Theatre 160 - American Film
Annually, spring
This introductory course teaches the student how to read a movie. Films are presented by genre and conventional examples of each genre are paired with movies that play with, undercut, or expand the conventions. The syllabus includes American movies from 1930 to the present. One unit.
Theatre 165 - World Film
Annually, fall
Like American Film, this is an introductory course that teaches the student how to read a movie. However, the content is exclusively non-American films, viewed thematically and historically, as well as in their cultural contexts. The syllabus typically includes films from France, Italy, England, Japan, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and other countries. One unit.
STWL 233 - Introduction to French Cinema
Offered every other year
This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to study the unique contributions that French-speaking filmmakers have made to the art of cinema. The course is both an introduction to the study of film, and an in-depth survey of French-language filmmaking. We will discuss the history of French cinema (from the invention of the cinématographe by the Lumière brothers until today, including cinematic trends such as Poetic Realism, Occupation Cinema, the French New Wave and Young French Cinema) with particular emphasis on sound films (i.e., films made since 1930). Films from Belgium and the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec will also be covered. We will examine both the qualities of individual films and the cultural and historical factors that have shaped the development of the medium. The course is taught in English and the films (in French with English subtitles) will be analyzed in relation to a historical overview of French cinema, an introduction to film theory, key concepts of film studies and various articles on each specific film. Emphasis throughout the semester will be on close readings of the films. Conducted in English.
STWL 234, Cinema and the Second Sex
Offered every third year
This course, titled after French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir's famous 1949 feminist manifesto The Second Sex, explores the unique contributions that women filmmakers have made to the art of cinema, from its inception to the present, with special attention to the contemporary period. We will concentrate mostly on French-language cinema (produced in France, Belgium, Quebec/Canada, North Africa etc.), but other national European cinemas (from Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.) will be discussed as well. Emphasis throughout the semester will be on close readings of the films. Conducted in English.
Italian 242 - Italian Cinema and Society
Every third year
An examination of Italian society through the medium of film. Social, cultural, and political issues such as the North/South question, political corruption, and immigration will be explored. Films by Pasolini, Salvatores, Rosi, Giordana, Moretti, Crialese, and Virzì will be viewed and discussed. Conducted in English. One unit.
Russian 258 - Russian Cinema
Every third year
This course examines the development of Russian cinema from its silent pre-revolutionary stage up to the Post-Soviet blockbusters. It focuses on the artistic and technical achievements of Russian filmmaking and their contribution to practical and theoretical aspects of western cinema. We will discuss the distinction between Russian cinema as an ideological tool of a totalitarian state, and western cinema as an entertainment industry. Screenings will include a variety of cinematic genres and styles such as Eisenstein’s legendary “The Battleship Potemkin” (1925) and the Oscar-winning films “Moscow Does not Believe in Tears” (1979) and “Burnt by the Sun” (1994). Conducted in English. One unit.
Chinese 255 - Chinese Culture Through the Camera’s Eye
Annually
An exploration of Chinese culture through 20th- and 21st-century Chinese cinema. Taught in English. One unit.
German 253 - Nazi and Postwar German Cinema
Every third year
Films produced during the Third Reich played a crucial role in the mass culture of that regime. The course examines selected films made during that time as well as cinematic representations of the Hitler years during the postwar period to show how German film makers tried to come to terms with the Nazi past of their country. In English. One unit.
Theatre 135 - Comedy on Stage and Screen
Alternate years
This course provides students with a theoretical foundation for a variety of styles of comedy. Students analyze plays and films and apply comic theory to them. The first half of the semester is devoted to establishing key concepts in the evolving theory of comedy. The second half of the semester focuses on specific comic styles and their conventions.
Theatre 145 - Gay Theatre and Film
Alternate years
Gay Theatre and Film is designed to examine how art (specifically film and theatre) helps us define ourselves, both collectively and individually. Films and plays from different periods and cultures allow the students to examine the evolution of the human condition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered populations. One unit.
History 322 - War and Cinema
Alternate years, fall
Examines the depiction of war in American and British cinema, contrasting filmed versions to historical events, ranging from Medieval Europe to the jungles of Vietnam. Reading includes analysis of both the historical events and the background to the filmed versions. Emphasis is given to the nature of film as a primary source reflecting the perspectives of the society generating it. One unit.
Theatre 263 - Selected American Stage and Film Artists
Every third year
This advanced course is an intensive study of the work of two playwrights and/or filmmakers. The authors on the syllabus vary according to the current offerings of the Fenwick Theatre season and other considerations. By permission. One unit.
Theatre 361 - Film as Narrative
Every third year
This advanced course deals with narrative issues in film (point of view, time, structure, style, tone, adaptation). The syllabus includes American, British, French, Italian, Japanese and Scandinavian movies. By permission. One unit.
Theatre 240 - Directing 1
Fall
This course introduces students to the craft and theory of theatrical production. Students function as autonomous artists-writers, dramaturgs, and directors, producing a series of dramatic pieces in a workshop environment. This practical work is augmented by extensive scholarly research that provides a theoretical underpinning. Emphasis is placed upon conceptualization, composition, blocking, textual analysis, and working with actors. Prerequisite: Theatre 101. One unit.
Visual Arts Studio 230 - Photography 1
Fall, spring
For students with a serious interest in the creative use of black and white photography. Teaches exposure controls, camera operation, and rudimentary film developing and printing. Continuous work and advancement is achieved through creative photography assignments and criticism. One unit.