This course is an examination of the origin and history of the motion picture. Narrative and non-fiction genres, in the American and World Cinemas, from their inception through 1940 are discussed. Students will learn about various historical and cultural contexts influence the formation of film language (such as the close-up or parallel editing) and the emergence of technologies (such as sound and color). They will become knowledgeable about a number of film movements and periods including early silent forms, German Expressionism, Soviet Montage, Early Asian cinemas, European Avant Garde, and French Poetic Realism. They will gain familiarity with such Classical Hollywood genres as the Women’s Melodrama, Romantic Comedy, and Thriller. Students will examine the structure of the studio system and stardom as well as the tension between censorship, commerciality, and artistic expression in Classical Hollywood.
By the end of this course, students will have gained a deeper understanding of the history of film as an industry and as a field of study. They will more fully comprehend the diversity and global scope of film history. They will also gain skills that help them think critically, independently, and creatively.
Students will address historical questions such as: What is the relationship between US commercial film and national cinemas around the globe? How do some motion picture movements become dominant while others lose hold? Why do certain films and filmmakers appear to “stand the test of time” while others do not? How is film history recorded and how might we account for some of its erasures? How are deteriorating films preserved? What is the relationship between our film past and our film future?
The Lumiere and Company film made me realize a lot of important things of film. One of these things that caught most my attention was the question of “ is film mortal or immortal? “. After listening to several answers of the many directors in the film I decided that film for me is mortal. I believe in this because as human beings we are mortals, and film depends in us mortals to exist, so this means it cannot survive by itself. As we depend in film, film depends on us. The Lumiere and Company film really gave me a wide perspective of how these different directors from all over the world were able to use the Lumiere camera to demonstrate each and every single one of their perspectives in only fifty two seconds. This reflected each directors style within only this short amount of time, and it was truly wonderful although it would have been great to see a longer film.
ReplyDeleteWhile the somewhat confusing style of the documentary threw me off, the content of Lumiere and Company certainly hit home. The sole concept of forty directors using the Lumiere camera and following the same style of film that they used was to me, beyond admirable. It was particularly interesting to hear the responses to why each filmmaker decided to take on the task as almost every one stated it was the challenge of it that drew them in. Beyond the commentary from the directors, the actual short films they each made were exciting to watch as they shed light on why each director films. Each director was asked why they did it or why they make films and most couldn’t answer in words, but once we were shown their take on film via their shorts- the answers were crystal clear. Additionally, the question of is film mortal struck a chord somewhere inside me as I constantly ponder the concept of mortality, I believe film is as immortal as memories are. We are only as alive as what we leave behind and film is, in my eyes, the best way to record a moment, or moments in time. A magazine article, or newspaper clipping can only do so much as they are merely words on a page, but film- film captures it all. Without film, there would be hardly any remembering.
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