Communication Studies 192Senior Seminar in FilmThe Crime Film


Instructor: Jenny Stark
Office: Mend 5012
E-mail: jenstark@csus.edu
Office Hours: 3:30-4:30 & 5:30-6:30 W 4:30-5:30 Thursday

Description:
Research seminar that provides an in-depth investigation of film as an art form, a medium of mass communication and a means of personal expression.


Text: Narration in the Fiction Film, Bordwell
Summary of Text
Online Readings

Supplies: Internet connection, access to SAC CT
Access to Amazon and/or Itunes to watch films outside of class

GOALS:

  • Mastery of film analysis
  • Mastery of film research
  • Ability to find cultural and historical relevance to films
  • Exploration of how crime films shape culture
  • Exploration of how crime films shape American citizen's understanding of the criminal justice system


    1/26 Week 1 Intro to class and syllabus
    Intro to Crime and Film Storytelling
    Review of the Film
    Laura
    Watch in Class
    Discussion
    Powerpoint

    2/2 Week 2 Crime Story Conventions
    Bordwell  1-21  48-61 63-70 
    Intro to Film Terms Be familiar with 1-3 before class
    The Third Man
    Watch in Class
    Quickwrite 5 points

    2/9 Week 3 Moral Ambiguity and the Border, Crime Story Conventions
    Cinematography and Deep Space
    Continued explanation: Bordwell  1-21  48-61 63-70 
    Intro to Film Terms Review 1-3 before class
    Bordwell 99-130
    Touch of Evil (Watch on Amazon or Itunes)
    Quickwrite 5 points
    PPT

    2/16 Week 4  Blaxploitation and the Crime Film
    Review
    Reading 1
    Field Trip: Crocker Art Museum
    Event can be found here
    Quickwrite at museum 5 points
    Participation at screening 5 points

    2/23 Week 5 Voyeurism and the Cinema, Crime Story Conventions
    Sound Design and Deep Space
    Bordwell 29-40 40-47
    Intro to Film Terms Be familiar with 4-5 before class
    Sound and Lonliness in Rear Window
    Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
    Rear Window (Watch on Amazon or Itunes)
    Homework 1: Online Questions about Film and Reading 5 points
    Homework 2: Bring to class discussion points about the readings and film 5 points

    3/2 Week 6  The Female Lost Soul, Breaking Conventions
    Long Takes, Alienation, and style
    Bordwell 205-228  274-310
    Intro to Film Terms Be familiar with 6 before class
    For Wanda
    Wanda (Watch in Class)
    Discussion
    Quickwrite 5 points

    3/9  Week 7 Voyeurism and Paranoia, Crime Story Conventions
    The Conversation (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    Surveillance and Ethics in Film: Rear Window and The Conversation
    Ebert Review
    Notes on The Conversation
    Panopticism
    Homework 1: Online Questions about Film and Reading 5 points
    Homework 2: ring to class discussion points about the readings and film 5 points

    3/16 Week 8: Lecture: Class and Allegory in Contemporary
    Dog Day Afternoon (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    Mass Culture: Dog Day Afternoon as a
    Political Film, Fredric Jameson

    Homosexuality in Dog Day Afternoon
    Quickwrite 5 points
    Discussion
    Turn in Outline for Paper

    3/23 Spring Break

    3/30 Week 9
    Documentary Crime Conventions, Documentary and Storytelling, Social Justice
    The Thin Blue Line (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    Reading 1
    Reading 2
    Reading 3
    Reading 4
    Homework 1: Online Questions about Film and Reading  5 points
    Homework 2: Bring to class discussion points about the readings and film 5 points

    4/6 Week 10 : The wrongful conviction, race and privilege
    How crime and entertainment affect our view of justice
    The Fugitive (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    Bordwell 156-166
    Ebert Review
    Ethan Ham Review
    Homework 1: Online Questions about Film and Reading 5 points
    In-Class Discussion 5 points

    4/13 Week 11 The Female Outlaw
    Thelma and Louise (in class)
    Reading 1
    Reading 2
    Reading 3
    Discussion
    Quick Write 5 points

    4/20 Week 12
    Racial representation and policing
    Clockers (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    The Green Mile (watch film outside of class--if you haven't seen it)
    Reading 1
    Reading 2
    Reading 3
    Review of Film
    Discussion
    Quick Write 5 points will be due after break 5/4.

    4/27 Week 13
    Movie Night & Panel Discussion "Get Out"
    EVENT TIME
    6:30 pm--9:30
    EVENT LOCATION
    The University Union Ballroom
    ADMISSION
    Free!!!
    The questions will be distributed at the event:
    Please read the following: Reading 1
    and listen to the following Podcast before the screening.

    5/4 Week 14
    Quickwrite for Clockers Due
    Quickwrite for Get Out Due
    Crime, Investigation and the open ending
    Zodiac (Watch on Itunes or Amazon)
    There are elements of Zodiac that are similar to horror films. 
    Reading 1
    Reading 2
    If this is too much, please watch Down by Law by Jim Jarmusch
    Homework 1: Online Questions about Film and Reading 5 points
    Homework 2: Bring to class discussion points about the readings and film 5 points

    5/11 Week 15
    Hell or High Water Watch in class
    Reading 1
    Reading 2
    Quick Write 5 points
    Papers due final's week

Grades (200 points total)

  • In-class and homework questions/discussion articles 100
  • Attendance 30 Points
  • Paper outline: 20 Points
  • Research Paper: 50 points


  • A 186-200
  • A- 180-185
  • B+ 174-179
  • B 166-173
  • B- 160-165
  • C+ 154-159
  • C 146-153
  • C- 140-145
  • D+ 134-139
  • D 120-133
  • F 0-119