Patricia Erens

This course will begin with examples of Expressionist Cinema in the masterpieces of 1920s Germany, through to reiterations in the classic Hollywood Film Noirs of the 1940s and 1950s, followed by the reinventions of Neo-Noir and finally, the influence of these works on films throughout Europe and Asia. The class will focus on the aesthetics of Expressionism, one of the dominant art movements of the 20th century, as it appears in film, with special attention to lighting, composition and editing. Likewise, lectures and discussions will also focus on recurrent themes such as urbanization, human psychology, the impact of modernity and gender relations. Screenings and readings may vary, but typical works to be studied include: Nosferatu, Metropolis, Double Indemnity, Kiss Me Deadly, The Long Goodbye, Elevator to the Gallows and Infernal Affairs. Readings will help elucidate these screenings. Through close observation and discussion, students will develop basic skills for analyzing film. The legacy of Film Noir, tends to reappear whenever there is social chaos. Given our present world situation, these films remain as relevant today as ever. Students can expect to write two essay exams covering the assigned screenings and readings and a final research paper.

As one of the world's greatest film directors, Alfred Hitchcock is much more than ''the master of suspense. The semester will be devoted to analyzing Hitchcock's' masterworks as well as his major themes, including sin, the transfer of guilt, voyeurism, unconscious impulses, and gay sexuality. In addition, the class will focus on his visual style, film techniques and contributions to the art of cinema, using various critical approaches, such as psychoanalysis and feminist theory. Finally, the class will look at ways Hitchcock's films have influenced other directors, as well as artists across a wide variety of media. Through weekly screenings, lectures and discussions, students will learn how to critique individual works of art. They will be expected to finish two scholarly articles each week and to come to class prepared to discuss both film and readings in small discussion groups. Titles are sure include Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho, among others. Students should expect to produce three major writing assignments during the semester: a midterm exam, a final exam and a final research paper, plus periodic quizzes and response papers. Through weekly screenings, lectures and discussions, students will learn how to critique individual works of art. They will be expected to finish two scholarly articles each week and to come to class prepared to discuss both film and readings in small discussion groups. Titles are sure include Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho, among others. Students should expect to produce three major writing assignments during the semester: a midterm exam, a final exam and a final research paper, plus periodic quizzes and response papers.

Feminist Film Theory will cover four areas of study: the historic contributions of women to the development of the film industry; the rise of several generations of female auteurs (including Agnes Varda, Jane Campion, Chantal Akerman and Julie Dash); the emergence of new voices in the 21st century (many from previously marginalized groups); and the development of theoretical texts which informed film production and spectatorship, as well as influencing other art forms. Beginning with Laura Mulvey’s seminal essay on the “male gaze,” the class will critique the ways in which feminist film theory continues to be reassessed and reformulated. In addition, the class will focus on newer issues and agendas relating to race, class, ethnicity and sexuality deriving from the contribution of women of color and the LGBTQ community. The class will run as a seminar in which students meet in small discussion groups to share and debate ideas from their readings, screenings and response papers. Students will also present original research drawn from their own fields of interest.