RUSS265 - Kino: Russia at the Movies

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Academic Year 2004/2005

Kino: Russia at the Movies
RUSS 265 FA

Crosslistings:
REES 265
FILM 365

Soon after the cinemas first opened in Russia in 1910, moviegoing became the primary entertainment for people of all social classes. In the 1920s avant-garde writers, theater directors, and musicians fell in love with the movies, encouraging the brilliant formalist experiments of directors like Eisenstein. By the end of the 1920s Soviet leaders had realized the power of movies to communicate their beliefs to the citizens of the Soviet Union. They had already nationalized studios and theaters, so it was easy for them to impose tight control over the political-ideological content of movies. Nevertheless, throughout the Soviet period, Russian movies created a vision of continuity and change that was broader and richer than the ideological formulae of Communist politics. They also provided a venue for cultural media such as popular songs that, in other countries, might lead a more independent existence outside the movies. This course will look at the culture-building role of Russian movies from its beginnings in Tsarist times through the Soviet period and into the post-Soviet present.

MAJOR READINGS

S. Eisenstein, "The Film Sense" & "Film Form"
J. Leyda "Kino"
D. Bordwell, K. Thompson, "Film Art"
A. Tarkovsky "Sculpting in Time"
Xerox packet.
Directors whose films will be viewed include: Bauer, Vertov, Eisenstein, Pudovkin, Aleksandrov, Dovzhenko, Mikhalkov, Konchalovsky, Paradzhanov, Abuladze, Tarkovsky, Bodrov, German, and Sokurov.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Five short papers and final take-home project.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

$60 course fee. In addition to the regular class meeting time on TT 10:30 - 11:50 a.m., students will also be required to meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 8 - 10 p.m. for film screenings.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA RUSS Grading Mode: Student Option

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Aleshkovsky,Irene

Times: ..T.R.. 10:30AM-11:50AM; .M..... 08:00PM-10:00PM; ...W... 08:00PM-10:00PM; Location: FISK305; AWKS010; FISK116;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 25)

SR. major: 5 Jr. major: 5

SR. non-major: 5 Jr. non-major: 5 SO: 4 FR: 1

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Reading Non-Verbal Texts

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-21-2005