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Film, Media and Contemporary Cultures

Film Studies (Credit Plus) (10 credit points)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Cinema is rightly called the Seventh Art and this course focuses on films as artistic constructs and cultural manifestations, reflecting social and political concerns such as national or gender identity. Some common critical approaches to film studies and the relationship between film and other fields screening the past, literary adaptation, are also examined. As one of the ‘Plus’ courses for credit students, the course offers guidance on study skills and practice in essay writing.

Course Details

Content of Course

In addition to subject-based study and analysis, 'plus' courses cover essay writing skills, note-taking, effective reading, time-management, working with others and research skills.

1. Film as Art; screening of Pierrot le Fou (1965, Jean-Luc Godard, 110 mins). Study skills: note taking; a framework for film analysis.

2. Narrative and film style; Classical Hollywood / art cinema. Study skills: glossary for film analysis.

3. Critical reception: the best film ever made? Screening of Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles, 119 mins). Study skills: critical analysis.

4. Authorship, from the pen-camera to the death of the author. Case study: the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. Study skills: undersatnding essay questions.

5. Film and Reality: Documentary;.Realism in film. Study skills: researching your essay.

6. Interrogating the past:  (Lacombe Lucien, 1974, Louis Malle); The Battle of Algiers (Pontecorvo, 1966), Postcolonial cinema ( Chocolat,1988, Claire Denis). Study skills: planning your essay.

7. National cinema, case study: Scottish cinema. Study skills: referencing your essay.

8. Screening of Fight Club (1999, David Fincher, 139 mins). Study skills: writing on film.

9. Film, gender and postmodernism. Study skills: good academic practice.

10. Revision and getting started on your essay.

Teaching method(s)

Lecture-based with film excerpts, analysis and extensive group discussion. Time allocated for study skills, practice essay writing and feedback.

Learning outcomes

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

  • Understand the development of film as an art form;

  • Define and critically analyse aspects of film style and narrative techniques;

  • Identify a number of key dates, trends and concepts in the history and study of film;

  • Discuss some theoretical issues in relation to film as a medium and an artefact.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

Relevant chapters in the following:

  • Bordwell, D. and Thompson, K., 2008. Film Art: an Introduction. N.Y.: McGraw-Hill.

  • Buckland, W., 2010. Understand Film Studies. London: Teach Yourself Publishing.

  • Cook, P., Bernink, M., eds. 1999. The Cinema Book, London: British Film Institute.

  • Doughty, R., and Shaw, D., 2008. Film: The Essential Study Guide. London: Routledge.

  • Monaco, J., 2009. How to Read a Film: Movies, Media and Beyond. Oxford University Press.

Recommended:

  • Bresson, R., 1986 . Notes on the cinematographe. London: Quartet Books.

  • Caughie, J. (ed.), 1981. Theories of Authorship: A Reader. London: British Film Institute.

  • Hill, J. & Church Gibson, P., 2000. Film Studies: Critical Approaches. UK: Oxford University Press.

  • Mulvey, L.,(first published 1975). “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Film Theory and Criticism Introductory Readings. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. Oxford University Press, 1999: 833-44.

  • Nowell-Smith G., 1996. The Oxford History of World Cinema. UK: Oxford University Press.

Web Sources

The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com

British Film Institute: http://www.bfi.org.uk

Senses of Cinema online journal: http://sensesofcinema.com

Class Handouts

Weekly 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 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.