COMMUNICATIONS 446 - INTERNATIONAL CINEMA

Daniel Boyd Office: B-234 Phone: 766-3379 E-mail: dboyd@oscar.wvsc.edu www.danielboyd.com
Office hours: M & W: 10:00 – 1:00 T & TH 12:30 – 2:30 And by appointment

Text: Thompson & Bordwell, FILM HISTORY

Additional readings from: Hill & Gibson, WORLD CINEMA (on reserve)
Useful web sites: www.foreignfilms.com, imdb.com, www.tvguide.com/movies/database, pfi.wvsc.edu

Course Description:

This course is designed as an overview of the incredible variety of narrative film styles produced outside of the Hollywood system. Many of the post World War II major national cinemas will be explored, including those of West and East Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Asia and some developing nations. The purpose of this class is two-fold: to help students understand these films within their cultural and historical contexts; and to discuss these films as both artistic and social statements, that is, as works of creative filmmaking that speak to the human condition.

Course Objectives:

1) To understand and appreciate diverse cultures through a systematic analysis of specific examples of national cinema.
2) To understand the historical evolution of film in selected cultures as both a business and an art form.
3) To understand the role cinema has played politically in select evolving nations.
4) To become more literate film viewers by becoming more aware of and knowledgeable about the “grammar” of international cinema, its syntax, rules and principles.
5) To analyze international film as visual texts and literature and discover their own unique concepts of narrativity.

Requirements:

1) Attendance and participation in class discussions: 10%
.
2) Exams: 2 (Mid-term and Final): 60%
These exams are mostly essay questions although there may be some multiple choice, short answer and true/false questions.

3) Research Paper: 30%
Completion of a final 10-15 page research paper on a particular topic relating to international cinema. Topic must be approved by instructor; details to be discussed in class.

Notes:

1) Attendance is required for all class sessions and for all class activities.
2) There will be no makeup examinations.
4) Extra credit will be given for attending specifically designated films outside of class.

Course Outline (Tentative):

Week 1: Concepts of national cinema (Ch.1 Hill & Gibson)

Week 2: European cinema (Ch 6 Hill & Gibson), FILM HISTORY pgs. 406-433,
Italian Neo-Realism (Ch.8 Hill & Gibson)

Week 3: Film: LA STRADA

Week 4: Bergman/Scandinavian film: WORLD CINEMA/Hill & Gibson pg. 104, FILM HISTORY pgs. 448- 451, Film: THE SEVENTH SEAL

Week 5: French New Wave (Ch. 9). FILM HISTORY pgs 517-534
(Young Cinema), pgs. 492-506, 512-516 (Auteur) Film: THE 400 BLOWS

Week 6: Film cont. & TEST 1

Week 7: Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (Ch. 11 Hill & Gibson), FILM HISTORY pgs. 468 – 476 (post-war soviet), 534-548 (Young Cinemas-East)

Week 8: Czech New Wave. Film: TBA

Week 9: Polish Cinema of Moral Concern. Film: MAN OF IRON

Week 10: Issues in World Cinema (Ch. 18 Hill & Gibson). Indian Cinema (Ch.19 Hill & Gibson),
FILM HISTORY pgs. 481-487 (post-war India).

Week 11: Film: WORLD OF APU

Week 12: Japanese Cinema (Ch. 23 Hill & Gibson). FILM HISTORY pgs. 461-468 (Post-war Japan).

Week 13: Film: DODES’ KA-DEN

Week 14: African Cinema (Ch. 24 Hill & Gibson), FILM HISTORY pgs. 625-628 (Black African Cinema)

Week 15: Film: XALA or LIFE IS ROSEY (LA VIE EST BELLE)

Week 16: Film cont. & Review

FINAL EXAM – MONDAY, MAY 13, 2:30 – 4:30