THR* 106 -- The Movies -- Syllabus

Fall 2007

Instructor:

            David S. Hopcroft; Office Hours, room W203B: MTW 12:30-1:30; or by appointment.  E-Mail: dhopcroft@qvcc.commnet.edu

Text:

Understanding Movies, 11th ed. (Giannetti, 2008)

Course Description:

            A basic study of film as an art form: its history, development, and criticism.  Students will view films and/or videotapes or DVD's of films and will be asked to discuss the films' content, structure and historical/cultural aspects.

Course Objectives:

            In this course, students will learn a language.  That language will include the names of some important film makers and their films, and the names of some actors and directors and other film professionals.  It will also include some specialized terms which explain what film makers do and how they do it.  It is also a language about how to view and appreciate and criticize films.  Students will be asked to apply that language appropriately to films they will see in conjunction with the course, to films they might see or have seen apart from the course, and to their own ideas about "the movies."

Assignments and Grading:

            -Reading and Participation-

            This course uses the textbook ad the terminology of the text extensively, so students should keep up with all the assigned reading.  Furthermore, students' opinions and perspectives will developed through the classroom discussions, so attendance and active participation will be important.  There will be quizzes based on assigned readings in the text, which will be used as a major part of the reading and participation grade, and each unexcused absence will reduce the participation grade by 1 pt.

-Critiques-

            The basic assignment for the course is the writing of five (5) film critiques.  Students will be given a basic form for the critiques and particular instructions according to the specific assignment and relevant course work.

            Four (4) critiques will be based on films shown in class.  One critique will be written about a film of the student's own choice, which must be viewed outside of class time.

-Final Exam-

            There will be a comprehensive final exam during the exam period at the end of the semester.

            -Grades-

                        In this course, a point system will be used for the awarding of grades.  Students will accumulate points during the semester based on completion and evaluation of the assignments as follows:

                        A) Reading and Participation    10 pts.

                        B) Critiques -- maximum for each critique:       15 pts.

                        C) Final Exam -- 15 pts.

            All points are cumulative; once you have earned them you cannot lose them.  If a student fails to achieve the maximum number of points on any of the first four critiques, she or he may redo the critique once for a better grade.  Students may not, however, earn more points on any assignment than the maximum listed above.

                        Final grades will be determined by the total number of accumulated points according to the following scale:

0 - 59 pts = F	77 - 79 pts = C+
60 - 63 pts = D-	80 - 83 pts = B-
64 - 66 pts = D	84 - 86 pts = B
67 - 69 pts = D+	87 - 89 pts = B+
70 - 73 pts = C-	90 - 93 pts = A-
74 - 76 pts = C	94 - 100 pts = A

            If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of learning disabilities or other disabilities, please feel free to come to discuss this with me.