Southeast Missouri State University

Depar tment of Foreign Languages Course No. GN375 Revi sed _____ Title of Course: The History of German Film New _ X__

I. Catalog Descr iption and Cr edit Hour s of Cour se:

A study of the history of German film from 1919 to the present, including the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, Post War East and West Germany, and contemporary developments. 3 credit hours

II. Pr er equi si t es:

German 220 (German Literature) or equivalent or consent of the instructor.

III. Cour se Obj ect i ves:

A. To introduce the students to the major German film directors and films of the twentieth- century.

B. To develop an approach to interpret these films as an outgrowth of their cultural, political, and soci o-economic milieu.

C. To gain an understanding of Germany and appreciation of the German-speaki ng world based on their films.

IV. Expectations of Students:

A. Assignments: Students ar e exp ected to attend al l cl asses, compl ete al l assi gned r eadi ngs, and see al l r equi r ed f i lms. All films shown are in German with English subtitles. Students will see them outside of class. Only short subjects, clips etc. will be shown in class.

B. Resear ch Pr oj ect: Students will select one film director or film for their semester project. They pr esent thei r pr oj ect i n Ger man dur i ng the l ast week of cl ass.

C. In-Cl ass Repor ts: Students ar e exp ected to compl ete i n-class reports on events in the German- speaki ng world, the assigned readings, and related assignments.

D. Journal: Students ar e r equi r ed to compl ete a bi -weekl y j our nal i n Ger man as di r ected.

E. Deutsche Wel l e Fer nsehen: All students are encouraged to watch German TV on a regular basi s to f ami l i ar i ze themsel ves wi th l i f e i n the Ger man-speaki ng world, and to report in thei r journal.

V. Course Content:

A. Over vi ew The films and assigned readings will include the major film directors of German Exp r essi oni sm, the Thi r d Rei ch, the New Ger man Ci nema of West Ger many, the East Ger man DEFA and contemporary developments in the reunified Germany.

B. Outline WEEK 1: Introduction. Basic film terms. Exp r essi oni sm: Nosferatu. (Murnau, 1922). (3 hours) WEEK 2: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. (Wiene, 1919). (3 hours) WEEK 3: Metropolis. (Lang, 1927). (3 hours) WEEK 4: The Third Reich: Der Triumph des Willens. (Riefenstahl, 1934). (3 hours) WEEK 5: W est Ger man Ci nema: The Marriage of Maria Braun. (Fassbinder, 1978). (3 hours) WEEK 6: Germany Pale Mother. (Sander s-Brahms, 1980). (3 hours) WEEK 7: Marianne und Juliane. (von Trotta, 1981). (3 hours) WEEK 8: Fitzcarraldo. (Herzog, 1982). (3 hours) WEEK 9: Wings of Desire. (Wenders, 1987). (3 hours) WEEK 10: Men. (Dörrie, 1985). (3 hours) WEEK 11: East Ger man Ci nema: The Trace of Stones. (DEFA, 1966). (3 hours) WEEK 12: Solo Sunny. (DEFA, 1980). WEEK 13: Post -Unification Cinema: Beyond silence. (Undritz, 1997). (3 hours) WEEK 14: Run Lola run. (Tykw er, 1999). (3 hours) WEEK 15: Recent developments in German cinema and its relation to vi deo, TV, and commercials. (3 hours) WEEK 16: Student pr esentati ons. Revi ew f or f i nal exam. (3 hours)

VI. Textbook Required:

A. K ol ker , Rober t. Film, Form and Culture, ISBN: 0-07-290227-2. (M cGr aw-Hill, 1999). B. Ginsberg, Thompson. Per specti ves on Ger man Ci nema, I SBN: 0-8161-1611-3. (Hall, 1996).

VII. Basis for Student Evaluation:

A cti ve Cl ass Par ti ci pati on and Or al Repor ts 10% Thr ee exams 30% Term project 30% Compr ehensi ve Fi nal Exam 20% Bi-weekl y Jour nal 10%