Friday, January 30

Students turned in late papers and extra-credit worksheets and we watched the ending of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, then said auf Wiedersehen.

Students should come back next week to return any unreturned films and to check on any questions regarding grades.

Wednesday, January 28

We discussed yesterday's handout concerning Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and specifically the question what sort of conformity this anti-conformity movie is warning us against.

Afterwards, we watched the firest twenty minutes of O Brother, Where Art Thou?

HW due Thursday: Second outside-viewing essay.

Tuesday, January 27

Students took the final exam.

Mr. Potratz distributed a handout presenting different perspectives on the politics of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, after which we decided on O Brother, Where Art Thou? as the final film of the class.

HW due Wednesday: Read today's handout
HW due Thursday: Second outside viewing paper

Monday, January 26

We watched the last half hour of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, then discussed whether it is about Communism or anti-Communism (i.e., are the pod people Communists or McCarthyites?).

Final exam tomorrow
(See Friday's entry.)

Friday, January 23

Mr. Potratz announced that the final examination will be on Tuesday (January 27), that it will consist of four or five clips from films (some of which we have seen), each played twice, which students will be required to analyze in terms of specific filmic elements. Those elements will be the same (camera, lighting, etc.) as those analyzed in the second outside viewing essay (due Thursday, January 29), and preparation for the exam should include careful rereading of the Classic Hollywood Style packet.

We watched twenty-five more minutes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Thursday, January 22

We examined the ending of Murder, My Sweet and its contrast with Farewell, My Lovely, the Raymond Chandler novel on which it was based. This happy Hollywood ending takes the film (even further) away from the noir underworld.

We then looked briefly at a more serious imposition of the forces of light on Hollywood movies, namely the Hollywood Blacklist, and watched six minutes of a documentary about that chapter in film (and U.S.) history.

Finally, we began watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Students were asked to ponder while watching the film what the real-world relevance of this film was in the 1950's and what it is today.

Wednesday, January 21

We finished watching Murder, My Sweet, then discussed it and the larger phenomenon of film noir.

Students turned in the notes they took while watching the film.

Tuesday, January 20

Mr. Potratz returned the first outside viewing essay, and distributed the assignment sheets for the second. Students who wish to improve slightly their grades on the first paper may submit corrections and return the paper with them. The procedure is outlined at the bottom of the sheet of editing marks.

We returned to watching Murder, My Sweet, with students taking notes to accompany the handout of "Characteristics of Film Noir."

Friday, January 16

Students took out their "Classical Hollywood Style" packets from early in the term, and Mr. Potratz explained that they would be the basis for both the final paper and the final examination.

Students are to review the fundamental elements of film discussed in the packet, including Camera, Lighting, Mise en scene, Film editing, and Sound. The final paper will dicuss the use of one of these elements throughout the film which the student has chosen or been assigned. The final examination will require students to discuss the use of specific elements in specific scenes which will be projected.

We briefly reviewed the plot of Murder, My Sweet, then watched several more minutes of the film, ending with Marlowe's dope dream.

Thursday, January 15

Mr. Potratz passed out a hand out listing of "Characteristics of Film Noir." Students read the piece and were instructed to take notes on a separate sheet of how those characteristics are (or are not) displayed in Murder, My Sweet. We then watched the first half-hour of the film.

Mr. Potratz announced that the second outside viewing essay, over the films students borrowed Wednesday, will be due on January 29, and that there will also be a final examination.

Wednesday, January 14
We discussed the character of Rick Blaine, as portrayed by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, then read Alistair Cooke's 1957 commentary on Bogart, "The only possible idealist" (handout).
This was followed by a very brief introduction to film noir.

Finally, students checked out outside viewing films for the second essay in film analysis.


Tuesday, January 13
We watched the final twenty minutes of Casablanca, then discussed the film, including the black and white cinematography and the Max Steiner soundtrack.

Monday, January 12

We sang the Marseillaise, reviewed the characters, and then continued watching Casablanca up to Rick and Ilsa's reconciliation.

Tuesday, January 6

We watched the first half of Casablanca.

Monday, January 5, 2009

As a preliminary to Casablanca, which we will begin watching tomorrow, Mr. Potratz reviewed the answers to most of the questions from the extra credit assignment (see below).