An Introduction to the Films of the French New Wave
Readings:
A reader will include both classic essays from the period and modern historical and critical work.
Course Description:
Though by many accounts a mere four-year phenomenon, the French New Wave is arguably the most emblematic movement in the history of modern cinema, one that continues to inspire filmmakers from Los Angeles to Teheran to Hong Kong. This class provides a comprehensive overview of the movement and its major films, with attention to the cultural and theoretical factors that help explain this extraordinary flowering of filmmaking talent in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Lectures, in English, will cover topics such as: “cinephilia” and auteur theory; technological innovations and the transformation of urban experience; post-war social upheavals and the rise of consumerism; the “ontology” of the image and film as documentary; time, narrative, and the ideology of form. Movies screened will be subtitled and will include works by Truffaut, Godard, Varda, Demy, Rohmer, Eustache, and others. Readings will include classic essays from the period as well as modern historical and critical work.
Prerequisites:
Open to all students. Course taught in English.
Additional information:
No knowledge of French is required. All lectures and discussions in English. This course satisfies 1 “Elective” course requirement in the French major if written work is done in French. If written work is done in English, this course can satisfy 1 “Outside Elective” course requirement in the French major, with prior approval of French Undergraduate Major Adviser.
Please note new time for weekly screenings of films: Screenings are Mondays from 5:40 to 7:15. Students who cannot attend screenings may view films on their own.
Satisfies the College of Letters and Science breadth requirement in Arts & Literature.
Students wishing to take this course to satisfy major requirements in the English or Film major should consult with their undergraduate major adviser.