Featuring the Artist

International Cinema Course Syllabus, Summer I, 2010 CRN 022157, Course #1148 and CRN 022166 WI, Course #2097

COURSE/INSTRUCTOR INFO

Instructor contact: Tamara Smithers: [email protected] Office hours: T/TH 4:15-4:45 and by appointment, Tyler School of Art B091C

Meeting information: T/TH: 5:00- 8:00, Tyler School of Art B082, access via back stairwell

COURSE DESCRIPTION

We will watch and discuss a variety of commercial, independent, and international biographical movies about the life of twelve Western artists from the Renaissance to present-day. Assignments will entail writing reviews and evaluating past reviews of these films as well as a paper choice to further research and assess the historical accuracy of one film or to compare one film to the literary source it was based upon.

FILM SCHEDULE

Class 1: Agony and the Ecstasy Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .A3146x 2005 About Michelangelo Buonarroti. Directed by Carol Reed, story and screenplay by Philip Dunne with Rex Harrison and Charlton Heston adapted from the novel written by Irving Stone, 1965, 138 min.

Class 2: Caravaggio Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .C3715x 2008 About Michelangelo Caravaggio. Written and directed by Derek Jarman with Nigel Terry and Sean Bean, 1987, 90 min.

Class 3: Artemisia Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .A763x 2001 About Artemisia Gentileschi. Screenplay by Agnés Merlet and Christine Miller, directed by Agnès Merlet with Michel Serrault, Valentina Cervi, Miki Manojlovic, Brigitte Catillon, Maurice Garrel, Emmanuelle Devos, 1997, 96 min.

Class 4: Nightwatching Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .N546x 2009 About Rembrandt van Rijn. Written and directed by Peter Greenaway, with Martin Freeman, Emily Holmes, 2007, 136 min.

Class 5: Lust for Life Paley Media Reserve: DVD 10 123 About Vincent van Gogh. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, screenplay by Norman Corwin with Kirk Douglass an Anthony Quinn based on the novel by Irving Stone, 1956.

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Class 6: Moulin Rouge Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .M783x 2004 About Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Directed by John Huston, screenplay by Anthony Veiller and John Huston with Jose Ferrer and Zsa Zsa Gabor from the novel by Pierre La Mure, 1952, 119 min.

Class 7: Little Ashes Paley Media Reserve: on order About Salvador Dalí. Directed by Paul Morrison, written by Philippa Goslett with Javier Beltrán, Robert Pattinson, Matthew McNulty, and Marina Gatell, 2008, 112 min.

Class 8: Frida Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .F753x 2003 About Frida Kahlo. Directed by Julie Taymor, screenplay by Clancy Sigal with Salma Hayek and Alfred Molina based on the novel by Hayden Herrera, 2002, 123 min.

Class 9: Surviving Picasso Paley Media Reserve: DVD 10 130 About Pablo Picasso. Directed by James Ivory, screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala with Anthony Hopkins, Natascha McElhone, and Julian Moore based on the book by Arianna Huffington, 1996, 125 min.

Class 10: Pollock Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .P565x 2001 About Jackson Pollock. Directed by Ed Harris, screenplay by Barbara Turner and Susan J. Emshwiller, with Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden based on the book by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, 2001, 122 min.

Class 11: Factory Girl Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .F33835x 2007 About Andy Warhol. Directed by George Hickenlooper, story by Aaron Richard Golub, Captain Mauzner, and Simon Monjack, screenplay by Captain Mauzner with Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Hayden Christensen, and Jimmy Fallon, 2006, 83 min.

Class 12: Basquiat Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .B3424x 2002 About Jean-Michel Basquiat. Written and directed by Julian Schnabel, with Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Michael Wincott, Benico Del Toro, and Claire Forlani, 1996, 106 min.

ADDITIONAL FILMS ON RESERVE

Rembrandt Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.R4575x 2009 Directed by Alexander Korda, taken from the film play by Carl Zuckmayer, with Charles Laughton and Gertrude Lawrence, 1936, 85 min.

Girl with a Pearl Earring Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .G576x 2004 About Jan Vermeer’s mistress. Screenplay by Olivia Hetreed, directed by Peter Webber, with Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson, based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier, 2003, 100 min.

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Goya’s Ghost Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .G693x 2008 About Francesco Goya. Directed by Milos Forman, written by Milos Forman & Jean- Claude Carriere with Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, and Randy Quaid, 2006, 114 min.

Vincent and Theo Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .V5354x 2005 About Vincent Van Gogh. Written by Julian Mitchell, directed by Robert Altman, with Tim Roth and Paul Rhys, 1990, 140 min.

Lautrec Paley Media Reserve: DVD 10 112 About Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Written and directed by Roger Planchon, with Régis Royer, 1998.

Edvard Munch Paley Media Reserve: PN1997 .E3527x 2006 About Edvard Munch. Directed by Peter Watkins, 1976, 174 min.

Klimt Paley Media Reserve: PN1997.2 .K635x 2007 About Gustav Klimt. Written and directed by Raúl Ruiz English, screenplay adaptation by Gilbert Adair with John Malkovich and Veronica Ferres, 2006, 97 min.

RESOURCES and SOURCES

Blackboard (Bb): for links and course documents

Gallery/ MDID: online image viewing database accessible through your Bb account

Oxford Art Online: accessible through Temple’s Database Finder on the library home page.

DVDs of films: all films shown in class plus many supplementary films are on Paley Media Reserve. Films may be checked out for 2 hours and viewed in the basement Media Center.

Online film databases:

AllMovie (AM): www.allmovie.com

Internet Movie Database (IMDb): www.imdb.com

BFI Screenonline (for British films): www.screenonline.org.uk/index.html

Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com is a fun site which may funnel you to review links in the journals listed below (but not an acceptable source).

Film review sources: Suggested sources for finding credible reviews from reputable newspapers and journals such as the New York Times, Rollingstone, Washington Post, People, Philadelphia Inquirer, etc are available online (sometimes with a free subscription). Tabloids, personal blogs, etc. are not acceptable sources either. Journals and newspapers are available at the library in hardcopy and microfilm/form and may need to be consulted for older pre-internet films.

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Scholarly art history sources: An introductory Art History textbook may also be consulted for HW (many are available on reserve for other classes). For each film shown in class there is at least one scholarly biographical source on 2 hours Paley Course Reserve available for use for HW or papers.

Scholarly art history resources: Suggested online resources for finding scholarly articles for papers are:

JSTOR, accessible through Temple’s Database Finder on the library home page

BHA (Bibliography of the History of Art), the old database closed but fortunately an archived, simplified version is still accessible via the Getty Foundation website: http://library.getty.edu:7101/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First

Literary sources: If you opt to do the Literary Comparison Paper, you may choose to purchase the novel on your own. Otherwise, these are on 2 hour reserve. If you’re the only one in the class using a novel, the 2 hour limit can be removed.

DAILY HOMEWORK DESCRIPTION

2 pages typed, double spaced, 12 total worth 10 points each:

You will be required to write a synopsis/ analysis for the first 11 films shown in class plus 1 from the list above, found on your own (contact me for approval before beginning), or Basquiat (contact me if you choose the last film min class for HW #12).

In order to receive full credit, 3 components must be met and at least 3 sources must be used: the AM or IMDb for background information of the film, director, etc; the Oxford Art Online; and one legitimate film review. Avoid plagiarism by documenting each source after it is used: complete parenthetical notations with are fine for HW. Your assignment must include a section on each:

1: Brief Introduction: Biography of the Artist (and the Director) (3 points)

Write a brief biographical summary on the featured artist taken from the online Oxford Art Online as relevant to the film. You may also choose to make use of any supplementary book sources such as an art history survey textbook or a scholarly biography. At least one biography is on reserve at Paley for each film shown in class. Be sure to correctly and thoroughly notate author/ source after it is used.

2: Synopsis of film: your summary and review, and other critiques (5 points)

By using the AM or IMBd begin by introducing the film by title, date, awards received or other related information you would like to include such as biographical information about the director. Give your brief summary of the plot, main characters, etc and give your critique of the film. Include the discussion of at least one film review in relation to your own observations. Is it a fair assessment? Do you agree or disagree? Why? In this short time allotted for the homework assignment, it may be difficult to find reviews on-line for older, pre-internet films and may be

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3: Questions about the film (2 points)

In this concluding paragraph you should raise questions and possible avenues for future investigation for the examination papers. What questions do you have regarding the accuracy of events? How would you approach separating fact from film fiction? What potential avenues of inquiry did you find in the film? Are there any artworks, events, and/ or personal or private relationships would you like to learn more about? Were you able to come to any conclusions bases on your perfunctory investigation? What research would need to be done in order to answer these questions? Do you know if there are any primary sources (first-hand accounts, letters, diaries, interviews) existing about or written by this artist that would provide useful in this inquiry? To what degree do you think this film based on primary sources and to what degree is it an invention of the writers or adapted from a fictional novel?

HW DUE DATES

Because we discuss HW in class, missed homework (whether you were absent or present) cannot be made up. If you miss a class for any reason, homework may be emailed/ submitted to SafeAssign to me before 8 pm for the possibility of half credit – you then must also hand in a hardcopy the following class. In the case of an absence, you must also watch the missed film on your own in order to complete the next homework assignment due the following class. See the Course Schedule for “show times”.

HW for class 1-11:

Online: SafeAssign submission is due by the beginning of the following class in which the film was shown. In class: A stapled hardcopy is due after the discussion at the beginning of the following class in which the film was shown.

12th HW assignment:

If you choose to write your paper on a film not shown in class, the HW assignment is due June 8 via hardcopy and SafeAssign with the summary of you paper topic (see paper due dates).

If you are writing your paper on a film shown in class after June 3, the 12th HW assignment is due June 8 via hardcopy and SafeAssign with the summary of you paper topic (see paper due dates).

If you are not writing your paper on the same film as the 12th HW assignment it can be turned in at anytime (via hardcopy and SafeAssign) on or before the last class session June 24.

DISCUSSION

You are expected to participate in all partner/ group discussions and occasionally contribute to open class discussions. There will also be Bb discussion links for each film watched in class where you can begin your own forum or respond to one already posted.

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PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Chose ONE of the two paper options. It might be helpful in narrowing down and making your choice by selecting one featured artist you would like to discuss and then picking the related assignment:

OPTION 1. Historical Examination Paper: Separating Fact from Fiction

5 pages written material, double spaced, 3 additional sources: You will select one film shown in class or listed in the supplementary list to investigate further, attempting to separate fact from fiction.

For this paper you will begin by incorporating and extending your HW inquiry on the film of your choice by examining the scholarly reception of the film in art historical literature (if there is any). You will also inspect the art historical evidence related to an event or art project from the film such as the artist’s personal relationship with someone, a particular commission or patron association, working method, influential travel, or an artistic moment related to an artistic project.

In addition to any sources used for HW, you will be required to use at least 3 more sources from scholarly journals or books. Biographies and monographs on each artist are available at Paley but please remember others may need to use the same sources. The inspection of primary sources such as the artist’s journal or letters may be exceptionally useful. Correct documentation in the form of footnotes and a bibliography are required (use Chicago or MLA style). We will review the paper requirements, have a small writing workshop, and have an open question session later in the semester.

There is a plethora of other films about artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Francesco Goya, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Salvador Dalí, and Francis Bacon not available at Paley. You can search the two main movie databases for films about a specific artist, find the title, and locate it on your own. If you find a film you like to work on (for HW #12 and the paper) not listed above please contact me for approval before beginning.

OPTION 2. Comparative paper: the film compared to its literary source

5 pages written material, double spaced, 2 additional sources. Compare and contrast the literary source to the film. Select one of the novels in the list below which the corresponding film is based upon. You are to include a summary of both the film and the book in comparison with each other. If you choose a book in which the corresponding film is shown later in the course or not in class, you will have to watch it on your own in order to begin working on the paper. Utilize the HW assignment component information and sources plus include a discussion of at least 1 review of the novel. If you choose a film not shown in class you will need to make-up the HW components. Correct documentation in the form of footnotes and a bibliography are required (use Chicago or MLA style).

Novel Selection:

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The Agony and the Ecstasy: a novel of Michelangelo Stone, Irving Paley Reserve: PS3537.T669A45 Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (about Jan Vermeer) Paley Reserve: PS3553.H4367 G57 2001 Chevalier, Tracy New York: Plume, 2001, c1999.

Lust for Life: a novel of Vincent van Gogh Paley Reserve: PS3537.T669L89 1937b Stone, Irving New York: Heritage Reprints, c1937.

Moulin Rouge; a novel based on the life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec La Mure, Pierre Paley Reserve: PS3523.A51M6 New York, Random House, [c1950].

Frida, a biography of Frida Kahlo Paley Reserve: ND259.K33H47 1983 Herrera, Hayden New York: Harper & Row, c1983.

Jackson Pollock: an American saga Paley Reserve: ND237.P73 N34 1989b Naifeh, Steven W. Aiken, S.C.: Woodard/White, c1989.

Picasso: creator and destroyer Paley Reserve: N6853.P5S74 1988 Huffington, Arianna Stassinopoulos New York: Simon and Schuster, c1988.

PAPER DUE DATES

You should to consider your artists/ related film selections NOW – you will likely need to view the film twice. You are encouraged to branch out from films shown in class but you must start by completing the HW assignment which will provide the basis for your paper (if you choose to write about a film not shown in class, also use it for HW #12).

Tuesday June 8: ALL- SUMMARY DUE (plus HW assignment if applicable)

In class: 1 page hard copy only paper topic summary due stating your paper choice, thesis or main ideas, and your working bibliography.

If you choose to write about a film not shown in class (also counts as HW #12) or a film shown after June 3 or, the HW assignment is also due at this time.

Tuesday June 15 or 17: WRITING INTENSIVE ONLY- ROUGH DRAFT DUE

In class: stapled hardcopy of your rough draft, will be returned the next class period

Thursday June 24: ALL- FINAL PAPER DUE

Online: SafeAssign submission due before class

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In class: paper clipped packet containing the following: - HW assignment components with comments - 1 page topic summary with comments - Rough draft with comments (for WI students only) - Stapled final paper with bibliography

COURSE EVALUATION COMPONENTS

Homework (12 total, 10 pts each) 120 pts Paper 7o pts Discussion Participation (in class and on Bb) 1o pts

200 points total to be converted into the university 4.0 scale for final grade

POLICIES

Disabilities Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

Student and Faculty and Academic Rights and Responsibilities Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has a policy on Student and Faculty and Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy #03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02

Plagiarism and Cheating Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. Essential to intellectual growth is the development of independent thought and a respect for the thoughts of others. The prohibition against plagiarism and cheating is intended to foster this independence and respect.

Student Responsibilities Every registered student agrees to abide by an overall set of values, principles and regulations mandated by the university. In order for a student to remain in good standing, it is imperative that each student assumes responsibilities throughout his/her enrollment at Temple. Students also have a number of rights which protect their interests.

Access these rights and responsibilities, including Academic Honesty and Attendance at: http://www.temple.edu/bulletin/Responsibilities_rights/responsibilities/responsibilities.shtm

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