Wednesday, June 17

We watched the end of The Shop Around the Corner and the beginning of Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory.

Tuesday, June 16

We resumed watching The Shop Around the Corner, stopping with ten minutes remaining to visit briefly with Nikky Ye before her return to China.

Monday, June 15

We watched the first 49 ninutes of Ernst Lubitsch's immaculate confection The Shop Around the Corner.

Friday, June 12

We discussed Bonnie and Clyde, its mixture of comedy with violence and tragedy, its harsh collision of fantasy with reality, and its ambivalent treatment of the the major characters.

We also talked about what to watch next, in the absence of seniors.

Thursday, June 11

We finished watching Bonnie and Clyde, then re-viewed the famous balletic, violent death scene, comparing it with the Odessa steps scene in Battleship Potemkin.

Tuesday, June 9

We continued our close reading of Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby.

Monday, June 8

Mr. Potratz returned the Single Element Analysis essays.

We looked at some photos of the real-life Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrows, then watched the first forty minutes of Bonnie and Clyde.

On Wednesday:
Final exam.

Friday, June 5

Classic American "noir" style of the 1940's in forms other than cinema was illustrated with projections of paintings by Edward Hopper and George Bellows and of photographs by Weegee (Arthur Fellig).

Thursday, June 4

Students turned in their film noir websearch worksheets.

We discussed The Killers and in what ways it demonstrates the characteristics of film noir, particularly with reference to hats.

Wednesday, June 3

We watched the conclusion of The Killers.

HW due Thursday:
Film noir websearch

Tuesday, June 2

Students received a new handout, which they may use as one of their sources for the websearch assignment due Thursday, on "Characteristics of Film Noir." We went over this handout together, and students were asked to keep it in mind while watching The Killers and to determine whether that film conforms to the handout's criteria for noir.

We then watched another forty-five minutes of the movie.

HW due Thursday: Film noir worksheet.

Monday, June 1

Students turned in their Single Element Essays.

Students received a new handout, an assignment involving a websearch into film noir. Mr. Potratz supplied information for some of the questions, and then we proceded to watch another half-hour of The Killers (1946).

HW due Thursday:
Film noir worksheet.