Sunday, January 29, 2012

Indiewood in the 1990s

A. Entrance Card:


Based on the reading, explain Fordism and post-Fordism in relation to independent and Indiewood film. On the back of your card, write down terminology you're unfamiliar with.
 
Discuss in Groups.


List events from 1990s. 


B. The Official Story Discussion


C. Postmodernism? 


See Wiki


C. Exploration of 1990s US Indie/Indiewood Films 


From Syllabus:


1990s Film, History, and Culture in the Americas

1/ 2 U.S. Indiewood Films of the 1990s: 


clips from Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash, 1991), 


Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994), 


Welcome to the Dollhouse (Todd Solondz, 1996), 


Eve’s Bayou (Kasi Lemmons, 1997) Entrance Card.


Film Screening: Paris is Burning (Jennie Livingston, 1990)


Assignment: Read course packet articles on 1990s Canadian cinema for next week and prepare for entrance card.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Latin American Film of the 1980s

A. Entrance Card:


Explain and discuss the chapter you read on The Official Story, The Lion's Den, or The Clandestine Nation in as much detail as possible. What do you remember about the chapter you read? What stands out in the reading of the film of focus of the chapter? What did you learn about the cultural and historical context for the film? etc.


B. Go over syllabus and discuss paper I assignment (draft due on February 22).


C. In groups by chapter, discuss your entrance card and come up with an overview of the chapter to share with your peers. Share and discuss with the rest of the class and turn in your entrance cards.


D. Latin American Cinema in the 1980s: See wiki page for information about 
history of the region, filmic history, and individual films.


E. Assignment: Read introduction to Indiewood, USA and packet reading from American Independent Film for next week and
prepare for EC.



From Calendar:


25/26 Latin American Film History. Latin American films from the 1980s: clips from Time For Revenge (Adolfo Aristarain, 1981), The Lion’s Den (Franciso J. Lombardi, 1988), Plaff (Cuba, Juan Carlos Tabio, 1988), and The Clandestine Nation (Jorge Sanjines 1989) Entrance Card.
Film Screening: The Official Story (Luis Puenzo, 1985)
Assignment: Read introduction to Indiewood, USA and packet reading from American Independent Film for next week and
prepare for EC.

February

1990s Film, History, and Culture in the Americas
1/ 2 U.S. Indiewood Films of the 1990s: clips from Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash, 1991), Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994), Welcome to the Dollhouse (Todd Solondz, 1996), Eve’s Bayou(Kasi Lemmons, 1997) Entrance Card.
Film Screening: Paris is Burning (Jennie Livingston, 1990)
Assignment: Read course packet articles on 1990s Canadian cinema for next week and prepare for entrance card.

8/9 Canadian Films of the 1990s: clips from Pump up the Volume (Allan Moyle, 1990), Black Robe(Sandy Wilson, 1991), Crash (1996, David Cronenberg), and The Sweet Hereafter (Atom Egoyan, 1997)
Film Screening: Fire (Deepa Mehta, 1996) Entrance Card.
Assignment: Read “The Beginning and the End” and “Foreign Land” in Cinema of Latin America for next week and prepare
for EC

15/16 Latin American Films of the 1990s: clips from Like Water for Chocolate (Mexico, Alfonso Arau, 1992), Strawberry and Chocolate (Cuba, Tomas Gutlerrez and Carlos Tabio, 1993),The Beginning and the End (Mexico, Arturo Ripstein, 1993), and Foreign Land (Brazil, Walter Salles and Daniella Thomas, 1996)
Film Screening: Cronos (Guillermo del Toro, 1993) Entrance Card.
Assignment: Read chapter 11, Film Art and chapter 4, Indiewood USA. Complete draft of paper I for next week.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Denys Arcand and 1980s Canadian Cinema

Note: Pass out Packets and Discuss syllabus

A. Entrance Card:

Describe one of the Movements discussed in detail in the chapter. Include examples to illustrate your explanation of the film movement.

B. Group "Quiz" on chapter 12 and Discussion

C. Canadian Film of the 1980s: the Quebec Auteur (see Wiki Page)

From Syllabus:

Film History overview (from U.S. to world and other Americas). Canadian Independent Films of the 1980s: 


clips from Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983), Strange Brew (1983), (Denys Arcand, 1986), and I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (Patricia Rozene, 1987) 


Entrance Card.


Assignment: Read introduction and one of the film chapters in The Cinema of Latin America and one of the packet readings from Bordwell and Thompson and prepare for EC.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Film of the Americas, 1980-Present: American Indies of 1980s, 1/12/11

A. Introductions:

1. Fill out cards: name, email, phone number, last film/favorite film, something unique about yourself.

2. Share information on cards with neighbor and introduce each other (interview further, too)

B. Film Art Review:

1. Discuss Film Form information on Wiki page to remind us of idea of film as a system.

2. In pairs or groups of three, discuss one chapter of Film Art in relation to handout from powerpoint on our class wiki. What is the most important information here to be shared? How might you apply it to a film you're familiar with.

3. Share your information with the rest of the class in conjunction with the powerpoint on the class wiki.

C. Independent American Film of the 1980s: Wiki Page information and trailers.

1. What do we know about the 1980s? What was the political, cultural, historical context for the period?

2. What were films like in the 1980s? Any favorite films?

3. Discuss definitions of indy films from Geoff King and view clips to discuss how the films fit his definition.

D. Read chapter 12, Film Art and sections of Cinema of Canada for next week and prepare for an Entrance Card.