Module Identifier TF20320  
Module Title A CENTURY OF CINEMA 1  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Dr Ernest Mathijs  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Mr Benjamin Halligan  
Pre-Requisite TF10210  
Course delivery Lecture    
  Tutorial    
Assessment Essay   ESSAY (3500)   60%  
  Exam   2 Hours   40%  

Aims


The module offers a survey of key films from each decade of the twentieth century and incorporates movies from Europe and North America. It considers a) Welsh films in a world context b) the art and non-art adaptation c) auteurs, pioneers and the studio system. The films are to be viewed prior to lecture. Notice will be given by the Module Coordinator should the running order of the lectures need to be amended.


Learning Outcomes:


Typically, upon completion of this module, the students will be able to:
- explore the differing nature of the narrative discourses of film and literature and the translation of strategies for the construction of meaning;
- understand and use the concepts and theories of Bazinian Realism; auteur theory and its precedents and limitations; and the strategies and agendas of Poetic Realism;
- explore issues of representing nationhood with specific reference to Celtic Cinema;
- further deconstruct (following Introduction to Film Part Two) the strategies of the creation of meaning in a variety of applicable film texts, and with specific attention to the original contexts in which the films function.


Content:


1. Introductory Lecture: The nature of film writing and criticism, constructive analysis; university and non-university resources; WWW resources.


2. The Art of Adaptations: Under Milk wood (Andrew Sinclair, 1971 UK), The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946 US), Dr Zhivago (David Lean 1965 US/UK)


3. Film Theory I: The Auteur Theory: Apocalypse Now (Frances Ford Coppola 1979 US)


4. The Hollywood Treatment and Auteur Theory: How Green Was My Valley (John Ford, 1941 YS); The Big Heat (Fritz Lang, 1953 US); Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972 US)


5. Film Theory II: Observations on the Long-Take: Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958 US); A Taste of Cherry ( Abbas Kiarostami, 1997 Ir); Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1974 USSR); Nostalghia (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1983 It)


6. Comedy: Grand Slam (John Hefin, 1976 UK)


7. Auteur Study: Jean Vigo?s Poetic Realism: L?Atalante (Jean Vigo, 1934)


8. Orson Welles and the Studio System: Citizen Kane (1941 US); Touch of Evil (1958 US); The Lady from Shanghai (1948 US)


9. Contrasts in Contemporary Welsh Cinema: Hedd Wyn (Paul Turner, 1992 UK); Twin Town (Kevin Allen, 1996 UK)

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
PYM, John (ed). (1998) Time Out Film Guide. 1998. London
THOMAS, Nicholas (ed). (1991/1996) The International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers. 1991+1996. London
THOMPSON, David. (1993) Biographical Dictioinary of Film. London
** Recommended Background
Anderson, Lindsay. (1981) About John Ford. London
Bazin, Andre. (1971) What is Cinema? (two volumes). California
(1978) Orson Welles, A Critical View. New York
Berry, David. (1994) Wales and Cinema: The First One Hundred Years. Cardiff
Bogdanovich, Peter. (1972) Fritz Lang in America. New York
(1969) The Cinema of Howard Hawks. New York
(1962) This is Orson Welles. New York
Bronlow, Kevin. (1997) David Lean. London
Cowie, Peter. (1989) Coppola. London
Chown, Jeffrey. (1987) Hollywood Auteur: Francis Coppola. New York
Gomes, P E Salls. (1973) Jean Vigo. London
Grubb, Kevin. (1989) Razzle Dazzle: The Life and Work of Bob Fosse. New York
Higham, Charles. (1970) The Films of Orson Welles. Berkeley
Humphries, Reynold. (1988) Fritz Lang: Genre and Representation in his American Films. Baltimore
Kael, Pauline. (1971) The Citizen Kane Book. New York
Kracauer, Siegfried. (1947) From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film. Princeton, New Jersey
Johnson, Claire. (1969) Fritz Lang. London
MacBride, Joseph, editor. (1982) Hawks on Hawks. Berkeley
Silverman, stephen M,. (1987) David Lean. London
Taylor, John Russell. (1975) Directors and Directions: Cinema for the 1970s. New York
Thomas, Dylan. (1995) Under Milk Wood: A Play for Voices. London
Thomson, David. (1996) Rosebud. London
Warner, Marina. (1993) L'Atalante. London
Wood, Robin. (1968) Howard Hawks. London
Orr, John. (March 1998) Contemporary Cinema. Edinburgh University Press
Gottfried, Martin. (1991) All His Jazz: The Life and Death of Bob Fosse. Da Capo Press
McGilligan, Patrick. (1998) Fritz Lang. Faber and Faber
Documentaries: Bob Fosse; Howard Hawks; Hearts of Darkness; How Green Was My Valley; Dylan; The Slate: Grand Slam; The Lost Films of Orson Welles; Reflections on Citizen Kane; The Orson Welles Story; Bernard Herrmann; The Making of Twin Town; Vittorio Storaro: Writing with Light; Omnibus: John Ford.