Thursday, January 31

We went to the computer lab and brushed up on Homer's Odyssey, preparing to examine possible parallels to 2001, A Space Odyssey. Students filled out a worksheet based on their internet investigations.

See "Odyssey worksheet.pdf" in Documents.

Wednesday, January 30

Mr. Potratz presented quotations from Stanley Kubrick dealing with the nonverbal nature of 2001: A Space Odyssey and with comparisons between the film and Homer's Odyssey.

Students then wrote lists of the most significant details from the first twenty minutes of the film, which we watched yesterday, and we began combining those details into a joint class list.

Tuesday, January 29

Mr. Potratz announced that the first project of the class would be to read/review parts of the Odyssey (in conjunction with the school play) and to connect it with a viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

We watched the first twenty minutes of that film.

Monday, January 28 – Beginning of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Off to a flying start! School closed on account of space aliens. Or maybe snow.

Friday, January 25 – Conclusion of Film Studies

We finished watching The Set Up (1949), then briefly looked at images of paintings by George Bellows and Edward Hopper which share the same noir aesthetic with the movie.

Then we said our adieus.

Thursday, January 24

We watched the first 49 minutes of The Set Up (1949), directed by Robert Wise, and starring Robert Ryan as Stoker Thompson, aging pugilist.

Wednesday, January 23

Final exam.