UGA Bulletin

Course Description

The development of the international cinema and film practice from 1895 to 1945, with emphasis on cinema as a narrative, artistic, technological, and industrial medium.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Longer written assignments plus presentations on methodology.

Athena Title

History of Cinema I

Prerequisite

FILM 2120

Semester Course Offered

Offered fall and spring

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to identify key trends in film narrative and style and major factors driving change in production, distribution, and exhibition between 1895 and 1945.
By the end of the class, students should be able to identify key characteristics of the “cinema of attractions”; the classical Hollywood narrative/style that emerged circa 1915; and of national film styles that emerged between 1920 and 1945, including German Expressionism, Soviet montage, French avant-garde film, documentary, and early sound film in China, Japan, France, and Mexico.
By the end of the class, students should be able to appreciate the unique pleasures and meanings attached to silent and early sound films and to the moviegoing experience by film audiences in past historical moments.
By the end of the class, students should be able to perform an analysis of primary sources for film history, including written documents and films themselves. This includes distinguishing between standard and innovative uses of film style in specific production contexts and evaluating their impacts, as well as drawing conclusions about implicit assumptions and values expressed in written texts.

Topical Outline

Week 1 - Film Technology, the “Cinema of Attractions,” and Early Story Films Week 2 - The Transitional Era: Industry Consolidation Week 3 – Stars, the Studio System, and Hollywood’s Global Dominance Week 4 – Outside the Studio System: “Race Films” and Exploitation Week 5 – German Expressionism: Developing Alternatives to Hollywood Week 6 – Soviet Montage: Theory and Practice Week 7 - Avant-Garde and Experimental Film in France Week 8 - Non-fiction in Silent and Early Sound Film Week 9 – The Transition to Sound in Hollywood Week 10 - The Coming of Sound in France: Direct and Experimental Sound Week 11 – The Coming of Sound in Latin America: Popular and Critical Film Week 12 – The Uneven Transition to Sound in China: Leftist Politics and Popular Song Week 13 - Film Sound in Japan: From Live Performers to Recording Technologies Week 14 - Hollywood in the 1930s: Industry Structure and Genre Week 15 - Hollywood in the 1930s: Self-Censorship and Stardom

Institutional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.

Critical Thinking

The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.

Syllabus

publish

History of Cinema I (1895-1945)