English 110: Introduction to Film and Media



EN 391-01: Film Authors (Alfred Hitchcock)Spring 2016Kathryn (Brenna) WardellCRN 22682Office phone: (256) 765-5752T/R 2:00-3:15pm; Bibb Graves 17Office hours: M/W 1:00-4:00pm; T 3:30-4:30pmOffice location: 108 Willingham HallEmail address: kwardell@una.eduMore than the Master of Suspense: Alfred Hitchcock: Influences and InnovationsSquabbling strangers handcuffed together, a cleansing shower that turns deadly, an obsessive desire for a duplicitous blonde, and a mysterious lodger with a secret: these are just a few seminal moments from one of the 20th century’s most critically and commercially successful media creators: Alfred Hitchcock. We’ll examine the forces that shaped Hitchcock, from German Expressionist film to British theatre and crime fiction, and examine his development as a director in his British and Hollywood periods. We’ll look at directors who influenced him, such as Luis Bu?uel, and directors he influenced, from Fran?ois Truffaut and Brian De Palma to Mel Brooks. Through our consideration of Hitchcock’s texts we’ll gain a more profound understanding of his central place in contemporary culture while simultaneously tracing the development of film and film studies.Required Texts: A Hitchcock Reader (2nd edition). Edited by Marshall Deutelbaum and Leland Poague. Select PDFs will also be required (see Canvas). A notebook for screening notes, in-class exercises, and other work. Resources: You can access a number of films online/in DVD form through the Collier Library website. Hit the “Streaming Media” link under “Other Resources” for Films on Demand and Swank Digital Campus.Canvas and Exposures: Check Canvas on a regular basis, use the discussion board weekly, and post essays here. The Exposures website is a UNA film studies resource. You can post finished work here to share with your colleagues: : You are required to attend the in-class screenings, taking notes on the texts screened in your notebook. If you are absent during a screening day, you must make arrangements to see the film/TV text at the library (where texts are on reserve) or at home. Watching texts in a classroom requires different ways of seeing (and note-taking), as you will need to pay close attention to how the events unfold on screen and why each media text takes its own specific form. Note: some texts screened in part or in full may be R-rated, as this course is developed with a mature viewing audience in mind—see me if this will be an issue for you.Evaluation: Course grades will be based on:Classroom and online participation20%Notebook w/screening notes, exercises, etc.15%Screening Report 10%Shot list and analysis20%Essay20%Presentation and write-up 15%100%Participation/notebook: Success in the course relies on your attendance and active participation. I expect you to arrive on time and prepared for each day’s work. Two late appearances = one absence; arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early = one absence. Arriving unprepared (without textbooks, assignments, etcetera) will result in your being counted absent. You are required to read the assigned material and ensure that you pose at least one discussion question/comment each week on Canvas. Post this online at our Canvas site no later than the Sunday at the end of that week (please post under the appropriate week – i.e. week 2 questions/comments under the week 2 link). You do not need to post during week one. Bring these questions/comments (and others) to class and actively engage in discussion. Make sure that you bring your notebook to class every day and that you devote a section of it to screening notes and in-class work. The screening notes should be extensive—at least one full page of notes for each film that we watch in class. I will assess the notebooks at the end of the term.Screening Report: You will write up one formal screening report using your screening notes from one of the films we watch in class. See Canvas for further details.Shot list and analysis (with thesis): You will choose a scene/sequence of 5 minutes or less from one of the films we have screened in part or in full in class (and only in class) and generate a shot list of at least 2 full pages in length. Based on your work on the shot list you will write a focused analysis of at least one full page of your chosen scene/sequence. This analysis should be driven by a thesis statement derived from the discoveries made while constructing the shot list. See Canvas for further details. Essay: You will write an essay of a minimum of 4 full pages in length in response to one of the films we have screened/will screen in full in class. The essay will be in Times New Roman 12-point font with 1-inch margins and in MLA format. You must work with at least 2 academic sources (one or more of which should be derived from our textbook), citing the sources in your essay and in your works cited page. The essay should be thesis-driven. See Canvas for further details. Extra credit (optional): Add to our Hitchcock textbook. Earn up to 4 extra credit points by locating an academic essay that would be an important addition to our current textbook. Write a 500 word abstract of the essay, encapsulating its main points and why it would be a useful addition. See Canvas for details.Presentation: You will sign up to do a short 5-minute in-class individual presentation on one of the readings in our textbook and then follow this up with a write-up your presentation. See the presentation sheet to sign up. A copy of the presentation sheet and details on the write-up can be found on Canvas. Attendance and Classroom Policies: We will meet twice each week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Attendance is required and checked daily. You must attend all class meetings and participate in all discussions. If you plan to be absent on a given day you must contact me in advance to arrange make-up work/exams, if allowed. The following attendance policy is straightforward and non-negotiable:UP TO FOUR absences excused, no questions asked (and no need to provide an excuse), although absences of any number impact your participation grade. A FIFTH absence, for any reason, will result in the automatic deduction of one-third a letter grade from your final grade (e.g., from an A to an A-), and the SIXTH will result in a full letter grade deduction (e.g., from an A to a B). On the SEVENTH absence the student will automatically receive a failing grade for the course. Absent students are responsible for any missed work.All work for this class is due to me at the beginning of class or at the time specified on the syllabus. If for any reason you cannot get work to me, please contact me as soon as possible to alert me to your difficulty. I will drop you by a letter grade for each day work is outstanding; work that is more than 4 days late (this includes weekends) will not be accepted and will receive no credit. If you miss an exam, contact me as soon as possible to arrange a time/day to take the exam.Please note that arriving late, leaving early, and engaging in discourteous behavior such as sleeping, conducting personal conversations during class, leaving cell phones turned on, texting, or disrespecting other people’s opinions will not be tolerated. Such behavior will result in your being counted absent. I reserve the right to remove electronics or other material that cause distractions; removed material will be returned at the end of the class. If you plan to keep your laptop on during screenings and presentations, please dim the screen and move to the back of the class/side of the class so as not to disturb other students.Email Policy and assignment information: You can contact me with questions regarding the class at the email above; make sure you provide your class name/class time and the nature of your inquiry. Note: I do not usually have access to email on evenings/weekends/holidays and I will not respond to questions that can be answered by checking the syllabus. No assignments, including major papers, will be accepted via e-mail, though it may be used to get work in to meet a deadline if there is a problem with Canvas. In cases of that nature you are allowed to email the work to me. It is then your responsibility to find a way to post the work to Canvas and then follow up with an email to let me know that you have done so.The Center for Writing Excellence: This is a free tutorial service to help students meet the demands of university writing. The tutors offer personalized assistance on all writing projects. It is located on the 2nd floor of the Commons building. For information, consult the website: Honesty: Students of the university academic community are expected to adhere to commonly accepted standards of academic honesty. Allegations of academic dishonesty can reflect poorly on the scholarly reputation of the University including students, faculty and graduates. Individuals who elect to commit acts of academic dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, or misrepresentation will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with university policy.Incidents of possible student academic dishonesty will be addressed in accordance with the following guidelines:The instructor is responsible for investigating and documenting any incident of alleged academic dishonesty that occurs under the instructor's purview.If the instructor finds the allegation of academic dishonesty to have merit, then the instructor, after a documented conference with the student, will develop a plan for disciplinary action. If the student agrees to this plan, then both instructor and student will sign the agreement. The faculty member will forward a copy of the signed agreement to the Office of Student Conduct for record-keeping purposes.If the student disagrees with the instructor's proposed plan for disciplinary action and wishes to take further action, he/she is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the chair of the department where the course is housed to appeal the proposed disciplinary plan. The department chair shall mediate the matter and seek a satisfactory judgment acceptable to the faculty member based on meetings with all parties. If a resolution is reached, the disposition of the case will be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct. If a resolution at the departmental level is not reached and the student wishes to take further action, he/she is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the dean of the college where the course is housed to appeal the proposed disciplinary plan. The college dean shall mediate the matter and seek a satisfactory judgment acceptable to the faculty member based on meetings with all parties. If a resolution is reached, the disposition of the case will be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct. If a resolution at the college level is not reached and the student wishes to take further action, he/she is responsible for scheduling a meeting with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (VPAA/P) to appeal the proposed disciplinary plan. The VPAA/P shall mediate the matter and seek a satisfactory judgment acceptable to the faculty member based on meetings with all parties. After reviewing all documentation, the VPAA/P may, at his/her discretion, choose either to affirm the proposed action, to refer the case to the Office of Student Conduct for further review, or to dismiss the matter depending on the merits of the case. The final disposition of the case will be disseminated to appropriate parties, including the Office of Student Conduct.If a student is allowed academic progression but demonstrates a repeated pattern of academic dishonesty, the VPAA/P may, after consultation with the Office of Student Conduct, assign additional penalties to the student, including removal from the munication: The official method of communication at UNA is UNA Portal, with emphasis placed on University email.Disability Accommodations: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the University offers reasonable accommodations to students with eligible documented learning, physical and/or psychological disabilities. Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities as compared to an average person in the population. It is the responsibility of the student to contact Disability Support Services to initiate the process to develop an accommodation plan. This accommodation plan will not be applied retroactively. Appropriate, reasonable accommodations will be made to allow each student to meet course requirements, but no fundamental or substantial alteration of academic standards will be made. Students needing assistance should contact Disability Support Services (256-765-4214). Title IX:The University of North Alabama has an expectation of mutual respect. Students, staff, administrators, and faculty are entitled to a working environment and educational environment free of discriminatory harassment. This includes sexual violence, sexual harassment, domestic and intimate partner violence, stalking, gender-based discrimination, discrimination against pregnant and parenting students, and gender-based bullying and hazing.Faculty and staff are required by federal law to report any observations of harassment (including online harassment) as well as any notice given by students or colleagues of any of the behaviors noted above. Retaliation against any person who reports discrimination or harassment is also prohibited. UNA’s policies and regulations covering discrimination and harassment may be accessed at una.edu/titleix. If you have experienced or observed discrimination or harassment, confidential reporting resources can be found on the website or you may make a formal complaint by contacting the Title IX Coordinator at 256-765-4223. ?ScheduleAll dates in this schedule are due dates. You should finish the readings and assignments by class time. This schedule may change during the course of the term. Check Canvas for updates and PDFs. All readings are from A Hitchcock Reader (HR) unless otherwise noted.Week One: R 1/14Course overview and discussion of syllabus. Read: HR Part One: “Taking Hitchcock Seriously” (1-15), HR: Robin Wood’s “Retrospective” (35-46), and HR: John Orr’s “Hitch as Matrix Figure: Hitchcock and Twentieth-Century Cinema” (47-67). Week Two: T 1/19Read: Review the above and read HR: “Hitchcock in Britain” (69-74) and HR: Lesley W. Brill’s “Hitchcock’s The Lodger” (74-84). Clips from early Hitchcock films and German Expressionist films. R 1/21 Begin The Lodger (1927, 80 minutes). Discussion. Week Three: T 1/26Continue The Lodger. Discussion. R 1/28Presentation 1. Read: HR: Leland Poague’s “Criticism and/as History: Rereading Blackmail” (85-95). Clips from Blackmail.Week Four: T 2/2Read: HR: William Rothman’s “Alfred Hitchcock’s Murder!: Theater, Authorship, and the Presence of the Camera” (96-106). Discussion of British theatre. Clips from Murder!R 2/4Presentation 2. Read: HR: Charles L.P. Silet’s “Through a Woman’s Eyes: Sexuality and Memory in The 39 Steps” (114-125). Clips from The 39 Steps.Week Five: T 2/9 Read: HR: Patrice Petro’s “Rematerializing the Vanishing ‘Lady’: Feminism, Hitchcock, and Interpretation” (126-135). Clips from The Lady Vanishes.R 2/11Presentation 3. Read: HR: Part Three: Hitchcock in Hollywood” (137-144). Begin Rebecca (1940, 130 minutes).Week Six: T 2/16Continue Rebecca. Discussion.R 2/18Continue Rebecca as needed. Presentation 4. Read: HR: James McLaughlin’s “All in the Family: Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt” (145-155). Clips from Shadow of a Doubt.Week Seven: T 2/23Read: HR: Thomas Hyde’s “The Moral Universe of Hitchcock’s Spellbound” (156-163). Clips from Spellbound.R 2/25Presentation 5. Read: HR: Richard Abel’s “Notorious: Perversion par Excellence” (164-171). Clips from Notorious.Week Eight: T 3/1Read: Irving Pichel’s “A Long Rope” (PDF). Clips from Rope.R 3/3Shot List and analysis due. Presentation 6. Read: HR: Robin Wood’s “Strangers on a Train” (172-181). Clips from Strangers on a Train.Week Nine: T 3/8 Read: HR: Part Four: The Later Films (184-197). Robert Stam and Robert Pearson’s “Hitchcock’s Rear Window: Reflexivity and the Critique of Voyeurism” (199-211). Clips from Rear Window.R 3/10Presentation 7. Read: HR: “A Closer Look at Scopophilia: Mulvey, Hitchcock, and Vertigo” (234-249) and Laura Mulvey’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (PDF). Clips from Luis Bu?uel’s ?l.Week Ten: T 3/15 Read HR: Robin Wood’s “Male Desire, Male Anxiety: The Essential Hitchcock” (223-233). Begin Vertigo (1958, 128 minutes).R 3/17 Continue Vertigo. Discussion. Week Eleven T 3/22 Continue Vertigo as needed. Read: HR: Marshall Deutelbaum’s “Finding the Right Man in The Wrong Man” (121-222). Clips from The Wrong Man (1954).R 3/24 Presentation 8. Read: HR: Stanley Cavell’s “North by Northwest” (250-263). Clips from North by Northwest.Week Twelve: No class – Spring BreakWeek Thirteen: T 4/5Read: HR: John P. McCombe’s “Oh, I See…”: The Birds and the Culmination of Hitchcock’s Hyper-Romantic Vision” (264-279).R 4/7 Presentation 9. Read: HR: “Part Five: Hitchcock and Film Theory: A Psycho Dossier” (327-339) and HR: Christopher D. Morris’s “Psycho’s Allegory of Seeing” (361-367). Begin Psycho (1960, 109 minutes).Week Fourteen: T 4/12Continue Psycho. Read: HR: Deborah Thomas’s “On Being Norman: Performance and Inner Life in Psycho” (368-376). R 4/14 Continue Psycho as needed. Presentation 10. Read: HR: Raymond Bellour’s “Psychosis, Neurosis, Perversion” (341-360).Week Fifteen: T 4/19Read: HR: Tania Modleski’s “Rituals of Defilement: Frenzy” (312-325). Clips from Frenzy.T 4/21Continue Frenzy clips. Discussion of Hitchcock’s work outside of cinema.(note: this is the last week for our online discussion board)Week Sixteen: T 4/26 Essay due. Examine work by creators influenced by Hitchcock.R 4/28 Examine work by creators influenced by Hitchcock.Turn in Screening Report no later than Friday at 5pm.Week Seventeen:T 5/3Presentation write-ups due today. Extra credit (optional) due today. Review work and discuss Hitchcock’s legacy. R 5/5Study day – no class.No final exam: just turn your notebook in to me at my office no later than Monday, 5/9, at 4pm. You can pick it up at my office after 5/12. ................
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