Cinema Studies (CINE)

Students in this course learn the basic formal components of cinema (narrative, mise-en-scène, editing, cinematography, sound) and gain an understanding of how those elements are applied in narrative, documentary and experimental cinema. Students view a variety of landmark films and analyze them with an attention to the relationship between their formal and thematic components.

In this course, students examine the historical development of cinema from its origins to the 1960s, focusing primarily on U.S. and European cinema. Through lectures, readings and screenings of landmark work, students learn to analyze film as an art form, a communications tool and an entertainment source.

Students examine in depth the development of the motion picture medium in America from 1920-1960 through lectures, readings and screenings of landmark work. Students consider the relationship of individual films, directors and genres to sociological and cultural contexts of the U.S, and analyze film as an art form, a communications tool and an entertainment source.

Students examine the development of international cinema through lectures, readings and screenings of landmark work. The course considers some European cinema, with a primary focus on non-Western cinema. Students are introduced to a variety of topics that orient world cinema, including colonialism, globalization, censorship, nationalism and transnational production Students are expected to analyze film as an art form, a communications tool and an entertainment source.

Through engagement with contemporary research and discourse, students explore the scholarly methods and practices that anchor critical analysis and interpretation in cinema studies. Students learn to systematically review primary and secondary sources and clearly articulate a methodology to inform their own scholarly work.

Through close analysis of film movements and stylistic trends from the late 1890s through the 1960s, students examine cinema’s rich and vibrant history. From cinematic pioneers like the Lumiére brothers and Chaplin to Truffaut and Godard, students discover the influence of significant filmmakers and how their work influenced contemporary cinematic practice.

Global cinema represents a complex tapestry of cultural, political, economic and aesthetic factors. Through close readings and analysis, students examine international landmark films, exploring the ways in which cinematic themes and styles have transcended geography and transformed filmmaking.

Classic Hollywood conjures notions of hardboiled detectives, screwball romances and Technicolor dreams. In this course, students learn the history of this era from production practices and storytelling conventions to censorship and stardom. Students explore this Golden Age through archival and secondary sources, gaining insight into the evolution of the studio system.

With the proliferation of digital platforms and the distribution revolution, cinema writing has evolved to encompass an array of innovative publication formats. In this course, students explore professional practices beyond traditional film scholarship — such as film reviews, first-person narrative essays, creative non-fiction, fictocriticism and videographic essays — to experiment with emerging forms of cinematic writing and expand professional opportunities.

Flourishing beyond its humble origins, independent cinema traveled from the neighborhood theater to Hollywood. Once a laboratory for experimental filmmaking, indie films now influence and even dominate mainstream markets, including annual accolades at the Academy Awards. Students examine the history, practices and style of indie storytelling and explore the role film festivals, art-house theaters and critics play in the advancement of film culture.

This seminar requires in-depth consideration of a specific cinema studies topic. Topics might include historical-based studies (such as cinema of the 1950s), national-based studies (the French New Wave), theoretical and historical considerations of film form (mise-en-scène, film performance), or thematic topics (Romanticism and cinema, cinema and primitivism). Students assess published scholarship on the seminar topic, and conduct their own focused inquiries in papers and presentations that synthesize and build on that scholarship.

From suspenseful cliffhangers to tear-jerking dramas, melodrama captivates and fascinates audiences. In this course, students explore how the fundamental traits of melodrama — pathos, wronged victims, sensation and stark moral conflicts — form the bedrock of popular cinema. Students examine the history of film melodrama and its dominant influence on American culture.

As audiences immerse themselves in a cinematic experience, cinema studies professionals travel beyond passive viewing to gain a deeper understanding of a film’s sights and sounds through the lens of critical theories. Through close examination of historically significant films, students apply semiotic, psychoanalytic, and phenomenological perspectives to illuminate the complex pleasures and meanings of cinema.

As leaders of contemporary cinematic discourse, students merge cinema studies expertise with versatile writing styles to maximize success across a range of professional pathways. From prestigious journals and popular magazines to film reviews and videographic essays, students cultivate a unique voice in cinema and film criticism through a professional portfolio of refined writings appropriate to diverse platforms and publications.

Students in this course undertake a teaching assignment under the supervision of a faculty member.

Through research and analysis, students advance a line of academic inquiry that defines their unique voice within the scholarly dialogue of cinema studies. Framed by a strong thesis, well-defined research methodology and mastery of film theory, students produce original work that showcases a comprehensive application of cinema studies theories, methods and practices.