CTCS 402 Practicum in Film and Television Criticism, Spring 2013

CTCS 402 Practicum in Film and Television Criticism, Spring 2013

Monday 10-1.50. SCA 214

Instructor: Ella Taylor, film critic and feature writer for npr.org, The New York Times and others

Office: SCA 318

E-mail:

Office Hours: Monday, Thursday 2-3 p.m. but please make an appointment in the CS office sign-up book

T.A: Brett Siegel

E-mail:

Office Hours:

In this course, students will learn how to write film and, to a lesser degree, television criticism, with special attention to the rapidly changing nature of the profession, the industry and the rise of Internet film/television journalism and reviewing. There will be weekly screenings of films based on a historical and genre approach, guest speakers, and students will learn the craft of writing interviews and profiles of actors, directors and other creative personnel.

Course Requirements

Discussion and attendance are an important part of this course, therefore both attendance and participation are mandatory and will contribute to your final grade. There will be weekly screenings for which attendance, even if you’ve seen the film before, is mandatory. If you miss a screening without a valid reason, you will be counted as absent. You should be prepared to take notes in screenings and discuss the films, your reviews and the reading assignments in class. Every student will make copies of and present at least one piece of their work for constructive critique in class. Readings are listed below or, where indicated, posted on Blackboard. You should also form a regular habit of reading film criticism and features on and off-line, based on your favorite sources and others provided by me.

To get you started: Top online film criticism sites from Film Society of Lincoln Center:

Writing: There will be weekly writing assignments of varying lengths from 200-word reviews upwards, as well as a longer final assignment. All assignments will be due, on hard copy (bring to class) and Turnitin, the week after they are assigned unless indicated otherwise. If it is your week to present your work for class discussion (a sign-up sheet will be passed out in the first week), please bring hard copies for every student in the class. Late assignments will only be accepted for proven emergencies. PLEASE ADDRESS ANY E-MAILS TO BOTH BRETT AND MYSELF.

Final Grade Breakdown:

Class discussion and critique of others’ work: 40 points

Weekly writing assignments (10 x 10 points): 100 points

Final: 60 points

Grading Scale:

A 93-100

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B 83-86

B- 80-82

C+ 77-79

C 73-76

C- 70-72

D+ 67-69

D 63-66

D- 60-62

F (below 60)

Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure that the letter is delivered to the Professor as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Academic Integrity

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless an instructor allows otherwise, and the obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. SCampus contains a Student Conduct Code in Section 11.00, while the recommended sanctions for violating this code are located in Appendix A, both can be found at Should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty, students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for review. The review process can be found at:

Keep in mind that PLAGIARISM (WHETHER DONE INTENTIONALLY OR NOT) WILL BE REPORTED, WILL MOST LIKELY RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE COURSE, AND COULD LEAD TO DISMISSAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY. If you have any questions about academic integrity, plagiarism, or if you have any questions or doubts about how to properly cite a source, see your Teaching Assistant, drop by the Writing Center (Taper Hall 310) or consult the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards Guide -

Course Exam, Project and Paper Retention Policy

It is the responsibility of all students in Critical Studies courses toretrieve all papers, projects, assignments and/or exams within one academic year of completion of a course. These recordsmay be essential in resolving grade disputes and incompletes as well as assist in verifying that courserequirements have been met.TheCritical Studies Division will dispose of all recordsfrom the previous academic year in May of the current academic year. No exceptions. Please be in contact with your TAs about collecting these documents while you are taking the course.

Week 1.1/14/2013 Overview. Writing well; writing well about film and television.

Screening: Ratatouille

Reading: A.O. Scott, review of Ratatouille:

J. Hoberman’s ten tips on writing film criticism:

Pauline Kael, “Trash, Art and the Movies”:

Assignment 1: 600-word review of Ratatouille, due Jan 28

1/21 MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY — NO CLASS but reading and writing assignments must be completed by 1/28

Week 2. 1/28 Industry, history and criticism I: 1950s-1970s

Screening: Sunset Boulevard

Reading: Manny Farber, “White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art,”Blackboard

Paul Brunick on film criticism Part 1:

Roger Ebert on Sunset Boulevard:

Assignment 2:Write a 300-word blog entry, as if it were part of a regular film blog that you write for a regular audience, about the experience of watchingSunset Boulevardlast night at a retrospective of Billy Wilder films. You don't need to adhere to the following suggestions, but you might tell your readers what you thought of it, whether you've seen it before, how the movie and the genre holds up in 2013, whether or not they should see it.

Week 3. 2/4 Industry, history and criticism II: 1980s-present. Hollywood and independent film.

Screening: Pleasantville

Reading: Mark Harris, “The Day the Movies Died,”

Manohla Dargis on Pleasantville:

Assignment 3: Write a 500-word review of Pleasantville. Discuss whether it’s an example of “termite art” or “white elephant art” (Manny Farber).

Week 4.2/11 Genre: Melodrama

Screening:All That Heaven Allows/ Far From Heaven

Reading: Thomas Elsaesser, “Tales of Sound and Fury: Observations on the Family Melodrama.” Blackboard

Laura Mulvey on Douglas Sirk:

Jim Ridley on All That Heaven Allows:

Assignment 4 due 2/25:In 800 words, write a short movie essay (we’ll discuss what this means in class, and see also the essays by Mark Harris, Pauline Kael and Dargis and Scott in the assigned readings) about All That Heaven Allows using ONE of the following two thematic frames: a) Is melodrama possible in the 21st century? OR b) Write your essay focusing on ONE of the following as it illustrates melodrama: Costume, character, score, production design OR cinematography.

2/18 PRESIDENTS DAY NO CLASS

Week 5. 2/25 Film noir

Screening: The Ghost Writer

Reading: Paul Schrader, “Notes on Film Noir,”

Ty Burr, review of The Ghost Writer:

Assignment 5: Write a 500-word review (not a blog) of The Ghost Writer, paying attention to the interplay between genre, theme and style in the movie. Please do not attend to what you may know about director Roman Polanski’s current legal difficulties; we’ll take that up in our next class.

Week 6. 3/4 Playing with reality: Narrative and non-fiction film; docudrama; ethics and documentary.

Screening:Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Reading: Ella Taylor on Wanted and Desired,

Should this information be relevant to a critic?

Assignment 6: Using your responses to The Ghost Writer and to Marina Zenovich’s documentary about Roman Polanski, write a 600-word blog, designed for your own hypothetical website, on ONE of the following: a) Can documentaries be objective? Should they? OR b) Should Roman Polanski’s artistry be a factor in deciding whether to re-open or permanently close his legal case for raping a minor in 1977? OR c) Of what relevance are Roman Polanski’s legal troubles in assessing his work as a film director?

Week 7.3/11 The art film

Screening:Elephant

Reading: Jonas Mekas on various: Blackboard

A dialogue on art film by New York Times film critics:

Assignment 7: Write a 700-word, informed review of Elephant. In addition to, or as part of your personal response to the movie, your review should include discussion of the film’s social context (media reaction to high school shooters), its status as an art film and its relationship to Gus Van Sant’s other films.In other words, you cannot complete this assignment without doing some background research. Due 3/25.

3/18 Spring Recess — no class

Week 8.3/25 International film/ the horror movie

Screening: The Host

Reading: Ella Taylor on The Host:

David J. Russell Monster Roundup: Reintegrating the Horror Genre Blackboard

Assignment 8: Write a 400-word, informed blog speculating on why movies with subtitles tend to do poorly at the box office in the United States. You may use The Host, or another subtitled movie of your choice, to illustrate your arguments.

Week 9.4/1 Television and broadcast criticism: Guest speakers Robert Abele and Margy Rochlin

Screening:Breaking Bad

Reading:

Mark Harris on changes in television:

Allison Willmore on Breaking Bad:

Abele (television):

Rochlin (radio):

On tour with George Burns:

Assignment 9: You’re applying for a job as a television critic and blogger at a daily newspaper which publishes in print and on-line. Competition is fierce; these jobs are rare.

1. Write a letter of application to the arts editor, giving reasons why he or she should hire you, and outlining how you see your duties on the job. Give the editor some sense of how you see television as a medium distinct from film and theater.
2. Write a 300-word review of your favorite OR least favorite TV show, for inclusion in your application.

Week 10.4/8 Bad movies, and how to write about them.

Screening: Sex and the City 2

Reading: J. Hoberman, “Bad Movies” Blackboard

Manohla Dargis on The Cat in the Hat:

Ella Taylor on SATC2 (You may also entertain yourself reading the comment thread):

Assignment 10: Write a 400-word blog on one of the worst movies you've ever seen. Be specific about HOW and WHY you think it's bad, on the basis of our class discussion and your reading. Feel free to use wit, but please keep in mind the difference between criticism and malice.

Week 11. 4/15 Film writing in the 21st century: Criticism, essays, blogging, industry writing for the digital age.

Screening:The Social Network

Reading: Paul Brunick Part 2:

Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott: “Film is Dead?”:

Dave White on The Social Network:

Assignment: Begin work on final, TBA

Week 12.4/22 Interviews and profiles: Guest speaker James Rocchi, Reviewer and Interviewer for MSN Movies, and freelance

film writer.

Screening: Inglourious Basterds

Reading: James Rocchi on Inglourious Basterds: and other writings TBA

Ella Taylor, Interview with Quentin Tarantino:

Week 13.4/29 Last class: Summing Up

Screening: Mystery screening TBA

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