FIL 2835

(FIL 2002 – old number)

Appreciation of Film

Course Description

Appreciation of Film (3) (A.A.) Three hours per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: ENC 1101 with a grade of “C” or better. This course meets part of the six-hour international/intercultural requirement. It is designed to improve understanding and appreciation of film as an art form by emphasizing a genre-study approach. This is a critical and historical exploration through lecture, feature film screenings, discussion, text readings and written assignments with a basic introduction to film theory and the rudimentary principles of film production. Appreciation of Film also includes examples from other media – such as literature, theatre, music and television – to compare how those forms address the genre conventions.

Performance Standards

The student, at the successful completion of this course, should be able to:

1.  Define the properties that constitute the genre under study.

2.  Demonstrate a working vocabulary with which to discuss genre film

3.  Discuss the changes in the genre under study as affected by historical, social and political events.

4.  Acknowledge the relationship between the film genre under study and other media representations in areas such as literature, theatre and television.

5.  Assess the commercial and critical impact of the genre under study in contemporary society.

6.  Appreciate the variety of technical methodologies that service filmmakers and audiences in the development of genre.

7.  Identify major trends, movements and benchmarks in international examples of the genre under study.

8.  Appreciate film examples from other countries and cultures that address the genre in ways different from American films providing social and artistic influences on one another.

9.  Identify the archetypes and motifs specific to the genre under study.

10.  Operate within a group framework to produce scholarly discussions regarding themes, iconography and structures used in the genre under study.

11.  Interact with journal articles, texts and popular press related to the genre under study and synthesize information into scholarly papers and presentations.

Date of Last Revision: April 17 2007 (SCNS Course Number Change fka FIL 2002)

Date of Last Review: December 8, 2006