Film Studies Courses
Please note: The course descriptions displayed here are current as of Wednesday, May 16th 2012, but the official Course Catalog should be used for all official planning.
FIST 100
Introduction to Film Studies
This course provides students with a basic introduction to the vocabulary of film studies and an overview of historical, analytical, and theoretical approaches to film. Students will begin to develop the critical means for engaging with the filmic medium in discussion and writing. These aims will be met through a diverse selection of films rooted in different cultures, times, and ideologies. Units: 6.
FIST 177
Introduction to German Film (in English)
With its pivotal role in the inaugurationof the cinema, knowledge of German film is critical to an understanding of the history of film. Considered as one of the most accessible aesthetic forms, the moving image pervades our everyday lives, and yet we seldom think of what we do as "reading" films. Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the practice of reading German films using three structuring lenses: 1) film and cultural history, 2) formal and generic elements, and 3) film criticism. Units: 6.
Also listed as German 177
FIST 191
Directed Study in Film Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 200
Introduction to Film Theory and Criticism
What is the language of film? What is the relationship between spectator and screen? What is the role of film as mass and global phenomena? This course explores basic issues in film theory and criticism that may include auteur theory, genre criticism, apparatus theory, stardom, feminist and queer film theories. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: One of FIST 100, FREN 302, FREN 411, GER 177, GER 277, GER 357, GER 411, SPAN 330; or consent of instructor.
FIST 240
Digital Processes
An introduction to the digital medium focusing on its capacity to convey artistic concepts through the interactive and multimedia capabilities of the Mac computer. Digital photography, inkjet printing, video, and web-based projects are covered. The evolution of technology, new media theory, contemporary art discourse, and visual culture are explored through lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments. Units: 6.
Also listed as Studio Art 240
Prerequisite: ART 100 or ART 110
FIST 245
Interarts: New Media Projects
The digital medium will be used to explore the relationship between art and knowledge. Lectures, discussions, readings and critiques will investigate contemporary art practices and interdisciplinarity. Conceptual-development, planning and production will be covered as students work individually or collaboratively on video, performance, installation and web projects. Units: 6.
Also listed as Studio Art 245
Prerequisite: ART 100 or ART 110, or consent of instructor
FIST 260
The Art of Film
A study of the narrative and visual techniques in films selected from masterpieces of modern cinema. Readings in film history, film theory, and film aesthetics along with viewings of approximately ten movies from various periods and countries, by directors such as Eisenstein, Wells, Fellini, Kurasawa, and Truffaut. Units: 6.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
FIST 270
Post-Soviet Film (in English)
This course will focus on the works of seminal filmakers in the post-Soviet period. Through the prism of post-Soviet films students will be introduced to contemporary Russian culture and to the issues explored within these cinematic narratives: national identity, gender relations, role of the arts in a post-Soviet society, and the re-examination of Russia's historical and cultural past. Taught in English. Units: 6.
Also listed as Russian 270
FIST 277
Introduction to German Film Studies
With its pivotal role in the inauguration of the cinema, knowledge of German film is critical to any understanding of the history of film. This course is intended to be an introduction both to German cinema and to the discipline of film studies. Considered perhaps as one of the most accessible aesthetic forms, the moving image pervades our everyday lives and yet we seldom think of what we do in the movie theatre as “reading.” Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the practice of reading the filmic text using three structuring lenses: 1) history, 2) formal and generic elements, and 3) film criticism. Units: 6.
Also listed as German 277
Prerequisite: GER 202 or consent of instructor
FIST 287
Russian Through Film
This course will examine topics in Russian film. Topics may include specific generes (e.g. the sad comedy), the work of a director or tradition, films important for a specific historical moment (e.g. the Thaw or World War Two), or films devoted to a specific theme. Students will expand their Russian vocabulary, improve fluency, increase speaking confidence and gain cultural knowledge by viewing Russian films and analyzing the psychology of the characters. Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the practice of reading the filmic text using three structuring lenses: 1) history, 2) formal and generic elements, and 3) film criticism. Units: 6.
Also listed as Russian 287
Prerequisite: RUSS 250 or consent of instructor
FIST 300
Reel Men: Masculinity in American Film, 1945-2000
Focusing on an array of well-known American films — “The Maltese Falcon,” “Red River,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” “Chinatown,” “Die Hard,” and “American Beauty” among them — the course will integrate film theory, gender theory, and American history to address the problem of how masculinity has been constructed in American culture since World War II. Not open to students who have previously received, or need to receive, credit for HIST 400. (NA)
Units: 6.
Also listed as History 300, Gender Studies 323
Prerequisite: Sophomore level or above.
FIST 302
Cinematically Speaking
French films function as a springboard for readings, discussions, oral presentations, and short critical essays. We will briefly examine the history of French film from 1940 to the present, study cinematic techniques, the vocabulary of cinema, and explore the principal themes. Units: 6.
Also listed as French 302
Prerequisite: FREN 202 or consent of instructor
FIST 305
Film as History and History as Film
An examination, through selected films, of specific moments in European history and an examination of film itself as a source of historical interpretation. Possible “historical moments” include Medieval England, Nazi Germany, and the Holocaust, and possible films include Becket, The Triumph of the Will, and Schindler’s List. Units: 6.
Also listed as History 305
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
FIST 309
Hollywood Goes to High School
Year after year, Hollywood turns out movies that are set in schools and present images of teachers and teens. Many of these films address typical coming-of-age issues, societal fear of teen crime and delinquency and, of course, the search for romance. A subset of these films provide powerful and culturally enduring images of teachers and teaching. High school movies also provide ingisht into the fantasies, anxieties, dreams, and assumptions prevalent in American culture. This course will examine the world and worldview found in Hollywood high school movies and the extent to which the stories they tell make us who we are. Units: 6.
Also listed as Education Studies 309
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
FIST 320
Topics in Russian Film (in English)
This course explores facets of the development of Russian film in its historical and cultural context. Topics may include: “The Golden Age of Soviet Film,” “The Cinema of Tarkovsky,” and “Film as Propaganda.” Taught in English. Russian majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in Russian. Units: 6.
Also listed as Russian 320
FIST 324
Gender and Cinema
This course examines gender and film in an international context. Topics include the construction of femininity and masculinity in film, feminist and queer film theories, analysis of film using intersectional and formal approaches, women behind the camera, and gender and genre. Units: 6.
Also listed as Gender Studies 324
Prerequisite: FIST 100, GEST 100, the equivalent, or consent of instructor
FIST 330
Introduction to Film
A bridge between intermediate and advanced courses. Intensive discussion, reading, and writing practice using films from a variety of genres (documentaries and feature films, including film adaptations of stories, novels, and plays in Spanish). Emphasis on the analysis of film components and structure and, where relevant, on the interconnections between literary texts and film. Not open to native speakers of Spanish. Units: 6.
Also listed as Spanish 330, Theatre Arts 352
Prerequisite: SPAN 202, its equivalent, or consent of the instructor; not open to native speakers of Spanish.
FIST 340
Intermediate Digital Processes
A continuation of Art 240 or 245 with an emphasis on the production of individual projects through the use of digital tools. The Mac computer and software are used as an extension of existing art forms such as photography, filmmaking, and book publishing. Lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments focus around the exploration of new media theory and contemporary art issues. Units: 6.
Also listed as Studio Art 340
Prerequisite: ART 240 or ART 245
FIST 350
Modern Chinese Literature and Cinema in Translation
A survey of 20th-century Chinese fiction and cinema. Iconoclastic works of modern Chinese vernacular fiction from 1919 through the post-Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) will be juxtaposed alongside films dealing with the same period, such as Red Sorghum (1987) and Farewell, My Concubine (1992) made by the so-called Fifth Generation of film directors (born after 1949, when the People’s Republic was founded). Class conducted in English. No knowledge of Chinese required. Units: 6.
Also listed as Chinese and Japanese 350, East Asian Studies 350
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing; EAST 150 recommended
FIST 352 Topic for Spring 2012: The Film Music Score in the Hollywood Studio System
The Film Music Score in the Holywood Studio System
Intermediate studies in music analysis, focusing on a particular analytic technique, critical approach, or repertory, such as text/music relations, Renaissance counterpoint, music and film, and non-western music. Topics vary from year to year. Course may be repeated with consent of instructor.
This course will examine the development of the dramatic film score produced by the major Hollywood film studios from 1928 to 1959. Through aural and written analysis of selected film scores, as well as engagement with primary and secondary source readings, the course will explore the changing role of musical underscore in its formative years. Films to be studied include /Anthony Adverse/ (1936), /The Maltese Falcon/ (1941), and /The Best Years of Our Lives/ (1946).
Also listed as Music Theory 350
Prerequisite: MUTH 301
FIST 357 Topic for Spring 2011: Films of East Germany-Cinema and the Socialist State
Film in Germany (In English)
This course selects from 90 years of filmmaking in Germany. Films range from expressionism to Nazi propaganda and from escapist comedies to avant garde art. Learning to “read” German films critically also means finding out how to understand movies from Hollywood and beyond. Possible topics include “From Caligari to Hitler,” “German Literature as Film,” and “What Makes Lola Run.” Taught in English. German majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in German.
Rising from the ashes of the famous Ufa studios in Berlin, the East German DEFA company created films to both entertain the citizens and to supply proper political messages in the interests of the socialist state. The course explores films spanning the 45-year history of DEFA (1946-92) in political, social, and economic context. Taught in English.
Also listed as German 357, Theatre Arts 351
FIST 361
Vanpires, Monsters, and Man-Eaters (In English)
This course seeks to reveal the ways in which the question of monstrous difference is articulated in a variety of German “texts.” Its main goal is to examine the ways that representations of monstrousness are employed to stage complex public and private anxieties as well as to provide an expression of rebellion against various systems of hierarchy. Featured in the works of canonized authors as well as within the realm of popular culture, the representational functions of the monster can provide valuable insight into numerous aspects of German history and psychosexual relations. Units: 6.
Also listed as Gender Studies 361, German 361
FIST 362
Vampires, Monsters, and Man-Eaters
This course seeks to reveal the ways in which the question of monstrous difference is articulated in a variety of German “texts.” Its main goal is to examine the ways that representations of monstrousness are employed to stage complex public and private anxieties as well as to provide an expression of rebellion against various systems of hierarchy. Featured in the works of canonized authors as well as within the realm of popular culture, the representational functions of the monster can provide valuable insight into numerous aspects of German history and psychosexual relations. Units: 6.
Also listed as Gender Studies 362, German 362
Prerequisite: GER 312
FIST 390
Tutorial in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 391
Directed Study in Film Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 399
Independent Study in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 400
Reel Men: Masculinity in American FIlm, 1945-2000
At the upper level, the course will serve as a history seminar in preparation for the history department's capstone course. Those taking it at that level will be required to write at least one paper addressing film or gender theory and to write a 10-15 page research prospectus. Not open to students who have previously received credit for HIST 300.
Units: 6.
Also listed as History 400, Gender Studies 423
Prerequisite: Junior standing or above
FIST 411
Fascism and Film
This course lets students examine films that were ostensibly made as entertainment or explicitly crafted as propaganda in the historical context of Nazi Germany and occupied France. Aside from learning how governments and their cinematic agents used this relatively new medium to shape public opinion (in support of the war, against Jews, etc.), students will see where and how resistance was possible. Units: 6.
Also listed as French 411
Prerequisite: One course in French at the 300 level or consent of instructor
FIST 412
Fascism and Film (In English)
This course lets students examine films that were ostensibly made as entertainment or explicitly crafted as propaganda in the historical context of Nazi Germany and occupied France. Aside from learning how governments and their cinematic agents used this relatively new medium to shape public opinion (in support of the war, against Jews, etc.) students will see where and how resistance was possible. Units: 6.
Also listed as German 411
FIST 418 Topic for Spring 2012: Documentary Film
Topics in Film Studies
Topics in Film Studies allows for an in depth examination of topics across time, for example, the work of women directors, or it permits a detailed analysis of special topics, for example, Turkish-German or Central European film.
This course examines the stylistic and development of documentary cinema over the past 120 years. Main issues under consideration include: the power relationships and ethical concern that accompany documentary representation, information versus manipulation, film as an instrument of science and/or social change, and the definition of the term “documentary” itself.
FIST 419
Korean Modern History through Literature and Film
Using fiction, feature films, and historical texts, this course provides an in-depth introduction to modern Korean history, from the end of the Chŏsun dynasty in 1910 to contemporary North and South Korea. Students will gain an understanding of Korea’s colonial experience, civil war, dictatorships, development, democratization, and gender politics. Units: 6.
Also listed as East Asian Studies 418
Prerequisite: EAST 150 or consent of instructor
FIST 422
Borrowed Music in the Movies
When a film uses a pre-existing piece of music (popular or classical), meanings multiply, both within and outside the film itself. This course will explore these meanings, focusing on the fluid and reciprocal relationship between film and the music it borrows. Units: 6.
Also listed as Music History 422
Prerequisite: MUHI 201 and MUHI 202
FIST 447
The Literature and Culture of Ethnic Minorities in Germany
Despite a long-term refusal to open itself to immigration, Germany has become a nation of immigrants and asylum-seekers. The course focuses on how both literature and films, including works by and about minorities in Germany, have dealt with key cultural phenomena: multiculturalism, diversity, acculturation, assimilation, “majority culture,” and parallel societies. Units: 6.
Also listed as German 447, Ethnic Studies 382
Prerequisite: GER 312 or consent of the instructor
FIST 464
Francophone Literature and Screen Adaptations
Focusing on the works of writers and filmmakers such as Sembene Ousmane, Joseph Zobel, Aimé Césaire, D.T. Niane, Dani Kouyate, Euzhan Palcy and Raoul Peck the course examines the interface between the literary and filmic media in raising consciousness about societal challenges, nationhood, power and identity. It also analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each medium in accomplishing these objectives. Units: 6.
Also listed as French 464
Prerequisite: 300-level French course or consent of instructor
FIST 470
American Indians on Film
The course examines the ways in which American Indians have been depicted on film. Ethnographic, documentary, and feature films are examined and compared to understand how film has shaped our image of American Indians. Units: 6.
Also listed as Anthropology 470, Ethnic Studies 430
Prerequisite: ANTH 350 or consent of instructor
FIST 540
Advanced Digital Processes
A continuation of Art 340. Advanced work in digital techniques and contemporary art theory. Discussions, readings and projects focus around art issues and conceptual exploration. Project planning and implementation are emphasized as students work toward producing a self-designed project with a developed artist statement. Units: 6.
Also listed as Studio Art 540
Prerequisite: ART 340 and consent of instructor
FIST 590
Tutorial in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 591
Directed Study in Film Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 599
Independent Study in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 690
Tutorial in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 691
Directed Study in Film Studies
Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
FIST 699
Independent Study in Film Studies
Units: Variable.
Prerequisite: Counter Registration Required.
