Friday, December 17

Students were reminded that their second outside viewing essay, the Single Element Analysis, is due on January 5, two days after we return from winter break.

We watched the last half hour of Citizen Kane, which unravelled for us the mystery of ROSEBUD!

Students recorded 6-10 images from the film which impressed themselves most vividly on their minds.

Thursday, December 16

We watched ninety more minutes of Citizen Kane.

HW due Wednesday, January 5:
Second Outside Viewing Essay (Single Element analysis).

Wednesday, December 15

From the documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane we watched ten minutes about Orson Welles's famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast, then the first forty minutes of Citizen Kane.

HW due January 5:
Single Element analysis essays.

Tuesday, December 14

Students checked out films for the second Outside Viewing essay.

We watched the end of The Jazz Singer, which included Jolson's over the top schmalz singing the Kol Nidre as his father dies, and then belting out Mammy! as his mother cries.

Mr. P introduced Citizen Kane.

Monday, December 13

Students received the assignment sheet for the second Outside Viewing Paper. Whereas the first paper was an analysis of several elements of filmcraft in a single scene, this assignment calls for a study of a single element (be it cinematography, lighting, film editing, sound editing, or mise en scene) throughout the chosen film. Due Wednesday, January 5. Films will be distributed Tuesday (tomorrow).

We watched several more minutes of Hollywoodism, which portrayed the Hollywood version of the American dream in the studio era (30's - 50's) as the recasting of the Jewish dream of assimilation and success as the dream of all outsiders, and focused on the Jewish embrace of Black music and culture. Afterwards we watched brief snippets from The Jazz Singer, unusual in being an explicitly Jewish treatment of these themes.

Friday, December 10

We reviewed what students learned yesterday in the documentary about Chaplin's film The Great Dictator about anti-semitism and Hollywood, after which we watched the beginning of another documentary: Hollywoodism: Jews, Hollywood, and the American Dream.

Thursday, December 9

We concluded our discussion of the final scene of City Lights -- with Mr. P reporting on the class consensus as displayed by yesterday's in-class composition -- and then watched the first half hour of a documentary about Chaplin's great parody of Adolf Hitler, The Great Dictator.

Wednesday, December 8

We watched, then rewatched, the famous final scene of City Lights. Students then spent ten minutes writing a detailed description of what happens in the scene, followed by a brief prediction of what is likely to happen next. Students volunteered to read their papers, and some turned out to have even taken the assignment seriously! Different views surfaced of whether the ending of the film is a "happily ever after" ending or not.

Mr. P then distributed a handout with a compilation of critical comments on the scene over the years.

HW due Thursday:
Read the handout.

Tuesday, December 7

We finished watching City Lights.

Friday, December 3

Students received their first outside viewing essays back with comments and grades; anyone who wishes to improve his orher grade can use the No Excuses Conventions sheet and the sheet of Proofreading and Editing Marks and correct errors and turn corrections and essays back in. to Mr. P on Tuesday.

We watched the first twenty-five minutes of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights.

Thursday, December 2

Students took a test over the Hays Code and pre-Code films, with both short answer and essay questions. Afterwards we watched a few minutes of pre-Code eye candy (the beginning of Golddiggers of 1933).

Wednesday, December 1

Students took notes while we watched Complicated Women, a documentary about depictions of women in pre-Code movies.

HW due Thursday:
Quiz over the Hays Code and pre-Code films. The two handouts (see Documents page) and the two films (Baby Face and Complicated Women).