Man With a Movie Camera

Watch the film...

http://www.archive.org/details/ChelovekskinoapparatomManWithAMovieCamera

Your Looking at Movies textbook has a nice quote about Vertov and his film on page 428.

Vertov shows us how to frame reality and movement: through the human eye and the camera eye, or through windows and shutters. But to confound us, he also shows us--through such devices as the freeze-frame, split screen, stop-action, slow motion, and fast motion--how the cinematographer and editor can transform the movements of life into something that is unpredictable. He not only proves that the camera has a life of its own, but also reminds us of the editor, who is putting all of this footage together. Reality may be in the control of the artist, his camera, and its tricks, but it also finds definition within the editor's presentation and, ultimately, the viewer's perception.

In your first well-developed paragraph, please discuss this quote in relation to a five minute piece of Man With a Movie Camera. Be sure to describe shots cinematically, as if I've never seen the film before. Discuss elements of editing, such as the juxtaposition of shots, rhythm, montage, etc.

In your second well-developed paragraph, discuss this quote in relation to a film of your choice. Try to be as specific as possible in your descriptions and speak cinematically when you discuss the film. 

Battleship Potemkin

"The film has a collective hero; the Russian masses—the mutineers on the Potemkin, the people of Odessa, the sailors who mutiny on the other ships—who rebel against Tsarist oppression.

Despite the film's documentary look, it was very carefully constructed on every level, from the distribution of line, mass, and light in individual shots to the perfectly balanced five-act structure of the overall film. The most remarkable feature of the film's construction, however, is the montage editing.

Eisenstein's theory of montage—based on the Marxist dialectic, which involves the collision of thesis and antithesis to produce a synthesis incorporating features of both—deals with the juxtaposition of shots, and attractions (e.g. lighting, camera angle, or subject movement) within shots, to create meaning. Rather than the smooth linkage of shots favored by many of his contemporaries (e.g. V. I. Pudovkin and D. W. Griffith). Eisenstein was interested in the collision and dialectical synthesis of contradictory shots as a way to shock and agitate the audience."

Think about the above quote (from the essay by Clyde Kelly Dunagan in the handout I gave you). In 2 paragraphs, discuss (CINEMATICALLY) if and how Eisenstein's theory works. Be sure to use the cinematic vocabulary you have learned. If you need to, use your glossary in Looking at Movies.

In paragraph 3, discuss a film you have seen that uses discontinuity editing or at the very least seems influenced by Eisenstein's method. Discuss the film CINEMATICALLY as you would discuss a film we watch in class.

Please watch this short documentary on Casablanca

This documentary is an excellent overview of the studio system and the making of Casablanca.

Caligari and Nosferatu

Watch F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu and compare and contrast it with The Cabiniet of Dr. Caligari. Read Roger Ebert's essay on Munau's masterpiece as well as his essay on Caligari and use at least one quote from each. Your response should be at least 2 well-developed paragraphs. Your responses should include quotes from either Ebert's essays or the essays I handed out in class.

If you want to re-watch Caligari, go here. Nosferatu can be found here.

The General & The Gold Rush

Watch Chaplin's The Gold Rush and compare and contrast it with Keaton's The General. Think about everything you've learned thus far in terms of reading film. Discuss open/closed framing, kinesis, narrative, etc. Refer to your textbook if you need assistance with the vocabulary. Use at least one quote from the articles I gave you in your response.

Both films are available here:

The Gold Rush
The General

This Course in a Nutshell

I was in the audience (2nd row) to see Martin Scorsese give the 2013 Jefferson Lecture at the Kennedy Center in April 2013. Take some time to watch him and you will get a good overview of my course.

http://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-lecture/2013-jefferson-lecture-live-stream

Early Movies

Read about Edison, Lumiere Brothers, Melies, and Porter at EarlyCinema.com.

Watch at least 3 films from Edison, Lumiere Brothers, and Melies on your own. Go to the Internet Archive, select "Moving Images" from the drop down menu and search for each director. All of the Edison films can be found at the Library of Congress and can be accessed here. Please be sure to tell me the name of the film and who made it and answer the following questions:

• Do you notice anything particular about the film’s presentation of cinematic space—what you see on the screen? Lots of landscapes or close-ups? Moving or static camera? How does this differ from films you watch today?
• Do you identify with the camera lens? What does the filmmaker compel you to see? What is left to your imagination? What is left out altogether?

A Little About You...

What are your expectations for this class and for yourself in this class? What do you think of when you hear the word movie? What is your favorite movie? Why? Required: 2 full, well-developed paragraphs.