Dr. Kim Neuendorf
COM 221
Introduction to Film

Cleveland State University


Fall 2006

Welcome to the COM 221 Website!

 

Updated 12/12/06

 

 

Midterm Scores available here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, online sources do say that this book is being adapted for the big screen in narrative form, to be directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects), at least the third director to begin preproduction on this property (others have included Oliver Stone and Gus Van Sant). No word yet on who will star.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is this man, and why is he smiling?

(Answer: Isao Takahata, creator of the "saddest movie ever," Grave of the Fireflies (1988). . . he says he's glad he is able to make so many people in the world happy (!).

 

Assignment Handouts:

1.  Syllabus

2.  Extra Credit Paper Description

3. Viewing Logs (for required AND extra credit viewing)  

     Approved Film List (9/6/06)

     Additional Approved Film List (11/2/06)

     Viewing Logs:
     Category 1:  Expressionism in Film
     Category 2:  The Film Auteur
     Category 3:  International Films
     Category 4:  African-American and Female Images
     Category 5:  Genre Films
     Category 6:  Cult and Indie Films
     Category 7:  Film Theory Applications

 

  

 

 

 

Class Outlines:
 

1. Auteur Theory;

"Film As"--a Brief History and Overview

pp. 1-7

2. Current Issues; Language & Technique of Filmmaking  

pp. 8-16 

3. Visual Special Effects; The Film Crew Roundup; Avant Garde Film 

pp. 17-21 

 4. Documentary Film; Genre Theory; The Hollywood Studio System

pp. 22-37 

5. Film Analysis; Film Movements (German Expressionism, New German Cinema, Italian Neorealism, French New Wave), "Third Cinema," Bollywood

pp. 38-46 

6. Rise of Indies in America; Social Role Images in Film; Animation

pp. 47-53

  

 

Michel Gondry's latest mind-bender. . . The Science of Sleep, at the Cedar-Lee Theater

 

Readings (in addition to the textbook):

FOR THE MIDTERM:

1. "In the Blink of an Eye" from CMA (Cleveland Museum of Art) Members Magazine
2. "Space is the Place (The Last Angel of History)" from afterimage
3. "Minister Takes Issue, Takes Issue with Rash of Do-overs, Do-overs" from The Plain Dealer
4. "Synthespians: Return of the Living Dead?" from Toronto Globe & Mail
5. "The Emergence of Filmic Artifacts: Cinema and Cinematography in the Digital Era"
from Film Quarterly, 2004
6. "Avant-Garde" from Understanding Movies, 4th ed., by Giannetti

FOR THE FINAL EXAM:

1. "Let the Revolution Begin" about Steven Soderbergh's film Bubble, from Time, 2006
2. "Can this Man Save the Movies? (Again?)" about digital filmmaking, from Time, 2006
3. "Playing in Virtual Reality, Earning Cold, Hard Cash" about virtual worlds (the new film?), from The Plain Dealer, 2006

OTHER READINGS (just for fun--not added soon enough to be on the final exam):

1. "Invention of the Year" about YouTube, from Time, 2006
2. "Lynch's adventure of time and place" about David Lynch's film, Inland Empire, and his conversion to digital video, from the Plain Dealer, 2006
3. "MGM puts Cruise and partner at helm of United Artists" from The Plain Dealer, 2006

 

 

 

Sample Exams:

1. Sample Midterm #1
2. Sample Midterm #2
3. Sample Final Exam #1
4. Sample Final Exam #2

 

 

 

 

 

Recommended Links:

1. The Internet Movie Database

2. The Cleveland Cinematheque

3. The American Film Institute

4. Facets (film distribution organization--good source for hard-to-find films/videos)

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