Units/Handouts

General

• For the course expectations, competencies, and grading, click here.
• It's important to familiarize yourself with film terms in order for us to have a common vocabulary when discussing films in class. Here are film terms you should know. Also, here is the PowerPoint from class on these terms.
• Check out these tips on writing about film and constructing a good response. Also, here is an outline for writing a film essay.
• Here is a link to a list of terrific academic film journals.
• Course evaluation sheet!
• The evolution of the dolly zoom (also called "counter zoom" or the "Vertigo effect"), a great camera trick used in film to usually show psychological distress.

Units of Study

Alfred Hitchcock, the role of a director, and the art of suspense: Psycho

• Notes on Hitchcock; check out TV Tropes to see more comprehensive notes.
• Here is a fun compilation of all the introductions Hitchcock made for his television show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
• Psycho Viewing Guide
• There is a book entitled Hitchcock that is a series of interviews with Alfred Hitchcock conducted by the French filmmaker Francois Truffaut (who ushered in what is called the “French New Wave” with his first film The 400 Blows). Here are some excerpts from this interview
• Assessment: For this unit, four different scenes from Psycho will be played, and your task is to write a full, analysis paragraph about what Hitchcock is getting across to the viewer, and how he achieves that. Here is an example, using the opening of the film.

Genre Study: Romantic Comedies

When Harry Met Sally and (500) Days of Summer: genre conventions and how to break them

• After our "brainstormer" and notes and discussion of what defines the genre, we will watch When Harry Met Sally, considered by many to be the "quintessential romantic comedy"(check out the Viewing Guide)
• In 2014, Time Magazine had a short piece on how it is "Still the Perfect Rom-Com." In addition, ABC News had a humorous piece on "7 Ways the Plot Would be Different in 2014." Both are interesting discussions on the relevance of the film.
• From there, we will watch (500) Days of Summer--How does this film both fit into the genre and break the conventions? Here is the viewing guide.
• Here's a great article from Slate that reviews the film's place in the genre.
• Here is a great analysis of the film The Graduate, that will shed some light on "Tom's misreading of the film."
• Do you love Tom in 500 Days? Think again says the actor who plays him, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
• Here is a fun "supercut" called "Rec-sposition," which really dissects how men discuss their feelings in movies...over sports!
• Plot comparison of the two films
• The assessment for the unit is to storyboard your own romantic comedy...

Stanley Kubrick and The Shining: The art of critical analysis

• Notes on Kubrick and The Shining
• Viewing Guide for the film
• Some great analysis (extremely comprehensive) for the film by Rob Ager
• There is a great documentary called Room 237, which has some crackpot theories on the film. Weird and compelling! Here's a segment about how Kubrick made the film as a confession to faking the  moon landing...
• What if The Shining was a romantic comedy?
• Or re-enacted by bunnies in 30-seconds?
• Or spoofed in the Simpsons?
• Assessment: Analytical Essay  

Genre Study: Film Noir--Defining the genre with Double Indemnity; how the genre has evolved with LA Confidential

• Check out this great article on what film noir is, as well as a terrific "supercut" entitled The Endless Night: A Valentine to Film Noir This is a really good example of the visual style of the classic genre.
• We will watch Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, and break down some key elements of the genre. Here is an exhaustive summary of the film from the thorough site filmsite.org.
• From there we will watch LA Confidential and track some key elements of the noir genre: strong, contrasting shadows, morally ambiguous protagonists (anti-heroes), gritty, urban settings, twisted, complicated, unraveling plots, the femme fatale, and corporate/big business corruption.
• The concept of "neo-noir" is a topic we will discuss, and how the genre has evolved. In addition, here is a list of numerous films that could be considered "neo-noir," films that have borrowed, played with, or reinvented the genre.

Create-your-own Viewing Guide with Jaws

• For this film, you will create your own viewing guide, which will really force you to think critically toward film. We will use Spielberg's Jaws as an exemplar of what to do.
• The first step in this process is to take comprehensive notes. Here is a simple, film note taking sheet.
• When crafting questions for a viewing guide, you always want to focus on what a director does, and how s/he does it. Don't focus on plot questions--that is a very superficial way of looking at film. Here is the rubric for creating your own viewing guide.
• Most films/screenplays follow a three-act structure. Here is a handy-dandy scene breakdown of Jaws, separated by acts.
• Here and here are two different exemplars of student-created viewing guides (Jaws)
• Some funny stuff--Must Love Jaws is a fake trailer for Jaws as a romance...And then there is the 30-second Bunnies version...And of course, there would be no Sharktopus without Jaws...