I. English 315
Global Cinema
Spring 2013
Professor Helen H. Roulston
English and Philosophy


FH 208/FH7B10
T 6:00-9:00/Other Times Arranged
Office FH 7BI0
Office Hours: MW 11:30-12:30
TTH 9:00-11:00 T 11:00-2:00
Office Phone: 809-4712
Home Phone: 753-6590
Please Use Answering Machine.
E-mail: hroulston@murraystate.edu

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A study of national cinema and industries outside the United States, examining significant directors and film movements. This class meets for two hours for lectures and discussion and two hours for film viewing. However, since this course is to be conducted this semester as a directed studies, there will be more flexibility in times and venues for movie watching and conferences.

III. PURPOSE: This course is designed to provide students with a global perspective by acquainting students with a variety of American and international historical, cultural, and artistic developments via viewing and analyses of numerous film genres, techniques, film makers, and actors, dating from the early periods of the cinema to the present.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES: The students should acquire expertise in viewing, analyzing, discussing, and writing about films from a global perspective in their historical, cultural, artistic, and development contexts.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE: The outline of the course will be based on chapters in the 4th edition of David A. Cook's A History of Narrative Film, which are about films of different decades, genres, and countries in a global context.

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: The course consists of lectures, movies viewed in the English 313, History of the Cinema, class, when possible, and out of class, discussions, exams, outside papers, weekly journals, and conferences when necessary. However, since this course is to be conducted this semester as a directed studies, there will be more flexibility in times and venues for movie watching and conferences.

VII. FIELD, CLINICAL, AND/OR LABORATORY EXPERIENCES: Field experiences will involve viewing and often writing about optional movies outside of class. In addition, students may use interviews with film experts as bases for their research.

VIII. RESOURCES: Copies of pertinent videos will be made available to students when needed. Posted student essays to Celluloid Historian (with special citation as a Global Cinema essays) will provide inspiration and models for other students in their writings. Students are encouraged to attend movies shown on campus, especially those connected with the Cinema International, and off campus. Numerous movie-related web sites are listed at the bottom of the syllabus.

IX. GRADING PROCEDURES: Students will do a variety of written assignments: 4 required short essays (300 words or more) on a global aspect of a particular movie viewed in and/or of class, each essay worth 10 points, for a total of 40 points
1 take-home midterm essay exam, worth 10 points
1 long essay (1000 words or more) on a particular aspect of global cinematic, worth 20 points
1 weekly journal (either on computer or in a hard-copy notebook), with detailed comments on the assigned chapters in the text book, the posted essays, the movies viewed in and/or out of class, and the class discussions, to be handed in twice during the semester, worth 10 points
At least 1 or more panel discussions during the regularly scheduled English 313, History of the Cinema, class or an extra short essay (300 words or more) in lieu of a panel discussion on a global aspect of a particular movie viewed in and/or of class, each worth 10 points
1 final essay exam, worth 10 points
The point scale for final grades is below:
A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=60-69 E=0-59 1 Panel Discussion
A=98-110 B=88-97.9 C=78-87.9 D=68-77.9 E=0-67.9 2 Panel Discussions
A=108-120 B=96-109.9 C=84-95.9 D=72-83.4 E=0-71.9 3 Panel Discussions
Students must complete all assigned work to get a course grade.
Optional rewrites or revised essays to improve the grade, writing skills, and chance of having them included in Celluloid Historian (with a special citation as Global Cinema essays). The rewrite grade will be worth 1/4 the total theme grade. Each student may write extra essays, with each one eliminating another essay with a lower grade.
Students will be encouraged to hand their works in on disk or email them, especially the revisions. After essays are suitably edited by the professor and the students, the essays, with the students' permission, will be put into HTML format and posted to the latest issue of Celluloid Historian on the professor's geocities website.

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Since this course is to be conducted this semester as a directed study, there will be more flexibility in attendance requirements and venues.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: "Cheating, plagiarism (submitting another person's material as one's own or doing work for another person which will receive academic credit) are all impermissible. This includes the use of unauthorized copying of examinations, assignments, reports or term papers, or the presentation of acknowledged material as if it were the student's own work. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the academic discipline administered by the faculty member who teaches the course in which the cheating took place." Students are also responsible for the Academic Honesty policy statement in the latest edition of the MSU Undergraduate Bulletin.

XII. TEXT AND REFERENCES: David A. Cook's A History of Narrative Film, 4th edition, Posted Student Essays on Celluloid Historian as they appear.

XIII. PREREQUISITES: English 101, 102, 104 or the equivalent.

XIV. STATEMENT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: Murray State University endorses the intent of all federal and state laws created to prohibit discrimination. Murray State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disability in employment, admissions, or the provision of services and provides, upon request, reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford individuals with disabilities equal access to participate in all programs and activities. For information regarding nondiscrimination policies contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, 270-809-3155.

English 315 is an optional course for the Film Studies Minor.


Film Studies Minor


Film Studies Minor Catalog Descriptions


Celluloid Historian 2006:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films


Celluloid Historian 2007:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films


Celluloid Historian 2008:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films


Celluloid Historian 2009:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films


Celluloid Historian 2010:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films


Celluloid Historian 2013:
Journal of Student Essays & Information on Films

Schedule of Chapters, Related Films, and Assignments

Film Analysis Guidelines

Teaching

Movie Web Sites

Maiden Alley Cinema
112 Maiden Alley Downtown Paducah between Broadway and Kentucky
Movie Line: 1-270-441-7007
Business Office: 1-270-442-7723
Email Address for Up-to-Date Movie Information: info@maidenalleycinema.com
http://www.maidenalleycinema.com
http://www.afionline.org--American Film Institute
http://www.allmovie.com--all-purpose movie reference
http://www.film.com--all-purpose movie reference
http://www.filmtreat.com
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.imdb.com (internet movie data base)--perhaps the best all-purpose movie site
http://LandmarkTheatres.com
http://moviereviews.com
http://www.mrqe.com--movie review query engine"
http://www.mrcranky.com--humorous movie reviews
http://www.reel.com
http://www.rottentomatoes.com--recent movie reviews
http://www.suntimes.com--then go to Roger Ebert's section--in-depth on selected films
http://www.siskel-ebert.com
http://www.tvguide.com
http://web3.starwave.com/showbiz/--good all-purpose site about movies
http://www.well.com/user/vertigo/cliches.html--funny stuff about film

Other Sites of Interest

http://www.allmusic.com -- all purpose reference site about music
http://www.digital.library.upenn.edu/books--on-line books, classics and other titles