The Sound of Film (10 credit points)

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No prior knowledge required.

Content of Course

1. Introduction: Film As A Sound Art

A general introduction to the study of film sound, giving an overview of recent interventions on the subject and looking forward to the following classes.

2. Early Sound Theory: Sound Before Sound

An insight into some of the key works of pre-sound and early sound cinema. Works to be discussed include pieces by Bela Balazs, Siegfried Kracauer, Rene Clair and Rudolf Arnheim. We will also look in detail at the classic Statement on Sound by Eisenstein, Pudovkin and Alexandrov.

3. Learning to Talk: Lubitsch, Clair, Mamoulian

This class will disuss the early sound films of the above filmmakers - in partiular Clair's Sous les toits de Paris (1931) and Mamoulian's Applause (1929).

4. The Golden Age of Hollywood Film Music: Steiner, Waxman, Rosza

Discussion of the role and function of music during the Classic Hollywood era, in particular the work of the above three composers.

5. Hermann / Hitchcock

Discussion of one of the key director-composer collaborations, with particular reference to Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960).

6. Bresson and Tarkovsky: Sound Theory and Practice

Discussion of both the influential theory and practice of two of the greatest European filmmakers. Texts to be studied include Bresson's Notes on the Cinematographer and Tarkovsky's Sculpting in Time illustrated by clips from the directors' films.

7. Two Great Collaborations: Leone/Morricone and Lynch/Badalamenti

After the discussion of Hermann/Hitchcock, this class will further probe the director-composer relationship with two very different cases. Films to be discussed include Leone's Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) and Lynch's Blue Velvet (1986).

8. Sounds of War: Coppola, Klimov, Malick

Discussion of the use of complex, layered soundscapes in three war films: Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979), Klimov's Come and See (1985) and Malick's The Thin Red Line (1998).

9. Celluloid Jukebox: Scorsese, Tarantino, Wes Anderson

Discussion of the use of popular music in film, from Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973) to Tarantino's Jackie Brown (1997) to Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

10. Musicians on Film: Bound For Glory and I'm Not There

Discussion of musical biopics, with particular reference to two films which explore the life and music the Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

11. Unseen assessment and credit essay workshop.

Teaching method(s)

Lecture based with class discussion.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand the importance of sound and music in the cinema from as early as the pre-sound era (1894 - 1926);

• Understand and appreciate the importance certain directors, no matter how aesthetically diverse, place on sound and music;

• Understand the role of film composer in the film-making process through study of key director-composer collaborations.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

• Weis E. and Belton R. (eds), 1985. Film Sound: Theory and Practice. New York: Columbia University Press.

• Chion, M., 1997. Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. New York: Columbia University Press.

• Chion, M., 1994. The Voice in Cinema. New York: Columbia University Press.

• Bresson, R., 1997. Notes on the Cinematographer. Los Angeles: Green Integer.

Recommended:

• Romney J and Wooton A, 1995. Celluloid Jukebox. London: BFI Publishing.

• Truffaut F, 1985. Hitchcock/Truffaut. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Filmography:

• Under the Roofs of Paris (Clair 1931)

• Applause (Mamoulian 1929)

• King Kong (Cooper/Schoedsack 1933)

• Vertigo (Hitchcock 1958)

• A Man Escaped (Bresson 1956)

• Ivan's Childhood (Tarkovsky 1962)

• Once Upon A Time in the West (Leone 1968)

• Blue Velvet (Lynch 1986)

• Apocalypse Now (Coppola 1979)

• Come and See (Klimov 1985)

• The Thin Red Line (Malick 1998)

• Mean Streets (Scorsese 1973)

• Jackie Brown (Tarantino 1997)

• The Darjeeling Limited (Anderson 2007)

• Bound For Glory (Ashby 1976)

• I'm Not There (Haynes 2007)

Web Sources

www.sensesofcinema.com

www.filmsound.org

www.imdb.com

www.bfi.org.uk

Class Handouts

Handouts will be provided.

Assessments

10 credit courses have one assessment. Normally, the assessment is a 2000 word essay, worth 100% of the total mark, submitted by week 12. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 40%. There are a small number of exceptions to this model which are identified in the Studying for Credit Guide.

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.