SCAND 360A/COMP LIT 315A Scandinavian Cinema Winter

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1 SCAND 360A/COMP LIT 315A Scandinavian Cinema Winter Course Information Instructor 5 Credits Prof. Andrew Nestingen Room: JHN 175 Raitt 305P Meeting Tim T, Th. 1:30-3:20 (206) Office Hours: Th :20 akn@u.washington.edu 1. COURSE DESCRIPTION SCAND 360/COMP LIT 315 surveys the cinema of the Nordic countries from the first film exhibitions in Scandinavia (1895) to the present. The course has two aims. First, it seeks to acquaint you with the key institutions, periods, film styles, and figures in Nordic cinema during the last one hundred-ten years, including Mauritz Stiller, Carl Th. Dreyer, Ingmar Bergman, Lars von Trier, and Aki Kaurismäki. Second, it seeks to deepen your knowledge of film history and improve your skills in analyzing film. 2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES There are three specific sub-aims for the course. a. Acquire a basic vocabulary of film analysis to sharpen and focus arguments about the films we watch. b. Organize your familiarity with the films we watch into historical and comparative categories. In other words, you should know which countries the films come from, who made them, what period they belong to, and what defines that period. On this basis, you should be able to distinguish the films among themselves, and with others outside Scandinavian cinema. c. You should be able to write accurately and thoughtfully about these films, and their histories, which you ll demonstrate through class assignments. So what? What is the benefit of knowing about Scandinavian cinema? The course will help you succeed in other courses in Scandinavian studies. It will help you compare Scandinavian national cinemas and cultures among themselves, and with other cinemas and cultures. It may also help you better understand a part of your own or a friend s cultural heritage, or provide a sense of the culture of a country or city you may read about or visit. It will also provide you a framework and set of terms for studying and analyzing cinema. Since the average American annually watches scores of films on DVD, ondemand, or even the big screen (and we re addicted to television) understanding the moving image is a key component of cultural literacy. Yeah, that was good, or that sucked it was boring does not explain why we like a film, or why we hate one. So studying a specific cinematic tradition helps develop our skills in viewing by challenging 1

2 many of our assumptions about cinema. Scandinavian cinema does share some similarities with Hollywood in fact, many Scandinavians have made prominent careers in Hollywood. But, because Scandinavian cinema also draws on different theatrical, cinematic, and cultural ideas and traditions, it also differs significantly from American cinema. By learning about the similarities and differences, we begin to understand Scandinavian cinema, and American cinema. And, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of Ingmar Bergman. 3. TEXTS Required Sikov, Ed. Film Studies: An Introduction. New York: Columbia UP, GRADES The scheme I ll use for calculating your final grade will be the following: Participation 10% Quizzes 20 % Study Questions 30 % Final Paper 40 % 5. ASSIGNMENTS FILM VIEWING: Films will be screened during class time on Tuesdays. I encourage you to view films more than once. The films will also be on 2-hr reserve in the Odegaard Media Center, so that you can view them a second time at Odegaard. I am also establishing a streaming reserve for the course as well, but it will not be available until during the quarter. Some of the films are available for rental at Scarecrow Video (5030 Roosevelt Way NE). The viewing material will be part of the quizzes. READING: It is essential that you complete all readings, so that you are ready for discussion of the films and can understand the frame of reference for each lecture. You should complete readings listed in the syllabus by the day on which they are entered. Be prepared to discuss and ask questions about the assigned texts. The reading material will be part of the quizzes. All readings not in the Sikov text will be uploaded to a Catalyst Share Space, where you may access them. LECTURES: Another key component in the course is the in-class lecture. The lectures provide explanations of the key terms in the course, which provide context for understanding the history of the films. An outline of each week s lectures will be posted as a PDF file on the course website by Tuesday morning. You can use the posted notes as a guide to taking notes in class. The lecture material will be part of the quizzes and final. 2

3 PARTICIPATION: A large part of the course is based on discussion. If you raise questions and make comments regularly, the class will be productive, thought-provoking, and rewarding, and you will learn. I see participation as your responsibility, and so I will ask that you help decide your participation grade. During Week 6 and by the beginning of Finals Week, you will complete an online survey, in which you assign yourself a grade and give a brief statement explaining why you ve awarded yourself the grade you have. I will give you a participation grade based on your response to the survey. If you fail to complete the survey, you will receive a 2.0 or lower for participation. QUIZZES: There will be three in-class quizzes given on the films, readings, and lectures. Quizzes will take place at the beginning of class (so be on time!). Each quiz will be made up of fifteen, multiple-choice questions. You will need to bring a blank piece of paper to write your answers to each quiz. You will have five to eight minutes for each quiz. I will calculate your quiz grade by averaging your quiz scores. I grade by percentage, with the high score set at 100%. Be sure to put your name on your quiz, or you will not receive credit! STUDY QUESTIONS: You must respond to all fourstudy questions (not viewing questions) listed in the syllabus. Please answer each question with a one- to two-page answer. Study-question responses are due by 1:30PM on the day indicated in the syllabus. You will submit your study questions by uploading them to a Catalyst Drop Box established for the class which closes at the due date. I grade study questions on a pass/no-credit basis. When no response is submitted, or your answer is poor or careless (<2.6), I award no-credit. To earn a 4.0 for the study questions, you must receive a pass for all four study questions; three passes merits a 3.0, and so forth. FINAL PAPER: The final paper will be an essay drawing on films and readings from the course, which I will evaluate by the criteria set out below. To receive credit it must be typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, with one inch margins, and at least seven but no more than nine pages in length (including bibliography (MLA or Chicago Style). The paper will respond to one of several prompts I post on the course website by Thurs. March 8 th. You must upload the paper to the course s Catalyst Share Space by Wednesday March 14th at 5PM. Criteria for Evaluation: I will evaluate final-writing assignments according to the following questions. You can use this as a checklist to guide your drafting, proofreading, and revision: 1. Is a clear and rich thesis the basis for the paper s argument? 2. Are the different paragraphs organized both internally and in relation to each other? 3. Does the paper analyze in detail specific examples from the films and/or readings to support the argument? 4. Does the paper use citations from the readings assigned to support and qualify the analysis, and include a bibliography? 3

4 5. Does the paper employ key terms of film analysis in accurate and useful ways? 6. Is the writing clear and error free? 6. COURSE POLICIES ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The University of Washington is a community dedicated to learning. Ethical expectations of students belonging to the community are defined in the student conduct code ( Plagiarism, cheating, and disruptive behavior in class violate the code. Any violations of the code in connection with the course will result in referral to the university administration for appropriate action. Learn more about how to avoid plagiarism at ( or speak to me directly. GRADES GRIEVANCE POLICY: If you disagree with the grade you have been awarded and wish to appeal your grade, you must follow the policy outlined below. I will make no exceptions to this policy. If you do not follow the policy, I will not consider your appeal. a. Wait at least twenty-four hours, but no more than forty-eight hours from the time you receive the grade to deliver a written statement to my post-box in Raitt 318 (Campus Mail Box ) explaining your complaint. (No s or telephone calls accepted.) b. There is one exception to a): If you disagree with your final paper grade or final grade, you may send your appeal to me as an . c. Include in your appeal a way of contacting you, so I can schedule an appointment with you to discuss your written complaint. d. After meeting with you, I will indicate my final decision to you by telephone, , or mail, your choice. 4

5 Course Schedule Week 1: From the Beginnings to a Golden Age ( ) Study Question #1: How is nature depicted in Sir Arne s Treasure? Briefly sketch an argument in response to the question, using at least two examples to support your claim. T. 1/3 Sir Arne s Treasure (Herr Arnes pengar, S, 1918, Mauritz Stiller) 106 min., Svensk filmindustri Viewing Question: How is nature depicted in Sir Arne s Treasure? Course Introduction Th. 1/5 Lecture 1: Into The Golden Age of Scandinavian Cinema Read: Sikov, Film Studies: An Introduction, 1-4; Reading a Film Sequence and Glossary of Terms for Film Analysis on ereserve (Catalyst Share Space); Tytti Soila et al. Nordic National Cinemas excerpts 1-6, on ereserve Study Question #1 Due Week 2: Carl Th. Dreyer (DK, Active Career ) The Parson s Widow (Præsteenken, 1918, N/S, Dir. Carl Dreyer) 71 min. and excerpt from The Passion of Joan of Arc (La passion de Jeanne d arc, 1928, F/DK Dreyer) T. 1/10 Viewing Question: Identify three elements of mise-en-scene that recurrently appear in The Parson s Widow. Read: Sikov, 5-23; Carl Dreyer Interview on ereserve Th. 1/12 Lecture 2: The Iconoclast, Carl Th. Dreyer Read: Sikov, (Mise-en-scene) 5

6 Week 3: The Scandinavian Studio Film, 1930s-1950s A Woman s Face (En kvinnas ansikte, S, 1938, Dir. Gustaf Molander) 100 min. T. 1/17 Th. 1/19 Viewing Question: Give one example of how the film depicts Anna Holm s (Ingrid Bergman) moral transformation? Read: Sikov (mise-en-scene), Tytti Soila, A Woman s Face on ereserve Lecture 3: The Scandinavian Studio Film Read: Sikov (Cinematography & Editing) Week 4: Ingmar Bergman (S, Active Career ) Study Question #2 1. How does Bergman define film as an art form in his essay on cinema, which we read for class? Quiz #1 The Silence (Tystnaden, 1963, S, Dir. Ingmar Bergman) T. 1/24 Th. 1/26 Viewing Question: What do the two sisters in The Silence symbolically represent? Read: Essay by Ingmar Bergman on ereserve Lecture 4: Ingmar Bergman as Auteur Read: Sikov, (Authorship); Andrew Sarris Notes on Auteur Theory, 1962 Study Question #2 Due 6

7 Week 5: Institution of The Scandinavian Art Film, 1960s-1980s Off! Images of Finland (Perkele, kuvia Suomesta, 1971), Dir. Jörn Donner 96 min. T. 1/31 Th. 2/2 Viewing Question: What would you argue is the organizing principle of this Images of Finland? Read: Sikov, (narrative); David Bordwell, The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice on ereserve (NB! The film contains a graphic sex scene; if you wish to watch an alternative film for this week, please let me know) Lecture 5: The Scandinavian Art Film Read: Sikov (narrative structure) Study Question #2 Due Week 6: The Heritage Film, 1980s-2000s Quiz #2 T. 2/7 The Kautokeino Rebellion (Kautokeino opprøret, 2008, N, Dir. Nils Gaup) 96 min. Viewing Question: What formal codes does The Kautokeino Rebellion use to distinguish between Norwegian and Sami characters? Th. 2/9 Lecture 6: The Heritage Film Read: Mette Hjort From Epiphanic Culture to Circulation on ereserve Submit Participation Survey 7

8 Week 7: High-Impact Films 1990s-2000s Reprise (N, 2006) 105 min., Dir. Joachim Trier T. 2/14 Viewing Question: If you were a potential investor in the film Reprise, what audience would you believe would be attracted to the film? Why? Read: Marijke de Valk, excerpt from Film Festivals on ereserve Th. 2/16 Lecture 7: High-Impact Films Read: Sikov, (performance) Week 8: Auteurs: Lars von Trier & Aki Kaurismäki (Active Career 1980s- 2010s) Study Question #3: What formal codes does Aki Kaurismäki s Drifting Clouds use to establish a relationship between the viewer and the characters Lauri and Ilona? The Boss of It All, (Direktøren for det hele. DK, 1987, D, Dir. Lars von Trier), 99 min, Zentropa Productions T. 2/21 Viewing Question: How does von Trier distinguish between the principal characters in the film The Boss of It All? Read: Badley, excerpt from Lars von Trier Drifting Clouds (Kauas pilvet karkaavat, 1996, SF, Dir. Aki Kaurismäki), 94 min., Sputnik Oy Th. 2/23 Viewing Question: Identify three meaningful uses of sound in Aki Kaurismäki s Drifting Clouds. Read: Sikov, (Sound) Study Question #3 due 8

9 Week 9: T. 2/28 Th. 3/1 Kaurismäki & von Trier Continued Lecture 8: Lars von Trier s Games Read: Von Trier Interview on ereserve Lecture 9: The Aki Kaurismäki Stories Read: Nestingen, Who the Hell Are You? : An Introduction to Aki Kaurismäki s Cinema on ereserve Week 10: Genre and New Nordic Cinema, 1990s-2000s Study Question #4: What are three genre elements in Rare Exports? In addition to identifying them, briefly sketch an argument about how each element is used. Quiz #3 T. 3/6 Rare Exports (2010, SF, Dir. Jalmari Helander) 84 min., Viewing Question: Identify at least three formal codes from the horror genre in Rare Exports. Read: Sikov, (Genre) Th. 3/8 Lecture 10: Genre and the New Nordic Cinema Read: Sikov (Model essay) Study Question #4 Due Submit Participation Survey Final Paper due in Catalyst Dropbox by Wednesday March 14th at 5:00 9