FAR 330: Women in Film

Discussions (Weeks 1-8 @30 points)

240

24%

Short Response Assignments (Weeks 1, 2, 5 and 7 @ 60 points)

240

24%

Research Paper Proposal (Week 3)

60

Research Paper (Week 6)

240

24%

Final Exam (Week 8)

220

22%

Total

1000

100%

1

1, 2, 3

Topic: WOMEN AND REPRESENTATION

• Introduction to the course structure & getting to know each other.
• “Film Form” versus “Film Style.”
  • We will discuss Wendy & Lucy and Maria Full of Grace – choose and watch one
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part One, Chapter 1
• Video:
  • Wendy & Lucy and/or Maria Full of Grace (You are only required to watch one but feel free to view both)

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussions
• Complete short response
• Watch movie

2

1, 2, 3, 5

Topic: VISUAL PLEASURE

• Developing analytical skills for visual analysis: what does that mean? What is “semiotics?” Why is it central to our course?
• Short Visual Analysis:
  • The kiss in Rear Window with Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart. Theorizing the Female/Male Spectator.
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part Three, Chapter 4.
  • Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” (in Erens, pp. 28-40).
  • Tania Modleski, “Hitchcock, Feminism, and the Patriarchal Unconscious (in Erens, pp. 58-74).
• Video:
  • Rear Window. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Paramount Pictures, 1954.
  • Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958);
  • Disturbia (D.J. Caruso, 2007)

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Complete short response
• Watch movie

3

1, 2, 3, 5

Topic: MALE GAZE

• Stereotypes of femininity in mainstream Hollywood films. Mechanism of Stardom.
• Case Study: Marilyn Monroe as a star phenomenon. The pragmatics and “commodity” of female sexuality: the song “Diamonds are girl’s best friends.”
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part Three, Chapter 5.
  • Maureen Turim (in Erens, pp. 101-111)
  • Lucie Arbuthnot and Gail Seneca (in Erens, pp. 112-125)
• Video:
  • Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Dir. Howard Hawks. Twentieth Century Fox, 1953.

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Watch movie
• Submit proposal for research paper

4

1, 2, 3, 5

Topic: NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS

• Film Style in Classical Hollywood. Gender Stereotypes. Fabricated identities.
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part Two, Chapter 3.
  • Mary Ann Doane (In Erens, pp. 41-57).
• Video:
  • Tootsie (Sydney Pollack, 1982);
  • The Stepford Wives (Bryan Forbes, 1975);
  • The Stepford Wives (Remake, Frank Oz, 2004);
  • TransAmerica (Duncan Tucker, 2005);
  • Boys Don’t Cry (Kimberly Peirce, 1999);
  • Pretty Woman (Garry Marshall, 1990);
  • Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia,  2011).

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Watch two movies

5

1, 2, 3, 5

Topic: CLASSICAL HOLLYWOOD CINEMA

• Maternal Melodrama. Classic Hollywood versus Remake. Contemporary Versions of motherhood/romance.
• Case Study:
  • Julia Roberts
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part Two, Chapter 2.
  • E Ann Kaplan (in Erens, pp. 126-136);
  • Linda Williams (In Erens, pp. 137-162)
• Video:
  • Stella Dallas. Dir. King Vidor. Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1937.
  • Stella (Remake, John Erman, 1990);
  • Erin Brokovich (Steven Soderbergh, 2000);
  • Stepmom (Chris Columbus, 1998);
  • Notting Hill (Roger Mitchell, 1999);
  • Sleepless In Seattle (Nora Ephron, 1993)
  • August: Osage County (John Wells, 2014)

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Complete short response
• Watch two movies

6

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Topic: FILM NOIR

• Classical Hollywood filmmaking. Editing. Film Noir. Different Film Genres/Film Movements.
• Readings:
  • Film Art, Part Four, Chapter 9
  • Article - Film Noir
  • Article - The Femme Fatale
• Video:
  • Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950);
  • Mildred Pierce (Michael Curtiz, 1945);
  • Chinatown (Presudo-Noir; Roman Polanski, 1974);
  • Body Heat (Lawrence Kasdan, 1981);
  • The Last Seduction (John Dahl, 1994).

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Watch two movies
• Submit Research Paper

7

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Topic: INTERNATIONAL CINEMA: DIVERSITY OF WOMEN'S VOICES

• Personal stories of women in different countries. The gaze on America from a woman’s perspective.
• Readings:
  • None
• Video:
  • White Material (Claire Denis, 2009);
  • Nowhere in Africa (Caroline Link, Germany, 2001);
  • Run Lola, Run (Tom Tykwer, Germany, 1999);
  • Mostly Martha (Sandra Nettelbeck, Germany, 2001);
  • Bread and Tulips (Silvio Soldini, Italy, 2000);
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, USA, 2000);
  • Raise The Red Lantern (Yimou Zhang, China, 1991);
  • The Lover (Jean-Jacques Annaud, France, 1992);
  • Vera Drake (Mike Leigh, England, 2004).

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Watch two movies
• Complete short response

8

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Topic: WOMEN IN HORROR FILMS: THE POWER OF THE FINAL GIRL

• The role of women in horror films and the purposes of the “Final Girl”

• Readings:
  • Article - Girls on Film: The Battle Between Feminism and Horror
  • Article - Transgression in Slasher Horror
  • Article - Horror Films and Female Youth
• Video:
  • Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978);
  • Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976);
  • Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979);
  • Rosemary’s Baby (Roman Polanski, 1968);
  • Scream (Wes Craven, 1996);
  • The Cabin in the Woods. (Drew Goddard, 2011).

• Read assigned chapters
• Participate in the discussion
• Watch two movies
• Complete Final Exam