THEA G102: History and Appreciation of The Cinema

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	02/21/2023
Top Code	100700 - Dramatic Arts
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), Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)	GWC Arts, Lit, Phil, Lang (GC)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3A Arts (3A) Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3A Arts (3A) IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C1 Arts (C1)

Course Description

This course is designed for students to develop an appreciation for and obtain a perspective on cinema, including its historical, artistic, cultural, and myth-making aspects. Topics will include film genres, techniques, vocabulary, structure, themes, theory, and criticism. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Course Outcomes
Compare the various genres of film.
Evaluate film plot, theme, structure, symbols, and their relationships to film techniques.
Analyze film from cultural, aesthetic, and historical perspectives using appropriate film terms and vocabulary.

Course Objectives

1. Examine the historical background of the American film industry.
2. Analyze American and international film as it relates to culture and history.
3. Discuss ideas and values represented in film that reflect the diverse global contemporary society.

Lecture Content

Early film history and development Technological pioneers Artistic pioneers (Griffith, Melies, etc.) Vocabulary of film techniques and terms Terms Roles in the filmmaking process Film "authorship" in theory and practice The silent film era The Hollywood studio system The modern film era History Cultural impact Film and television Themes of film Relationship of film and literature Film as myth Film genres Musicals Westerns Science fiction/horror/fantasy Mystery/suspense Spectacle War Gangster Film Noir Action/Adventure Comedy Film as art Aesthetics and entertainment: a dialectic Film and audience Film criticism (various types) International film

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Reading Assignments

TextWebsitesPublished screenplays

Writing Assignments

Critical written analysis of film plot, theme, structure and technique Critical analysis of film genres Functions of film production crews, e.g., cinematographers, screenwriters, directors, producers, and crew Define technical film terms Define artistic and aesthetic film terms

Out-of-class Assignments

Analysis of film genres Compare perceptions of various films with other students and with established film critics and reviewers Analyze and compare and contrast aesthetic and commercial concerns of filmmakers and filmmaking systems

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Written critical analysis of: The relationship of form and content in film art Various directorial styles A filmmakers purposes and goals The relationship of film to culture Discussions of classic films

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Eligible Disciplines

Drama/theater Arts: Masters degree or Master of Fine Arts in drama/theater arts/performance OR bachelors degree or Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama/theater/performance AND masters degree in comparative literature, English, communication studies, speech, literature, or humanities OR the equivalent. Masters degree required. 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 Corrigan, T. and White, P.. The Film Experience, 6th ed. Bedford St. Martins, 2020

Academic Catalogs