FILM A100H: History and Appreciation of the Cinema Honors
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 10/21/2020 |
| Top Code | 061210 - Film History and Criticism |
| Units | 3 Total Units |
| Hours | 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54) |
| Total Outside of Class Hours | 0 |
| Course Credit Status | Credit: Degree Applicable (D) |
| Material Fee | No |
| Basic Skills | Not Basic Skills (N) |
| Repeatable | No |
| Grading Policy | Standard Letter (S) |
| Associate Arts Local General Education (GE) |
|
| Associate Science Local General Education (GE) |
|
| California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) |
|
| Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) |
|
| California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth) |
|
Course Description
Introduces the analysis of film form and content, aesthetics and meaning, and history and culture. Explores the diverse possibilities presented by the cinematic art form through an examination of a wide variety of productions, national cinemas, and film movements. Topics include modes of production, narrative and non-narrative forms, visual design, editing, sound, genre, ideology and critical analysis. Enrollment Limitation: FILM A100; students who complete FILM A100H may not enroll in or receive credit for FILM A100. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Analyze the historical facts, technological advancements, and significant trends in film history to understand their impact on the evolution of the film industry..
- Evaluate the contributions of important figures in film history and appraise their representative styles to appreciate their influence on modern filmmaking.
- Differentiate between various film genres by identifying their unique characteristics and historical development.
Course Objectives
- 1. Identify the important discoveries leading to the invention of motion pictures
- 2. Identify the founders of the motion picture industry
- 3. Discuss the creation of the motion picture industry on the East Coast
- 4. Discuss the creation of the motion picture industry in Hollywood
- 5. Describe slapstick comedy
- 6. Explain the development of sound in motion pictures
- 7. Identify different film genres
- 8. Discuss the important aspects of Citizen Kane
- 9. Discuss the creative aspects of The Godfather
- 10. Identify the important aspects of the action film genre
- 11. Explain the evolution of censorship in the Hollywood film industry
- 12. Describe the creation of the Academy Awards and its importance to the film industry
- 13. Discuss the important aspects of International Cinema from the silent era.
- 14. Analyze world cinema in relationship to its influence on Hollywood.
Lecture Content
Course Introduction Film before film Thomas Edison The Lumiere Brothers The First Films Film Narrative D.W. Griffith M.P.P.C. – The Motion Picture Patents Council Film industry moves west Slapstick Comedy Mack Sennett Charlie Chaplin Buster Keaton Harold Lloyd The German Golden Age and World Cinema Expressionism UFA Studios Film Noir “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” “The Blue Angel” “The Last Laugh” “Metropolis” Silent Soviet Film Montage Sergei Eisenstein “The Battleship Potemkin” Coming of Sound Early Experiments Vitaphone system Rouben Mamoulian Busby Berkeley The Musical The Studio System Finance Studio Heads Louie B. Mayer David O. Selznick Wizard of Oz Biopics Orson Welles William Randolph Hearst “Citizen Kane” European Influence: Surrealism Italian Neorealism French New Wave Cinema-Verite Auteur Theory Symbolism Censorship Early Censorship PCA – The Production Code Administration The Movie Ratings System Hollywood In Transition Government Monopoly Suit Against Studios Union Strikes HUAC Investigations “Hollywood Ten” Threat of TV Development of Wide Screen Technologys Development of the “Epic” Genre Alfred Hitchcock Early Hitchcock Hollywood Success “Master of Suspense” The New Hollywood Film School Generation of Filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola Steven Spielberg George Lucas Rise of the Summer Blockbuster Film Action Film Genre Early Action Films “The Great Train Robbery” Early Action Stars Popular Themes Common Plot Points Influence of Asian Martial Arts Films Mainstream Stars/Action Heroes Other voices and faces in film Stereotyping and racism in Hollywood Contributions of minorities Black Cinema Asian Cinema Latino Cinema Women in Film Early Women Filmmakers Common themes Rise of the Female Producer Rise of the Female Studio Head Advancement in storytelling through visual effects Early Special Effects Digital Effects Awards AFI – American Film Institute AMPAS – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - Oscar
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
- DE Online Lecture (02X)
Instructional Techniques
Lectures, presentations and film screenings.
Reading Assignments
32 hours per semester Students are assigned select readings from the class textbook, various online articles, web links, magazine publications and blog posts (2 – 2.5 hours per week)
Writing Assignments
32 hours per semester Students are assigned to complete speicific journal entries or discussion posts on selected topics. (2 – 2.5 hours per week)
Out-of-class Assignments
44 hours per semester Students are assigned to screen selected movies and videos to screen (2 - 3 hours a week)
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Multiple-choice tests, written exams, film screenings and discussions.
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
Written projects to include but not limited to course summary and evaluation
Eligible Disciplines
Film studies: Masters degree in film, drama/theater arts, or mass communication OR bachelors degree in any of the above AND masters degree in media studies, English, or communication OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.
Textbooks Resources
1. Required Dixon, Wheeler Winston Foster, Gwendolyn Audrey. Title A Short History of Film, thrid ed. Rutgers University Press, 2018
Other Resources
1. Selected handout materials to be provided by the instructor