Film Studies Minor
Dr. Maria Matz, Coordinator, Department of Cultural Studies
Tel#: 978-934-4364 Office: Coburn Hall, Room 113C
Email: Maria_Matz@uml.edu
The interdisciplinary minor in Film Studies consists of 18-24 credits. Six credits must be at the 300 level or above. Courses relevant to the Film Studies minor are listed below. For course descriptions, see the department listing as indicated next to the course title. Additional courses to complete the required credits may be selected from the following list or other course listings in this catalogue.
41.386 Intellectual Property
41.372 Sports, Entertainment and Art Law
41.489 Seminar in Law: Visual Fine Arts
42.230 Film Classics
42.232 Turning Fiction into Film
42.241 Women in Film
42.341 Studies in Film
43.347 History of Documentary Film
43.348 Making an Historical Documentary
43.389 Ancient History in Film
45.316 Philosophy and Film
45.314 Philosophy of the Gothic Imagination
46.316 Politics and Film
48.112 Sociology goes to the movies
48.285 Film: From Gangster to Noir
50.340 Contemporary French Cinema
50.376 French Cinema & Society (Gen. Ed)
50.378 Women in French Cinema
50.380 Francophone Identity through cinema
52.335 Cinema & the Italian Americans
52.374 Classics of Italian Cinema
52.378 Italian Cinema & Culture
52.380 Italian Cinema: Directors & Themes
54.374 Spanish Films: Short Takes
54.371 Hispanic Literature and Film
54.375 Latin American and Spanish Cinema
58.225 History of Picturing
58.370 Art History & Film
59.374 Cinema Across Cultures
79.380 Understanding Movies: Cinema as Social Commentary
The list of approved courses may change from time to time depending on the offerings of the several departments involved; students should check with the appropriate coordinator to see which courses are currently approved.
41.386 Intellectual Property
Intellectual property law is an important and fast growing area of the law with tremendous impact on our global economy. This course introduces students to the law of trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets.
41.372 Sports, Entertainment and Art Law
This course introduces the undergraduate student to the significant legal and cultural components of the sports, entertainment and art industries. The Entertainment component of the course focuses on the legal and business aspects of the film, stage performance, television and recording and publishing industries. Topics covered include the contractual relationships between the creative participants and the producer, the effect of union involvement in the film industry, the artist's control over his or her end product, licensing agreements, invasion of privacy regulated by the Constitution and tort law, censorship and antitrust violations associated with studio control.
41.489 Seminar in Law: Visual Fine Arts
This course is a seminar-style class designed to introduce students to the innumerable ways the visual fine arts and its organs are impacted and influenced by law, ethics, politics, history and culture. The term "visual fine arts" as used in this course encompasses paintings, drawings, storyboards, sculpture, photographs, film, prints, and choreographed works. Discussion points include what are the limits in creating, acquiring, displaying, distributing, sharing and owning art, and who decides. The material draws from many different areas of study including contracts, licensing, copyrights, trademarks, philosophy, freedom of expression, moral and economic rights, history and sociology.
42.230 Film Classics
A study of the elements of film as revealed in selected film classics. Emphasis on the critical analysis and evaluation.
42.232 Turning Fiction into Film
Often when we encounter narratives (in the movies or in books) we tend to practice a "suspension of disbelief" letting the story unfold, following the conventions of film and fiction without question This course will direct our critical focus on the mechanisms through which writers and filmmakers convey meaning to their audiences.
42.241 Women and Film
A survey of the image of women in commercial film from the beginnings to the present. Focus on films of the 1930s-40s and 1970s-90s.
42.341 Studies in Film
A rigorous examination of a topic of current interests in film studies organized by particular themes, genres or filmmakers.
43.347 History of Documentary Film
This course is a critical examination of documentary filmmaking, from the late nineteenth century to the present. It focuses largely on what was happening in the United States but also investigates innovations and developments in Russia, Britain, France, Canada, Germany, and other parts of the world.
43.348 Making an Historical Documentary
This course provides students with the basic conceptual and technical skills for developing and completing an historical documentary, including instruction about subject choice, narrative structure, camera work, and editing.
43.389 Ancient History in Film
Ancient History in Film seeks understand the interconnection between ancient texts, social history and pop culture in American cinema. This course is more than an excuse to watch fun films and gain academic credit. It will engage the primary texts that are the foundation for these cinematic creations while investigating the social and cultural influences that shaped the making of these movies. Ultimately, this course will provide a clearer view of our own world through the lens of movie makers mimicking the Greco-Roman world. We will read primary texts in translation, modern analyses of these movies and you are responsible to watch an entire film between class sessions. All films are on reserve in the Media Center of the O'Leary Library.
45.314 Philosophy of the Gothic Imagination
A philosophical inquiry into science fiction, fantasy, and horror, with special emphasis on film. This course will attempt to provide interpretations of some classic examples from these genres, as well as to inquire into the philosophical significance of these literary categories and their relation to mythology and religion. Questions to be addressed will include the problem of knowledge and rationality and its limits, the nature of the human being, and the moral problem of the role of violence in the social order. The class will attempt to identify a continuous tradition between these modern genres and ancient Greek tragedy and mythology.
45.316 Philosophy and Film
Analysis of the role of film in creating, expressing, revealing, and responding to social and political ideas and values. Examines a variety of film and film styles and introduces students to elements of film theory, the theory of popular culture and the role of film in forming our ideas about the world.
48. 112 Sociology goes to the movies
This course is designed to give students the opportunity to survey primary sociological texts and view films, offer commentary on and analysis of social behavior.
48.285 Film: From Gangster to Noir
This course examines the evolution of the Film Noir genre of Hollywood detective film from the 1930's through the 1950's, paying attention to national and international cultural and political trends as well as gender roles. Students will view, discuss, and write short papers on the films.
50.340 Contemporary French Cinema
Provides a critical appreciation of contemporary French cinema (1985-today) aiming at sorting out its eclecticism and focusing on the following aspects: 1) French cultural exception in the European Union: cultural integration and national identity; 2) Representation of the ongoing social and moral changes in contemporary France; 3) The new generation of French filmmakers. Class taught in French.
50.376 French Cinema and Society (Gen. Ed)
Covers the dramatic presentation French society gives of itself during the period of profound social and economic change, from the New Wave and the May 68 events to today’s younger generation facing an uncertain tomorrow. Each screening (in French with subtitles) is preceded by an introduction placing the film in its historical context. Conducted in English.
50.376 French Cinema & Society
Covers the dramatic presentation French society gives of itself during the period of profound social and economic change, from the New Wave and the May 68 events to today's younger generation facing an uncertain tomorrow. Each screening (in French with subtitles) is preceded by an introduction placing the film in its historical context. In English.
50.378 Women in French Cinema
Focuses on the way French film makers (male, and more recently female) have been portraying women in their films. Carefully selected French films with English subtitles are used to show the evolution that has taken place from Carne and Renoir’s poetic realism to the present. Selected readings are also used to underscore various themes, such as how women have been represented in these films. Conducted in English.
50.380 Francophone Identity through cinema
Provides a critical appreciation of the notion of Francophone identity through modern and contemporary (1970-today) Francophone cinema from diverse places such as but not limited to North Africa, West Africa (especially Senegal), Canada (especially Quebec) the Caribbean, Belgium, and Switzerland. The course is aiming at showing the evolution of the Francophone identity in the postcolonial period until now and is focusing on the following aspects:
1) The emergence and importance of postcolonial Francophone cinema in the 1970s as a "cinema engage" (especially Sembene Ousmane in Senegal);
2) Contemporary issues of the postcolonial Francophone societies through films;
3) Representations of the cultural diversity in Francophone films;
4) Identity, race and immigration, women's status issues.
52.335 Cinema and the Italian Americans
A course looking at the ways in which film addresses issues of ethnicity and its representation in the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural memory of American life. This will be an interdisciplinary course focusing on the relentless portrayal in the news and entertainment industries of Italian Americans. It will shed light on the contributions of this ethnic group by analyzing the negative and positive stereotypes through films. Conducted in English.
52.374 Classics of Italian Cinema
This course, through a series of classic Italian films internationally recognized, will present how the style is not only something which comes from within the director reflecting that most intriguing of all subjects, he personality of the director, but also the film's influence upon American productions.
52.378 Italian Cinema and Culture
A guide to contemporary Italian studies through literary and cultural approaches. The works of central figures in contemporary Italian letters are examined in view of their impact on Italian life. Emphasis is given to poets, novelists, the new cinema, the influences of existentialism, and the impact of America on Italian literature. Conducted in English.
52.380 Italian Cinema: Directors and Themes
A study of Italian film history and its accomplishment by exploring the relationship of cinema to socio-political, economic, cultural and literary events. The course will discuss in depth either a) one or two major and well known directors; b) a major thematic and stylistic division in a century of cinematic creativity. Conducted in English.
54.371 Hispanic Literature and Film
54.374 Spanish Films: Short Takes
Original short subject films in Spanish by contemporary Hispanic filmmakers as stimuli for discussion and writing in Spanish and/or English. Intriguing alternative to further your Spanish Language learning. Prerequisite: Having passed Intermediate Spanish 54-211 or 54-212 or equivalent
54.375 Latin American and Spanish Cinema
An exploration of representative Spanish and Latin American films from a variety of major directors. Areas of investigation include the cinematic representation of nationality, ethnicity, identity, gender, history and politics. This course will be taught in English. Knowledge of Spanish is desirable but not required. Spanish majors and minors will complete written assignments, reviews, quizzes, and exams in Spanish.
58.225 History of Picturing
This course surveys the major trends and functions of imaging and picturing, as well as its societal impact as it becomes a pervasive cultural and aesthetic entity since the invention of photograph, film and video. Lectures trace the chronological development of the medium; analyze images, culture and integrate discussions pertaining to the role of imaging as it affects the process of visual information as well as how imaging and picturing can affirm existing cultural structures or shape the course of new aesthetic images and ideas.
58.370 Art History and Film
Examination of issues of content; theory and criticism in traditional, modern and contemporary live of artists, autobiographies, biographies and historiographies as source of filmic expression. Focus on the interpretation and transformation of art historical records into filmic vision as revealed in set and costume design, music, camera technique and other aesthetic elements of film, as well as how such elements function to extend and convey directorial vision to movements in art history. Prerequisite: 58.203 and 58.204 or permission of art history instructor.
59.374 Cinema Across Cultures
A cross-cultural study of contemporary European films with a specific focus on ethnicity. The following themes will be explored: the ethnicization of the colonial legacy, ethnicities at war, race and romance, working class ethnicities. Directors include; Sverak (Czechoslovakia), the Dardenne brothers (Belgium), Fassbinder and M. vonTrotta (Germany), Kassovitz and Klapisch (France), MacKinnon and O'Donnell (Ireland), Manchevski (Macedonia), Bodrov (Russia) Gutierrez-Aragon (Spain), Dizdar, Frears, and Prasad (UK). No knowledge of languages other than English is required. (All films have English subtitles) Conducted in English. AHD
79.380 Understanding Movies: Cinema as Social Commentary
This film theory seminar has several main objectives: to study the production of meaning in films; to analyze how moving images are used in social representation; and to introduce students to the visual and critical language of cinema. In this course, we will view a series of films by international authors. These address some of the most pressing issues of today's global world such as identity, subjectivity, difference and otherness, race relations, representations of gender and sexuality, immigration, war, colonialism and post-colonialism, poverty, and social inequalities. The films that we watch will be studied not as isolated cinematic texts but as illustrations and examples of theories of representation. Students will develop their critical analysis skills by being introduced to theoretical concepts such as "the gaze" in art and cinema as well as formal elements such as mise-in-scene, cinematography, editing, and sound.
Course Listing Film Studies