Comments on: Tales from the Teaching Crypt: American Film Genres syllabus from Summer 2000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/ a "b" blog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:25:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: jimgroom http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13186 jimgroom Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:04:37 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13186 @Matt -I love it, I feel like Mikhail, you, and I are all back in Brooklyn thinking all this stuff through. I mean I just got a reading recommendation and a powerful insight to you in the classroom -and what a great vision that is- it is a good thing for society when a cat like you takes it to the streets of Brooklyn! And we all know you will have plenty of opportunities very soon to experiment with more books like this on a regular basis:) You rule! @Matt -I love it, I feel like Mikhail, you, and I are all back in Brooklyn thinking all this stuff through. I mean I just got a reading recommendation and a powerful insight to you in the classroom -and what a great vision that is- it is a good thing for society when a cat like you takes it to the streets of Brooklyn! And we all know you will have plenty of opportunities very soon to experiment with more books like this on a regular basis:)

You rule!

]]> By: Matt http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13170 Matt Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:04:08 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13170 Great syllabi, Jim and Mikhail. I want to take those classes. Let the syllabi war commence! Jim, your comments about experimenting with risky texts struck a chord in me, primarily because I recently taught Martin Amis's <em>Money</em> in an Intro to Literature course. Although the book is very well regarded (indeed, some people consider it one of the best novels of the last thirty years . . . and I think it's absolutely brilliant), it contains highly explicit (and hilarious) descriptions of sex, drugs, and pornography. I was extremely nervous about teaching the book, but it wound up being one of my best teaching experiences so far: the students loved the novel, and it provoked heated discussions and fascinating papers. On the last day of class, a student came up to me and told me, fervently, that it was one of the best books she had read in college, and that I should definitely teach it again. I hope I get the chance! Great syllabi, Jim and Mikhail. I want to take those classes. Let the syllabi war commence!

Jim, your comments about experimenting with risky texts struck a chord in me, primarily because I recently taught Martin Amis’s Money in an Intro to Literature course.

Although the book is very well regarded (indeed, some people consider it one of the best novels of the last thirty years . . . and I think it’s absolutely brilliant), it contains highly explicit (and hilarious) descriptions of sex, drugs, and pornography.

I was extremely nervous about teaching the book, but it wound up being one of my best teaching experiences so far: the students loved the novel, and it provoked heated discussions and fascinating papers. On the last day of class, a student came up to me and told me, fervently, that it was one of the best books she had read in college, and that I should definitely teach it again.

I hope I get the chance!

]]> By: jimgroom http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13168 jimgroom Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:17:56 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13168 It's funny, the notion to post an annotated syllabus came more from sharing some of my picks with some context by way of a description and the specific readings for each sections to some friends who I know are interested in film and might find a it of interest. Sharing syllabi is a great idea that I really didn't have coming into this post, and it is interesting how much of such a realization is a result of a more personalized relationship amongst many of us. I don't think any of us would be so inclined to share our labor so freely is we didn't have a good idea of the people who might use it and how they might use it. The context of community seems so important in this regard, and has made all the difference for me. I mean, think about it Mikhail, how cool is it that we can share this bit of our relationship in NYC with folks from just about anywhere? It’s funny, the notion to post an annotated syllabus came more from sharing some of my picks with some context by way of a description and the specific readings for each sections to some friends who I know are interested in film and might find a it of interest. Sharing syllabi is a great idea that I really didn’t have coming into this post, and it is interesting how much of such a realization is a result of a more personalized relationship amongst many of us. I don’t think any of us would be so inclined to share our labor so freely is we didn’t have a good idea of the people who might use it and how they might use it. The context of community seems so important in this regard, and has made all the difference for me. I mean, think about it Mikhail, how cool is it that we can share this bit of our relationship in NYC with folks from just about anywhere?
]]> By: Mikhail http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13164 Mikhail Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:30:22 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13164 Oh, and I almost forgot. I think sharing of syllabi in blog posts (war or otherwise) is one way to foster interest in this medium as a space to consider living, breathing syllabi. It can be one way to address the ol' "why is this so great?" question. Oh, and I almost forgot. I think sharing of syllabi in blog posts (war or otherwise) is one way to foster interest in this medium as a space to consider living, breathing syllabi. It can be one way to address the ol’ “why is this so great?” question.
]]> By: Mikhail http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13163 Mikhail Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:25:57 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13163 You are far too kind. Teaching together was fun. At least until that "Sweetass." You are far too kind. Teaching together was fun. At least until that “Sweetass.”
]]> By: jimgroom http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13153 jimgroom Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:20:55 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13153 @Mikhail- That is the best comment ever left on the bava. Thanks for such an amazing contribution. Maybe we need to have a little syllabi war. Now, when, o when, are you going to start your own blog? @Mikhail- That is the best comment ever left on the bava. Thanks for such an amazing contribution. Maybe we need to have a little syllabi war. Now, when, o when, are you going to start your own blog?
]]> By: Mikhail http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13152 Mikhail Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:07:10 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13152 Thanks for the plug, Jim. I taught the same class the following summer with a bit less adventurous syllabus. Here's my course description: In the preface to Hollywood Genres, one of our two central texts, Thomas Schatz claims that a genre approach to American film (one which takes the way we might categorize a film as its point of departure) “provides the most effective means for understanding, analyzing, and appreciating the Hollywood cinema” because such an approach sees moviemaking as a “dynamic process of exchange between the film industry and its audience.” This allows us to think about a movie not just as an aesthetic object, but also as a consumer item molded in part by the shifting demands of the mass market. A particular film, then, can tell us as much about the audience for which it’s intended and the moment in history to which it belongs as it can about the institutions that produced it. In this course we will attempt to understand the way this “dynamic process of exchange” works by looking critically at examples of Hollywood genre filmmaking of the last several decades. We will also examine several conflicting currents in genre criticism in order to evaluate the usefulness of genre theory to a critical understanding of American film. Our class will be structured as a seminar rather than as a lecture course -- this means that participants will be responsible for maintaining and perpetuating discussion. Course requirements include a mid term exam, an in-class presentation, and a final paper. Here are the movies: Week 1: The American Western: High Noon, Shane, Stagecoach Recommended viewing: The Unforgiven, A Fist-full of Dollars, My Darling Clementine, The Wild Bunch Week 2: Film Noir: Double Indemnity, Maltese Falcon, Chinatown, The Killers (1948) Recommended viewing: Touch of Evil, Blade Runner, Citizen Kane, DOA (Edmund O’Brien version) Week 3: The Hollywood Musical: 42nd Street, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Singin’ in the Rain, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Recommended viewing: Moulin Rouge, Dancer in the Dark, Funny Girl, Mary Poppins Week 4: Screwball Comedy: The Awful Truth, Some Like it Hot, It Happened One Night, Pretty Woman, Annie Hall Recommended viewing: Notting Hill, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, His Girl Friday Week 5: Distinctions: Horror and SciFi: The Thing (1951), Forbidden Planet, Alien, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing (1980) Recommended viewing: Frankenstein (Karloff), The Incredible Shrinking Man, Poltergeist, Them! Thanks for the plug, Jim. I taught the same class the following summer with a bit less adventurous syllabus. Here’s my course description:

In the preface to Hollywood Genres, one of our two central texts, Thomas Schatz claims that a genre approach to American film (one which takes the way we might categorize a film as its point of departure) “provides the most effective means for understanding, analyzing, and appreciating the Hollywood cinema” because such an approach sees moviemaking as a “dynamic process of exchange between the film industry and its audience.” This allows us to think about a movie not just as an aesthetic object, but also as a consumer item molded in part by the shifting demands of the mass market. A particular film, then, can tell us as much about the audience for which it’s intended and the moment in history to which it belongs as it can about the institutions that produced it. In this course we will attempt to understand the way this “dynamic process of exchange” works by looking critically at examples of Hollywood genre filmmaking of the last several decades. We will also examine several conflicting currents in genre criticism in order to evaluate the usefulness of genre theory to a critical understanding of American film. Our class will be structured as a seminar rather than as a lecture course — this means that participants will be responsible for maintaining and perpetuating discussion. Course requirements include a mid term exam, an in-class presentation, and a final paper.

Here are the movies:

Week 1: The American Western: High Noon, Shane, Stagecoach

Recommended viewing: The Unforgiven, A Fist-full of Dollars, My Darling Clementine, The Wild Bunch

Week 2: Film Noir: Double Indemnity, Maltese Falcon, Chinatown, The Killers (1948)

Recommended viewing: Touch of Evil, Blade Runner, Citizen Kane, DOA (Edmund O’Brien version)

Week 3: The Hollywood Musical: 42nd Street, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Singin’ in the Rain, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

Recommended viewing: Moulin Rouge, Dancer in the Dark, Funny Girl, Mary Poppins

Week 4: Screwball Comedy: The Awful Truth, Some Like it Hot, It Happened One Night, Pretty Woman, Annie Hall

Recommended viewing: Notting Hill, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, His Girl Friday

Week 5: Distinctions: Horror and SciFi: The Thing (1951), Forbidden Planet, Alien, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing (1980)

Recommended viewing: Frankenstein (Karloff), The Incredible Shrinking Man, Poltergeist, Them!

]]> By: D'Arcy Norman http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13147 D'Arcy Norman Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:24:31 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13147 I might have to try following along... Very cool playlist! I might have to try following along… Very cool playlist!
]]> By: jimgroom http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13146 jimgroom Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:11:03 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13146 Love, Gardo, L-O-V-E, Love! Thanks:) Love, Gardo, L-O-V-E, Love!
Thanks:)
]]> By: Gardner http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/comment-page-1/#comment-13145 Gardner Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:03:47 +0000 http://bavatuesdays.com/tales-from-the-teaching-crypt-american-film-genres-syllabus-from-summer-2000/#comment-13145 Blogging syllabi. Brilliant idea. Wow. The Rev. does it again. What do you have tattooed on your knuckles, Jimmy? :) Blogging syllabi. Brilliant idea. Wow.

The Rev. does it again. What do you have tattooed on your knuckles, Jimmy? :)

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