COMM229

Born more than a century ago, circa 1895, film was the medium of the 20th century; and, by all indications, moving pictures will continue to dominate our culture in the 21st century. Among the fine arts, however, cinema is distinct— in addition to its understanding as an an form, film developed into a powerful mass entertainment medium. This course offers a historical survey
and cultural analysis of some of the major cinema movements that have contributed to the development of cinematic grammar, style, and form, from late 19th-century pre-cinema optical experiments to today’s digital films and web experiments. Students learn the critical technical vocabulary of film — the elements of film form, language, technique, and style, and how to “read”
a film — and develop ways to explore and analyze diverse films from around the globe, with special attention paid to the varying international movements and their films’ historical contexts and social and cultural functions, and the way these films address and explore national, cultural, and ethnic identities.