Film & Television Studies: Contemporary Cinema

Introduction to basic film history, theory, and analytical skills. An historical overview of contemporary international cinema.

FTS Majors only during the first week of registration

This course is an introduction to cinema through an investigation of the films from 1945 until the present. We will read about and discuss the aesthetic, theoretical, technological, social, and economic considerations surrounding this cinema. The primary objective of the course is to provide students with an introductory understanding of cinema from this period as well as to sharpen skills in film analysis. During the period we are studying there is a tremendous amount of social upheaval, technological changes, economic shifts, and industry changes that affect the films that are produced. We will look at some of the key cultural, technological, and industry changes that brought us to where we are today. We will also consider case studies of women in film and representation of race in film during this time period to study the evolution of ideological changes in content and form.

Throughout the course, students will sharpen their ability to analyze film form through close readings of the films that we are studying. And we will begin to identify basic theoretical concepts you may encounter and study more in depth if you take later film classes. There will be required reading as well as a film to watch every week.

In this class, we will have three exams as well as weekly quizzes and screening notes.