious Holy Days: By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of a pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

Class Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend all scheduled classes via Zoom and arrive on time. In the event you must miss a class, you can do so on 3 instances without it affecting your final grade. These 3 missed classes do not need to be excused, but please do let me know of your absence as far in advance as possible. Beyond these 3 classes, all absences must be excused. Reasons for excused absences include illness (with doctor’s note), team sports or approved activities, and family emergencies. Any unexcused absences beyond the allowed 3 missed classes will lower your final class grade by 1/3 of a letter. (This does not include Religious Holy Days.)

Late Assignments Policy: Unless arrangements for an extension are made in advance with the instructor, late papers or assignments will be marked down 1/3 of a letter for every calendar day (not every class day) they are late.

Web Site:

A Canvas site will be available for this course.

Instructor:

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