FILM 201
Section S26N01
Professor Paul Watkins
Office Hours: Thursdays 2-4 pm or by appointment
Class: Thursdays, 5:30-8:30 pm
“Every text participates in one or several genres, there is no genreless text; there is always a genre or genres.”
–Jacques Derrida, “The Law of Genre”
FILM 201 builds on FILM 101 to help deepen your understanding of film as an art form and a medium of cultural communication. This section looks at film genres (including Musicals, Slapstick Comedy, Westerns, Film Noir, Gangster, Horror, and Science Fiction, as well as other genres and hybrid genre films). We will also expand on the study of narrative techniques in selected films as we work to understand how film form and genre work together to create meaning. We will watch classics like The Wizard of Oz (1939), as well as modern films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The course will include film screenings, film reviews, a short film project, and a research essay. I look forward to an exciting semester with you!
Content Warning: Some of the content and discussion in this course will necessarily engage with filmic representations of violence and other mature themes. Please read up on each film.
Course Learning Materials
Required Text:
- An Introduction to Film Genres by Friedman, Desser, Kozloff, Nochimson, and Prince (print or eBook)
Free Introductory Film Texts:
- Yale Film Analysis Guide: http://filmanalysis.yctl.org
- Film Reference Guide: https://collegefilmandmediastudies.com
- Walter Murch, “Womb Tone/ Dense Clarity”: https://transom.org/2005/walter-murch/
Evaluation:
- Film Reflections (x2) 30%
- Annotated Bibliography 10%
- Film Project 25%
- Research Essay 35%
See the course outline on VIULearn for a detailed breakdown of assignments.
Proposed Schedule
This schedule is subject to change. Please complete the readings before class. You only need to write TWO reflections from the seven options below. Audio Cine, Criterion on Demand, and Kanopy are free databases you can access via the VIU library.
PART 1: SLAPSTICK AND THE BIG 6
Jan 8, Week 1: Intro 2.0 to Film Studies
- Lecture: Intro to the course and film genres; See Principles of Film Form (video essay)
- Screening: Chris Marker, La Jetée (1962| 28 min) [Kanopy]
- La Jetée: Analysis
- La Jetée: The Film That Thinks It’s a Movie
- Critical Commons: The opening of Persona
Jan 15, Week 2: The Musical
- Reading: “The Musical” (200-241)
- Screening: Victor Fleming, The Wizard of Oz (1939 | 101 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Recommended Home Viewing: Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, Singin’ in the Rain (1952 | 103 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Discussion of Reflection Papers
- What THE WIZARD OF OZ can teach adults about film analysis
Jan 22, Week 3: Slapstick Comedy
- Reading: “Slapstick Comedy” (32-79)
- Screening: Greta Gerwig, Barbie (2023 | 114 min) [CraveTV or rent]
- Recommended Home Viewing: Charlie Chaplin, The Gold Rush (1925 | 95 min) [Kanopy]
- Reflection Option on The Wizard of Oz or Singin’ in the Rain due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
- On the smallpox remarks in the film
Jan 29, Week 4: The Western
- Reading: “The Western” (242-277)
- Screening: John Ford, The Searchers (1956 | 119 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Recommended Home Viewing 1: John Ford, My Darling Clementine (1946 |97 min) [Criterion]
- Recommended Home Viewing 2: Zacharias Kunuk and Natar Ungalaaq, Searchers (2016 | 94 min) [Rent]
- Reflection Option on Barbie or The Gold Rush due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
- Roger Ebert on The Searchers
Feb 5, Week 5: Film Noir
- Reading: “Film Noir” (484-519)
- Screening: Robert Aldrich, Kiss Me Deadly (1955 | 106 min) [Audio Cine]
- Recommended Home Viewing 1: Billy Wilder, Double Indemnity (1944 |107 min) [Audio Cine]
- Recommended Home Viewing 2: David Lynch, Blue Velvet (1986 | 120 min) [Audio Cine] *WARNING for Blue Velvet—sexual violence
- Discussion of Film Projects and groups
- Reflection Option on The Searchers, My Darling Clementine, or Searchers due by 11:59 pm
Feb 12, Week 6: Gangster
- Reading: “The Gangster Movie” (406-445)
- Screening: Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather (1972 |171 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Recommended Home Viewing: Sergio Leone, Once Upon a Time in America (1984 | 228 min)[Criterion on Demand]
- Reflection Option on Kiss Me Deadly, Double Indemnity, or Blue Velvet due by 11:59 pm
Feb 19, Week 7: No Class, Reading Week
Feb 26, Week 8: Horror
- Reading “The Horror Film” (368-405) and see “The Social Problem Film” (446-483)
- Screening: Stanley Kubrick, The Shining (1980 |144 min) [Criterion]
- Recommended Home Viewing: Jordan Peele, Get Out (2017 | 104 min) [Audio Cine]
- Reflection Option on The Godfather or Once Upon a Time in America due by 11:59 pm
- BFI on Kubrick
- How The Shining’s Camera Creates Constant Unease
- References to The Shining and other films in Get Out
- Twin Peaks / Shining Mashup
- What is Mise en Scene — How Directors Like Kubrick Master the Elements of Visual Storytelling
March 5, Week 9: Science Fiction
- Reading: “Science Fiction” (324-367)
- Screening: Ridley Scott, Blade Runner (1982 | 114 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Recommended Home Viewing: Ridley Scott, Alien (1979 | 124 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Reflection Option on Get Out or The Shining due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
A short analysis of Blade Runner by Steven Benedict:
- Life After Empathy: On Philip K. Dick and Blade Runner 2049
- Scientists vote Blade Runner best sci-fi film of all time
- Anna Smith, Is Blade Runner 2049 Sexist?…
PART II: HYBRID GENRE FILMS
March 12, Week 10: Western-Hybrids
- Reading: TBA
- VOTE: Ana Lily Amirpour, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014 | 101 min) [Kanopy]; Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men (2007 | 122 min) [Audio Cine]; or, Jordan Peele, Nope (2022 | 130 min) [Audio Cine]
- Final Reflection Option on Blade Runner or Alien due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
- Review of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and another review, here.
- Behind the Scenes of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
- Gawker interview with Ana Lily Amirpour
- Blog post, Cinematography and Voyeurism
March 19, Week 11: Romantic-Comedy-Sci-Fi
- Reading: “Romantic Comedy” (120-159)
- Screening: Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004 | 108 min) [Rent]
- Film Script due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
March 26, Week 12: The Social-Problem Zombie Film
- Reading: see “The Social Problem Film” (446-483) and “The History and Horror of Blood Quantum: Director Jeff Barnaby and Actor Michael Greyeyes Discuss the Indigenous Zombie Film and Radical use of Genre” and “Hollywood’s Viral Outbreaks and Pandemics” (both on VIULearn)
- Screening: Jeff Barnaby, Blood Quantum (2019 | 96 min) [Criterion on Demand]
- Annotated Bibliography is due on VIULearn by 11:59 pm
April 2, Week 13: Every Genre Everywhere all at Once
- Reading: “Flying Saucers Are Real…” (VIULearn)
- Screening: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere all at Once (2022 | 140 mins) [Criterion on Demand]
- Film Projects Due
April 9, Week 14: Student Film Screenings
- Screening: Student Films
- Research Essay due on VIULearn on Friday, April 10 by 11:59 pm
PAUL db WATKINS 