Monday, November 30
Mr. P announced that assignment sheets and films would be distributed tomorrow for the second outside reading assignment. Students will not be issued a film if they have not yet returned the first film they checked out.
In a close election, we decided to watch the Charlie Chaplin sound-era silent masterpiece City Lights before proceeding to Citizen Kane, and we watched the first 35 minutes.
Due Tuesday:
Any films still checked out to students must be returned.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 24
Students took a quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period, using their notes from watching Complicated Women and their class handouts. We graded the quizzes in class and students turned them in along with their notes.
We then watched a clip from Tarzan and His Mate (1934), a sexual/racial fantasy which was an important target of the outcry against Hollywood immorality which led to strict enforcement of the Hays Code.
Students took a quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period, using their notes from watching Complicated Women and their class handouts. We graded the quizzes in class and students turned them in along with their notes.
We then watched a clip from Tarzan and His Mate (1934), a sexual/racial fantasy which was an important target of the outcry against Hollywood immorality which led to strict enforcement of the Hays Code.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 20
We watched most of Complicated Women, a documentary film about the role and treatment of women in pre-Code Hollywood films from 1929-1934. Students took notes.
HW due Tuesday:
Quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period. Both handouts from Thursday and today's film will be covered. Student notes on the film will be turned in at the time of the quiz.
We watched most of Complicated Women, a documentary film about the role and treatment of women in pre-Code Hollywood films from 1929-1934. Students took notes.
HW due Tuesday:
Quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period. Both handouts from Thursday and today's film will be covered. Student notes on the film will be turned in at the time of the quiz.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 19
We watched parts of The Jazz Singer (1929) as a historical document in two senses: as the landmark film in launching synchronized sound in the movies, and as an examination of the Jewish experience in America, exemplifying the conflicts inherent in the process of assimilation which the Jewish studio moguls in Hollywood were themselves embarked upon.
We then looked at the anti-Jewish backlash against Hollywood in the form of the Hays Code and the reign of Joseph Breen as chief crusader against everything evil in the movies from drunkenness to sexual perversion, all sponsored by "the scum of the earth," namely Eastern European Jews.
Students received two handouts on the Hays Code, which along with the documentary film Complicated Women (to be shown Friday) will be the subject of a quiz on Tuesday.
HW due Tuesday:
Quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period.
We watched parts of The Jazz Singer (1929) as a historical document in two senses: as the landmark film in launching synchronized sound in the movies, and as an examination of the Jewish experience in America, exemplifying the conflicts inherent in the process of assimilation which the Jewish studio moguls in Hollywood were themselves embarked upon.
We then looked at the anti-Jewish backlash against Hollywood in the form of the Hays Code and the reign of Joseph Breen as chief crusader against everything evil in the movies from drunkenness to sexual perversion, all sponsored by "the scum of the earth," namely Eastern European Jews.
Students received two handouts on the Hays Code, which along with the documentary film Complicated Women (to be shown Friday) will be the subject of a quiz on Tuesday.
HW due Tuesday:
Quiz over the Hays Code and the pre-Code period.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday, November 18
We watched and afterwards discussed the beginning of a documentary on "The Physical History of M" which chronicled not only the different versions and editions of the film but its treatment by the National Socialists under Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. An excerpt from Der Ewige Jude in the documentary showed how "the Jew Lorre" promoted compassion for pathological criminals.
Students took notes and turned them in.
We watched and afterwards discussed the beginning of a documentary on "The Physical History of M" which chronicled not only the different versions and editions of the film but its treatment by the National Socialists under Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. An excerpt from Der Ewige Jude in the documentary showed how "the Jew Lorre" promoted compassion for pathological criminals.
Students took notes and turned them in.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, November 17
We finished watching the Paul Falkenberg lecture and discussed some of the themes presented in it. We then watched the beginning of an interview with the son of Seymour Nebenzal, the producer of M, and then part of an interview with director Fritz Lang.
Students turned in their notes.
We finished watching the Paul Falkenberg lecture and discussed some of the themes presented in it. We then watched the beginning of an interview with the son of Seymour Nebenzal, the producer of M, and then part of an interview with director Fritz Lang.
Students turned in their notes.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 16
We briefly continued our discussion from Friday about M, discussing among other things its relation to the horror film tradition, then watched most of an illustrated lecture by Paul Falkenberg, the film editor of M. Students took notes, which they will complete on Tuesday when we finish with the lecture.
We briefly continued our discussion from Friday about M, discussing among other things its relation to the horror film tradition, then watched most of an illustrated lecture by Paul Falkenberg, the film editor of M. Students took notes, which they will complete on Tuesday when we finish with the lecture.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday, November 13
We discussed the questions re M which students wrote about in class Thursday, especially the issues raised by the film's ending: how should we respond to monstrous acts in our midst? Should the underworld have been allowed to carry out their response? Does killing the killers the administration of justice, or does it reduce society to their level and continue the chain of violence?
We discussed the questions re M which students wrote about in class Thursday, especially the issues raised by the film's ending: how should we respond to monstrous acts in our midst? Should the underworld have been allowed to carry out their response? Does killing the killers the administration of justice, or does it reduce society to their level and continue the chain of violence?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday, November 4
Focus on Expressionism
We began by watching one more clip from Metropolis, in which the false Maria turns men to beasts with her dancing and Freder dreams of the Seven Deadly Sins -- a primer in Expressionist style.
From film we turned to painting, and illustrated references to artists in the Britannica handout --from Van Gogh to Kaethe Kollwitz -- with projected images.
HW due Thursday
Quiz over Expressionism, based on class instruction, films and clips, and the two handouts.
Focus on Expressionism
We began by watching one more clip from Metropolis, in which the false Maria turns men to beasts with her dancing and Freder dreams of the Seven Deadly Sins -- a primer in Expressionist style.
From film we turned to painting, and illustrated references to artists in the Britannica handout --from Van Gogh to Kaethe Kollwitz -- with projected images.
HW due Thursday
Quiz over Expressionism, based on class instruction, films and clips, and the two handouts.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tuesday, November 3
We returned to Freaks and re-viewed the pivotal scene where the tables are turned on Cleopatra, focusing on how the change in perspective to that of the freaks is accomplished in cinematic terms.
We also discussed further question of the film's moral center (in simple terms whether film ridicules or advocates for those who are not "normal").
We then turned (returned) to Lang's Metropolis as an important example of the German Expressionist movement in film to which Freaks is very heavily indebted. We watched two scenes of that Metropolis.
HW due Thursday:
Quiz over Expressionism; review the two handouts.
We returned to Freaks and re-viewed the pivotal scene where the tables are turned on Cleopatra, focusing on how the change in perspective to that of the freaks is accomplished in cinematic terms.
We also discussed further question of the film's moral center (in simple terms whether film ridicules or advocates for those who are not "normal").
We then turned (returned) to Lang's Metropolis as an important example of the German Expressionist movement in film to which Freaks is very heavily indebted. We watched two scenes of that Metropolis.
HW due Thursday:
Quiz over Expressionism; review the two handouts.
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