ARHT2657 - Contemporary Hollywood (2006)

Undergraduate - Senior

 

Department: Art History and Theory School: School of Letters, Art and Media Semester(s): Semester 2 Credit Points: 6 Co-ordinator: Dr Richard Smith Email: richard.smith@arts.usyd.edu.au Telephone: 9351 4208

UoS Description

This unit of study will investigate the last two decades of the cinema of the USA, including Hollywood. Students will be introduced to the work of a number of established and emerging American filmmakers, to the work of a number of important film critics, and to issues concerning the theory and practice of film criticism. Critical and analytical focus will centre on the changing relation of subjectivity and time in independent cinema. Films that explore questions of subjectivity and that experiment with narrative structure will be featured.

UoS Objectives:

This unit of study is designed to provide students a nuanced perspective on contemporary U.S cinema. The unit aims to nuance students thinking about U.S. cinema through the close analysis of the oeuvres of individual filmmakers, through a survey of relevant critical writings on U.S. cinema, through an investigation of the history and context of film production (independent and mainstream), and of the various cultural sources of cinematic representation, for instance, music video production and aesthetics, and advertising. The unit will equip students in the tasks of analyzing a diverse body of films, developing perceptiveness with regard to differences between works made by the one filmmaker, and to mutual influences and commonalities between works by different filmmakers, describing and assessing the significance or otherwise of differences of form and content, contending with the work and style of key film critics, and developing strategies for addressing the challenges that audio-visual forms present for written communication.

The unit develops knowledge and skills that will be important for students thinking of taking other Film and Art History units in Modernism, Postmodernism, contemporary art and culture, for students thinking of taking units in English, History and American Studies, and for Media Communications Students.

UoS Outcomes:

By the conclusion of this Unit of Study students will be able to find, access and assess the relevance of widely dispersed and variable cultural and critical writings on film, to engage with the work of a range of filmmakers, discriminate between different film forms and film styles, to evaluate critical interpretations of selected film works, contribute to the fields of film reviewing and film criticism through individual research and writing and through interactive group discussions, and to assume responsibility for their own judgments in a context of respect for others’.

UoS Learning Situations:

Lectures, Tutorials, Other ,  one 2hr lecture, one 1hr tutorial, 2-3 hour film-screening
one 2hr lecture, one 1hr tutorial, 2-3 hour film-screening

UoS Assessment:

Research Essay and Review Essay (total 4,000-4,500 words).

UoS Readings/References:

Recommended Readings:
Wexman, Virginia Wright, ed., 'Film and Authorship', New Brunswick, New Jersey: Ruthers UP, 2003.

Prerequisites:

ARHT 1001and ARHT 1002 (For Art History Major) ARHT 1002 or ENGL1025 (for Film Majors).

Prohibition:

ARHT2057

Online Components:

Online components may include:
A listing of Lecture and Tutorial topics
Additional reading references
Assessment topics and assessment criteria

How the Online Components work with the rest of the UoS:

The on line component of this unit is optional. It provides a supplementary guide to information supplied in classes.

Minimum Requirements for Hardware/Software:

WEB BROWSERS:

* for Windows users( Microsoft IE 5.0 or higher, Netscape 6.2 or higher)

* for Macintosh users ( Microsoft IE 5.1 or higher, Netscape 6.2 or higher, Safari 1.2 or higher)

INTERNET CONNECTION: 56k modem