SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS Voyage: Fall 2013 Discipline: Media Studies MDST 3559-101: Globalization Through Film Class Meeting Time and Location: ‘A’ Days, 8:00 am - 9:15 am, Classroom 9 Upper Division Faculty Name: Gregory Mason Pre-requisites: A previous course on film or media studies strongly advised. For those new to film study, necessary introductory and background materials will be briefly reviewed and indicated with readings COURSE DESCRIPTION In the globalized world of today, Hollywood films rule. People everywhere eagerly watch films but most of them are made in the USA. From its earliest days, silent film was hailed as the bearer of a “universal language” of gesture that could unite humanity. Charlie Chaplin was the universal “little man,” and viewers embraced him worldwide. The advent of sound brought an accompanying babble of competing languages, while the postwar economic and political dominance of the United States led to a Hollywood-dominated film industry around the world. At the same time, the development of low-cost digital technology has allowed filmmakers worldwide to work, often outside the studio system, to develop original, alternative styles. Inspired by national and regional traditions, such filmmakers are expressing their memories, dreams and aspirations in visual and auditory languages that come not from Hollywood, but from their own cultures. They are also engaging the critical issues that arise from the conflicts between traditional ways and the pervasive, homogenizing influences of globalization. This course will study both films that celebrate the influences of globalization and those that resist it, as individual filmmakers try to reach large audiences and still chart their own authentic paths. At the same time, it will use the medium of film as a vehicle through which to explore and understand the many facets of globalization. Whenever possible, course films will be set in the countries of ports of call on our voyage and showcase some aspect of the country and its culture. COURSE OBJECTIVES To study notable films from contemporary world cinema, and to gain an appreciation for their artistic richness and for range of individual and national styles they represent To become more discerning critics of film through close attention to the nuances of style and expression in the films that that we study. To this end, students will write individual critical reflections and formal response papers, as well as a longer comparative paper on an approved topic of the student’s choice To better understand the complex phenomenon of globalization, cultural, social, economic and political as it is expressed through the range of films we will study 1 To benefit from the films we study to better understand and appreciate the different ports of call on our voyage and the cultures that they represent and embody REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AUTHOR: Manfred Steger TITLE: Globalization: A Very Short Introduction PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press ISBN #: 98-0199552269 DATE/EDITION: 2009, 2nd edition The class is also highly encouraged to check often on David Bordwell’s blog for an ongoing discussion of contemporary issues in world cinema <http://davidbordwell.net> TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE A1- August 26: Introduction. World Cinema and Globalization. Opening Questions Share course design and discuss class expectations. Collect class writing sample. Before A2, view sections of: October: Ten Days That Shook the World (Russia, Sergei Eisenstein, 1928), Man With A Movie Camera (Russia, Dziga Vertov, 1929) And all of Russian Ark (Russia, Alexander Sokurov 2002) Also recommended: Battleship Potemkin (Russia, Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) A2-August 28: Discuss opening readings on globalization and on elements of film Prepare for Saint Petersburg. Port field assignment prompt given Discuss October: Ten Days That Shook the World, Man With A Movie Camera, Russian Ark Readings in Corrigan summaries and Steger TBA Before A3, view The Edge of Heaven (Germany, Fatih Akin, 2007). Also Recommended: Head-On (Germany, Fatih Akin, 2003) August 29-September 1: St. Petersburg A3- September 3: Debrief and reflect on Saint Petersburg port stay Respond to The Edge of Heaven Prepare for Hamburg. Port field assignment prompt given Readings in Corrigan summaries and Steger TBA September 5-8: Hamburg Recommended: Field Trip to Deichtorhallen Museum House of Photography A4- September 9: Debrief and reflect on Hamburg port stay Readings in Corrigan summaries and Steger TBA 2 Before A5, view film In Bruges (UK, Martin McDonagh, 2008) A5- September 11: Prepare for Antwerp and Le Havre port stays. Port field assignment prompt given Discuss film In Bruges Readings in Corrigan summaries and Steger TBA Before A6 view Exploring Globalization (2007, 44 mins, Jim Lehrer) An Inconvenient Truth (2006, 96 mins, Al Gore) Also recommended: Joyeux Noel: Merry Christmas (2005, 116 mins) September 12-14: Antwerp September 15-16: Le Havre A6- September 18: Debrief and reflect on Antwerp and Le Havre port Discuss Exploring Globalization and An Inconvenient Truth Prepare for Dublin port stay. Port field assignment prompts given Readings in Corrigan summaries and Steger TBA Before A7, view Five Minutes of Heaven (Ireland, Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2009) Also recommended: Sunday, Bloody Sunday (2001, 110 mins) Michael Collins (UK, 1996, 184 mins) The Wind That Shakes the Barley (UK, Ken Loach, 2006) FIRST FILM REVIEW OR PORT STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT DUE September 20-23: Dublin A7- September 24: Debrief and reflect on Dublin port stay Discuss Five Minutes of Heaven Before A8 view Talk To Her (Spain, Pedro Almodovar, 2002) Prepare for Lisbon and Cadiz port stays. A8- September 26: Review of film and globalization readings and theory, Readings TBA Discuss film Talk to Her Also recommended: All About My Mother (Spain, Almodovar, 1999) Pan’s Labyrinth (Spain, 2006, 112 mins) Before A9, view The Daughter of Keltoum (Algeria, Mehdi Charef, 2001) September 27-28: Lisbon September 29: in Transit September 30-October 1: Cadiz October 2: No Class. Morocco. Preparation. Recommended viewing: The Sheltering Sky (Italy, Bertolucci, 1990, 138 mins) 3 October 3-6: Casablanca A9- October 8: Discuss The Daughter of Keltoum Review of film and globalization readings and theory October 10: Study Day A10- October 11: Before A11, view film Mooladé (Senegal, Ousmane Sembène, 2002) Also recommended: Black Girl (Senegal, Sembène, 1965, 80 mins) Hyenas (Senegal, Mambéty, 1992, 113 mins) Blood Diamond (US, 2006, 143 mins, set in Sierra Leone) Readings TBA OTHER, EITHER FIRST FILM REVIEW OR STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT DUE A11- October 13: Discuss film Mooladé Prepare for Ghana port stays. Port field assignment prompt given Review of film and globalization readings and theory, Readings TBA October 15-16: Takoradi October 17-18: Tema October 19. Study Day A12- October 20: Debrief and reflect on Ghana port stays Before A13, view film Tsotsi (South Africa, Gavin Hood, 2005) Also recommended: Cry, The Beloved Country (James E. Jones 1995, 106 mins) Cry Freedom (1987, 159 mins, about Steve Biko) A Dry White Season (A Brink novel w/ Brando & Sutherland 1989, 107 mins) Yesterday (2004, 95 mins feature on HIV in Africa) In My Country (2004, 103 mins on Truth and Reconciliation Trials) Invictus (2009, 133 mins, Mandela supporting white SA Rugby team)) Boesman and Lena (1999, 84 mins, based on Athol Fugard play) Nelson Mandela (documentary, 2004, 103 mins) A13- October 22: Globalization and Film Theory Discuss film Tsotsi , Readings TBA October 23. Study Day A14- October 25: MIDTERM IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENT October 26-30: Cape Town 4 October 31. Study Day. A15- November 2: Debrief and reflect on Cape Town port stay, Before A16 view film District Nine (South Africa, Neill Blomkamp, 2009) SECOND FILM OR PORT FIELD STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT DUE November 4. Study Day. A16- November 5: Globalization Beyond Location Discuss film District Nine Before A17, view film Dirty Pretty Things (UK, Stephen Frears, 2002) Readings TBA A17- November 7 Globalization Beyond Location Discuss Dirty Pretty Things Before A18, view The Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina, Juan Campanella 2010) Also recommended: The Official Story (1988, 114 mins) Evita (1996, 135 mins Readings TBA November 8. Study Day. A18- November 10: Discuss The Secret in Their Eyes Prepare for Buenos Aires port visit. Readings TBA Port field assignment prompt given, Before Nov 12, view Whisky Romeo Zulu (Argentina, Ernesto Pineyro, 2007) PROPOSAL FOR COMPARATIVE PAPER DUE November 12-16: Buenos Aires NOVEMBER 12: REQUIRED FIELD LAB IN BUENOS AIRES: Independent Filmmaking in Argentina: An Encounter with Ernesto Pineyro and His Work (see below) November 17. Study Day. A19- November 18: Debrief and reflect on Buenos Aires port visit. Before A20, view Central Station (Brazil, Walter Salles 1998) Also recommended: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004, 127 mins Walter Salles) City of God (2003, Fernando Meirelles, 130 mins) Readings TB November 20-22: Rio de Janeiro November 23. In-Transit November 24. In-Transit Recommended: 5 At Play in the Fields of the Lord (Hector Babenco, Brazil, 1991, 185 mins) The Emerald Forest (UK, John Boorman 1985, 114 mins) Fitzcarraldo (Germany, Werner Herzog, 1981, 157 mins) Life and Debt (documentary, 2001, 86 mins) November 25-27: Salvador A20- November 28: Discuss Brazil visit. Discuss film Central Station, Readings TBA A21- November 30: Review of Globalization Theme in Films and Readings. Readings TBA Before A22, view The Constant Gardener (USA, Fernando Meirelles,