ARTH 200(S) Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism

Watching films and discussing them are social practices that many of us perform regularly, often without thinking about the mechanisms through which films communicate or the ways that films work to shape our interactions with them and with each other. This survey is an introduction to the concepts, methods, and theories that have come to inform the scholarly critical analysis of film and film culture. We will consider film both as an industrial art and as a cultural commodity. Using knowledge of film technique to critically engage with specific films, we will work to understand how film makes meaning within specific historical and cultural contexts and the social and political implications of those meanings. Our focus throughout the semester will be on developing students' ability to think critically with and through cinema in an intellectually responsible manner. It is assumed that developing an ability to think deeply and write critically about cinema enhances our enjoyment of it.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: attendance and participation, completing readings and screenings outside of class, written screening reports, two critical essays (5-7 pages each).
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 20 (expected: 20).

Hour: KEELING