Course Description
This course surveys of the history of film from the advent of sound in the early 1930s, the years during and following World War II, and the emergence of the new wave cinemas through the 1960s. We will explore how the film of the prewar era and World War II–years reflected the nationalistic impulses of their countries of production. However, after World War II, there was a growing sense of internationalism that informed a new generation of filmmakers. These new-wave filmmakers inspired each other to create a new, modernist cinema that challenged established norms of filmmaking.
Remote Course
This course will be conducted remotely.
Most learning activities will be asynchronous, meaning that students will complete these on their own time during the assigned week.
In addition, there will be a certain number of synchronous activities, including a weekly discussion session on Google Meet. Office hours will also be held at a scheduled date and time on Google Meet.
Instructor
Juan Monroy
Office Hours:
Office Hours will be held remotely on Google Meet.
Log into a Google account, preferably not your QC Google Account, and sign up for an appointment at https://juanmonroy.com/qcofficehours
Appointments are available at the following times:
- Wednesday: 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Writing Center
Note: In the Age of the Virus, there might not be in-person hours. Check with the Writing Center for options.
Would you like free in-person assistance with writing your papers?
The Writing Center at Queens College offers in-person tutoring with your writing assignments. You can schedule recurring weekly sessions or a one-time “drop-in.” You can also stop-by the Writing Center to consult with a tutor. Students can also submit work online via the Writing Center’s e-tutoring service.
- Monday - Thursday: 10:00 AM–6:30 PM
The Writing Center is located in Kiely Hall, Room 229 and can be reached at 718–997–5676.
Assignments
Please complete all of the assignments by the date noted on this schedule.
Readings
Required readings, listed in the course schedule below, are available in the textbook:
Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History: An Introduction Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Live Discussion Sessions
All students must participate in the weekly discussion session. The session will be held each on the days listed below, at 2:00 PM, beginning on March 25. The session should last about an hour.
Join us on Google Meet from Google Classroom. This article describes how to Join a Video Meeting in Google Classroom for Computer, Android, and iPhone and iPad.
I recommend running Google Meet on a computer through a web browser or through the mobile apps, available for Android and iOS. As a last resort, you can join the session using a telephone number and a PIN.
Reading Quizzes
After reading the relevant section from the textbook, you will take a quiz on Google Classroom. Each quiz consists of a mix of true-false and multiple-choice questions. No late quizzes will be accepted.
- Due Dates, 12:00 PM
- Quiz 7: Apr 15
- Quiz 8: Apr 22
- Quiz 9: Apr 29
- Quiz 10: May 6
- Quiz 11: May 13
- Quiz 12: May 20
- Ten of twelve quizzes are required. Your two lowest scores are dropped
- 40% of final grade
Film Screenings, Pre-Virus
Under each week’s class, you’ll see a list of films—or films—listed as “Reserve Screenings.” You should watch these films on your own time to further orient yourself with the history of film beyond what we can screen in class.
Some of these titles are available at some of the following locations:
- Rosenthal Library at Queens College
- Queens Public Library
- New York Public Library
- The Criterion Channel (subscription)
- Amazon Prime Video (subscription and a-la-carte).
I’ve linked to these sources, where available.
Film Screenings, Post-Virus
On Google Classroom, you will find links to the screenings for each week’s class. I recommend watching the screenings using VLC Player, a multi-platform video player. Mobile versions are also available for iOS and Android. Most screenings have subtitles, but you might have to turn on/enable subtitles.
Some titles will be available on the Kanopy streaming service. You will need to create or log in to a Kanopy account. Then in your profile, Manage your Membership and Add a membership by searching for “CUNY Queens College.” See https://help.kanopy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004371213-Managing-your-memberships for assistance. Authenticate using your QC Library barcode—the number on the back of your Queens College ID card.
Lectures
Each week, I will post a link to a video recording of my lecture of that week’s course material. The link will be available on this course schedule, below, and on the LMS.
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam is a take-home, open-book essay exam. The exam will cover the course material from the first half of the course.
Final Exam
The final exam is a take-home, open-book essay exam. The exam will cover the course material from the second half of the course.
- Due May 22, on Google Classroom
- Weight: 30%
Course Schedule, Pre-Virus
January 29 • Getting Started
Assignments
- Buy the textbook: Film History: An Introduction, either the third edition (2010) or the fourth edition (2019).
- Activate your QC G Suite account.
- Students New to Queens College, Recently Transferred to QC, or Enrolled in another CUNY Campus: You must activate your email and Active Directory accounts before you can activate your G Suite for Education account. The process takes about three (3) business days so please start this process as soon as possible.
- Join our course on Google Classroom
- Go to Google Classroom
- Click on the “+” to join the course
- Enter the code I provided in class
- Review Goals for Student Writing published by Writing at Queens College.
- Complete the Welcome Survey on Google Classroom.
February 5 • Hollywood and the Great Depression
Assignments
In-Class Screening
- Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, USA, 1944, 107 min.)
Reserve Screening
- Gold Diggers of 1933 (Mervyn Le Roy and Busby Berkeley, USA, 1933, 96 min.)
February 19 • France 1930s
Assignments
In-Class Screening
- A Nous La Liberté (René Clair, France, 1930, 84 min.)
- Taris [La natation par Jean Taris, champion de France] (Jean Vigo, France, 1931, 9 min.)
Reserve Screening
- Rules of the Game [La Règle du Jeu] (Jean Renoir, France, 1939, 110 min.)
February 26 • Prewar Germany
Assignments
In-Class Screening
- M (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1931, excerpt)
- The Blue Angel (Joseph von Sternberg, Germany, 1930, 100 min.)
- General Adolph Takes Over, aka Lambeth Walk Nazi Style (Charles Ridley, UK, 1942, 2 min.)
Reserve Screening
- Triumph of the Will (Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1935, 110 min.)
March 4 • Prewar Documentary and Experimental Film
Assignments
In-Class Screenings
- Manhatta (Paul Strand and Charles Sheeler, USA, 1921, excerpt)
- Industrial Britain (Robert Flaherty and John Grierson, UK, 1931, 21 min.)
- Night Mail (Harry Watt and Basil Wright, UK, 1936, 24 min.)
- Native Land (Leo Hurwitz and Paul Strand, USA, 1942, 79 min.)
Reserve Screenings
- Rose Hobart (Joseph Cornell, USA, 1936, 19 min.)
- The Plow that Broke the Plains (Pare Lorentz, USA, 1936, 25 min.)
March 11 • Postwar Hollywood
Assignments
In-Class Screening
- Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, USA, 1958, 128 min.)
Reserve Screening
- Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, USA, 1950, 110 min.)
Course Schedule, Post-Virus
Please complete all of the assignments by the date noted on this schedule.
March 25 • Postwar Europe and Neorealism
Assignments
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
- Read Thompson and Bordwell, Chapter 16, “Postwar European Cinema: Neorealism and its Context, 1945–1959”
- Read Andre Bazin, “The Bicycle Thief.” What is Cinema? Vol. 2, ed. and trans. by Hugh Gray. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004. 62–73.
- Complete Quiz 6 on Google Classroom, due March 25
- Watch Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, Italy, 1948, 89 min.) Available on Kanopy.
- Watch Rome Open City (Roberto Rosselini, Italy, 1946, 103 min.) Available on Kanopy.
- Watch the recorded lecture, available March 20
- Join the Live Discussion Session on today at 2:00 PM on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
Review
April 7 • Midterm Exam
The midterm exam, available on Google Classroom, is due today, 11:59 PM.
April 15 • Post War France and the New Wave
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
- Read Thompson and Bordwell,
- Complete Quiz 7 on Google Classroom, due April 15
- Watch The 400 Blows [Les quatre cents coups] (Francois Truffaut, France, 1959, 90 min.) Available on Kanopy.
- Watch La Jetée (Chris Marker, France, 1964, 28 min.) Available on Kanopy.
- Watch Cleo from 5 to 7 [Cléo de 5 à 7] (Agnès Varda, France, 1962, 90 min.) Available on Kanopy.
- Watch the recorded lecture
- Join the Live Discussion Session on April 15 at 2:00 PM, on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
April 22 • Latin American Cinema
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
- Read Thompson and Bordwell
- Complete Quiz 8 on Google Classroom, due April 22
- Watch Los Olvidados (Luis Buñuel, Mexico, 1950, 72 min.) Find where to stream online.
- Watch Tire Dié (Fernando Birrí, Argentina, 1958, 33 min.) Available on Google Classroom.
- Watch Memories of Underdevelopment (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Cuba, 1968, 97 min.) Find where to stream online.
- Watch the recorded lecture on Google Classroom
- Join the Live Discussion Session on April 22 at 2:00 PM on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
April 29 • Cinema Verité and Direct Cinema
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
- Read Thompson and Bordwell:
- Complete Quiz 9 on Google Classroom, due April 29
- Watch Chronicle of a Summer (Jean Rouch, 1961, France, 92 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch Salesman (Albert and David Maysles, USA, 1969 92 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch Law and Order: An Examination of Police Practices and Behavior (Frederick Wiseman, USA, 1969, 81 min.) Available on Kanopy and on the Internet Archive
- Watch the recorded lecture
- Join the Live Discussion Session on April 29 at 2:00 PM, on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
May 6 • West Germany and Eastern Europe
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
- Read Thompson and Bordwell:
- Complete Quiz 10 on Google Classroom, due May 6
- Watch Young Törless (Volker Schlöndorff, Germany, 1966, 89 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch Daisies (Vera Chytilová, Czechoslovakia, 1966, 77 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch W.R. Mysteries of the Organism (Dusan Makavejev, Yugoslavia, 1971, 85 min.) available on Kanopy. Content warning: contains nudity, explicit sexual acts, and scenes of medical treatments forcibly administered to mentally ill patients.
- Watch the recorded lecture
- Join the Live Discussion Session on May 6 at 2:00 PM, on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
May 13 • Art Cinema: Kurosawa and Bergman
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
- Read Thompson and Bordwell:
- Complete Quiz 11 on Google Classroom, due May 13
- Watch Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950, 89 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966, 85 min.) available on Kanopy.
- Watch the recorded lecture
- Join the Live Discussion Session on May 13 at 2:00 PM, on Google Meet. Join the Video Call from Google Classroom. See this article for help.
May 20 • New Hollywood
Links to these materials are available on Google Classroom.
Assignments
May 22 • Final Exam
The final exam, available on Google Classroom, is due today, 11:59 PM.