ENG/BC/WS 494(G) Women in Film/Television Fall 2017 Western Illinois University

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1 ENG/BC/WS 494(G) Women in Film/Television Fall 2017 Western Illinois University Discussion/Lecture: M/W 9-9:50 (SI 220) Screening: Monday 10:00-11:50 (SI 220) Instructor: Dr. Roberta Di Carmine, Professor Film Studies & Faculty Advisor of Interdisciplinary Film Minor Office: 219 Simpkins Hall (tel )- Office hours: Monday 12-1; Tuesday 1-2; Wednesday Course description and goals: In this course we will explore gender representations by examining different forms of narratives and discussing key examples of feminism in film. The primary focus of this course will be on US films, although a few foreign films as well as two television series will be considered. Key questions that will be addressed include: what strategies do US and international filmmakers and screenwriters employ to tell women s stories? To what extent these narratives challenge traditional gender paradigms and power relations? And, how do filmmakers discuss feminism? How do they question narrative conventions and generic constructions of gender? Ultimately, students will develop and refine critical thinking, oral and written expressions by discussing the films and TV shows chosen for this class and acquire a critical basis for further studies in film and media studies. IMPORTANT COURSE POLICIES: AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CLASS (SCREENING INCLUDED), STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO SILENCE THEIR PHONE DEVICES. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ASK STUDENTS, IF FOUND CHECKING THEIR PHONES (OR TEXTING), TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM AND THAT WILL COUNT AS AN ABSENCE. FOOD IS NOT ALLOWED DURING FILM SCREENINGS AND CLASS DISCUSSIONS. Notice: Some of the films screened in this course may contain material that some might find challenging or uncomfortable. Your enrollment in this course indicates your awareness of this and your willingness to approach these films in an adult, critical manner. Required texts: Feminism at the Movies. Understanding Gender in Contemporary Popular Cinema (edited by Hilary Radner and Rebecca Stringer, 2007) Feminism and Film (edited by E. Ann Kaplan. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000) Recommended texts (for graduate students): * Feminist Film Studies. Writing the Woman into Cinema (by Jennifer McCabe, New York: Wallflower, 2004) * A short guide to writing about film (by Timothy Corrigan, New York: Pearson/Longman, 2016). 1

2 Films (and TV series) to be screened: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 115 m. US) Stella Dallas (1937, dir. King Vidor, 106 m. US) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, dir. Howard Hawks. 91 m. US) Adam s Rib (1949, dir. George Cukor, 101 min. US) Mildred Pierce (1945, dir. Michael Curtiz. 116 m. US) All About Eve (1950, dir. Joseph Mankievicz, 138 m. US) All About my Mother (1999, dir. Pedro Almodovar, 101 m. Spain) Enchanted (2007, dir. Kevin Lima. 104 m. US) Marie Antoinette (2006, dir. Sofia Coppola. 123 m. US/France/Japan) Kissing Jessica Stein (2001, dir Charles Herman-Whurmfeld. 97 m. US) The Secret Life of Bees (2008, dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood. 116 m. US) The Killing (2011, US. The first two episode, season 1) The Fall (2013, UK. The first two episodes, season 1) Film Screenings: For additional screenings, films can be easily located online, rented or found at the university library or at the Macomb library. If a student misses a screening it is her/his responsibility to find other ways to watch the film before class discussion. Class Meetings and Procedures: Each week students are expected to come to class prepared for a discussion on the film and readings. Occasionally, discussions and lectures will occur on the day scheduled for film screenings. Attendance at films screenings and discussions is required. Students whose behavior during film screenings creates a distraction to others will be asked to leave. Consistent late arrival or early departure at film screenings and class periods DOES affect your grade. Participation: Since the discussion revolves around the readings, the film(s), lectures, active participation is based on a careful reading of both films and literary texts as well as understanding of how the two relate. In-class activities will be graded as participation points. Keep in mind that your contribution to discussions counts toward your participation grade. Remember to be respectful in class, disagreements are inevitable in discussions but they should always be conducted in a civil manner. Attendance and Late Work Policies: Regular attendance and participation is REQUIRED. Attendance will be taken regularly in class periods and screenings. You are allowed 3 unexcused absences (0-3 absences= 40 pts; 4-7 absences= 10 pts; 8+ absences= 0 pts). Illness, emergencies, and religious obligations that fall on days of regularly scheduled classes may be excusable upon consultation with the instructor and require documentation from a university official or other authority. Letters from parents or relatives won t be accepted. Note: It is always up to the instructor to decide whether the documentation is acceptable. Remember, consistent late arrival or early departure DOES affect your attendance grade. It is the student s responsibility to make arrangement for any missed class, and check with a classmate for missed material (notes) given in discussions/film screenings. 2

3 ***WIU Film Club***JOIN THE FILM CLUB!Every semester, WIU FILM CLUB shows a selection of films (national and international) and offers thought-provoking discussions on a wide range of issues and topics! Students are highly encouraged to attend the screenings/meetings. Further information about the students organization will be given the first week of class. Extra Credits Opportunities: On November 7, 2017 at 6:00 (Sandburg Theater), Chicago-based filmmaker Lucia Mauro will screen and discuss her short film In My Brother s Shoes. With live performance of the film s original score played by composer Enzo De Rosa. Further information about this event will be given later in the semester. This film event counts for extra credits and it is a unique opportunity for students to get to meet a filmmaker and a musician and interact with them. Throughout the semester, I will announce other events related to film studies that will be available on campus and students may earn extra credits for attending. In any case, the student who decides to attend must also write a two-pages report (doublespaced) to earn points, for a max of 10 points for each film event. Requirements and Evaluation:-Presentation (180 pts)- 3 film essays (300 pts)- Final research paper (400 pts)- Attendance (40 pts) and participation/in class activities (80 pts) Grading Scale: = A =A =B = B = B =C =C =C =D =D =Dbelow 600 pts= F Requirements/Assignments: 1. In each of 3 short essays (4 pages, double spaced, each), you are asked to address specific topics and issues related to the films watched as well as the readings assigned in class. The papers must be typed, double-spaced, proof-read, spell-checked, and formatted (font: 12; side margins: 1 inch). For quotation standards, use the MLA style. 2. A group presentation is required on a film chosen by the instructor. A short self-evaluation (1 singlespaced page) describing the presentation should be handed in the week after it is given. Further information regarding this assignment will be given during the second week of the semester. 3. A research paper of pages (double-spaced) is due Wednesday, December 13 at 8 am. The final paper consists of a comparative analysis of two films chosen by the student among those studied in class. In this paper, students need to closely refer (by quoting or paraphrasing) to 3 readings/book chapters studied during the semester and 3 additional secondary sources. A draft of the final paper of at least 6 pages and the annotated bibliography of the 6 secondary sources is due December 4 (Monday). An in-class presentation of the draft/final paper is also expected for that day. Further information regarding this assignment and presentation will be given later in the semester. Presentations and drafts of final papers are required and count towards your final paper grade (40 pts). The annotated bibliography counts 60 pts towards the grade of the final paper. PLEASE NOTE: Students who submit a draft of less than 6 pages will be penalized of 20 pts from their final grade. Students who won t submit the draft on December 4 will be penalized of 40 pts from their final paper grade. And, students who won t give the presentation of their project will be penalized (40 pts). 3

4 Important: film essays/final paper SENT AS ATTACHMENTS WON T BE ACCEPTED. Late Work Policies: Late work won t be accepted. Exceptions will be considered only if provided by documentation and after serious consideration from the instructor. If the documentation provided is not sufficient and does not fully justify the request of a late submission, the instructor will deny the request. Letters from parents or relatives won t be accepted. Additional Course Policies: No make-up in-class activities. If you miss a class, you also miss the in-class activity. No incomplete will be given in this course PLAGIARISM: Successful participation in this course requires that students complete all the requirements/assignments. Students should be aware that plagiarism or cheating of any form will not be tolerated and that academic misconduct entails severe penalties. The most common form of academic misconduct is plagiarism. As stated on the website regarding Students Rights and Responsibilities, plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another as one s own. Plagiarism occurs whenever: one quotes another person's actual words or replicates all or part of another s product without acknowledgment. This includes all information gleaned from any source, including the Internet. one uses another person's ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories, even if they are completely paraphrased in one's own words without acknowledgment. one uses facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials without acknowledgment. one fails to acknowledge with a citation any close and/or extended paraphrasing of another. one fails to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it is a few words, a sentence, or a paragraph. Typical examples: Submitting, as one s own, the work of another writer or commercial writing service; knowingly buying or otherwise acquiring and submitting, as one s own work, any research paper or other writing assignment; submitting, as one s own, work in which portions were produced by someone acting as tutor or editor; collaborating with others on papers or projects without authorization of the instructor. In addition to oral or written work, plagiarism may also involve using, without permission and/or acknowledgment, computer programs or files, research designs, ideas and images, charts and graphs, photographs, creative works, and other types of information that belong to another. Because expectations about academic assignments vary among disciplines and instructors, students should consult with their instructors about any special requirements related to citation. ( I can easily figure out when a student is plagiarizing so be very careful when citing or using sources, especially those off the Web. In the case a student is found plagiarizing, he/she will receive an F for that assignment and an academic misconduct will be filed according to the University Policies. 4

5 READ THE FOLLOWING: Web address for student rights and responsibilities: Web address for Academic Integrity Policy: * University values, Title IX, and other federal and state laws prohibit sex discrimination, including sexual assault/misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. If you, or someone you know, has been the victim of any of these offenses, we encourage you to report this to the Title IX Coordinator at or anonymously online at: If you disclose an incident to a faculty member, the faculty member must notify the Title IX Coordinator. The complete Title IX policy is available at: * Students with disabilities: In accordance with University values and disability law, students with disabilities may request academic accommodations where there are aspects of a course that result in barriers to inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement. To file an official request for disability-related accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center at , disability@wiu.edu or in 143 Memorial Hall. Please notify the instructor as soon as possible to ensure that this course is accessible to you in a timely manner. * University Writing Center: For free, one-on-one consultation with trained undergraduate and graduate tutors, visit the University Writing Center at both the Macomb and Quad Cities campus. We work with writers from any discipline, at any academic level, and at any point in the writing process. Whether you need help decoding your assignment, brainstorming a topic, developing stronger points, incorporating research properly, organizing paragraphs, or receiving any other feedback, our tutors are here to help you. Writing centers on Macomb Campus: Malpass Library, Tanner Hall, Bayliss Hall, Simpkins Hall. Contact the University Writing Center for more information, mwcenter@wiu.edu. Or, call for an appointment ( ) and be sure to always bring a copy of your assignment. Additional Information: to get important factual information about films (characters name, cast, awards), check Be careful though with the on-line interviews and other material you find online. Remember, plagiarism is a very serious matter. It is also essential to take notes during the screenings. **************************************************** 5

6 Requirements for Graduate Students: graduate students enrolled in this course will be required to complete the following to receive a passing grade: - 1 (individual) presentation (180 pts) - 3 film essays (5 pages each) (300 pts) - Research paper (12-15 pages) (400 pts): a close analysis of one or two films seen in class with close reference to 4 readings done in class and 4 additional critical readings (refereed articles, book essays). The student will be responsible to locate these additional readings by doing an accurate research with the help of a librarian. I will also distribute a list of film journals/texts to consult. I highly encourage students to start investigating a possible topic early in the semester. A presentation of the final project is also required as well as the submission of the draft of the paper together with the annotated bibliography of the secondary sources. See the policies regarding the presentation of final paper and annotated bibliography as stated for the undergraduates. - Participation and attendance policies (120 pts): regular attendance and participation is REQUIRED. Attendance will be taken regularly in class periods and screenings. You are allowed 4 unexcused absences (0-3 absences= 40 pts; 4-7 absences= 10 pts; 8 + absences= 0 pts). Illness, emergencies, and religious obligations that fall on days of regularly scheduled classes may be excusable upon consultation with the instructor and require documentation from a university official or other authority. Letters from parents or relatives won t be accepted. Participation: Since the discussion revolves around the readings, the film(s), lectures, active participation is based on a careful reading of both films and literary texts as well as understanding of how the two relate. In-class activities will be graded as participation points. Keep in mind that your contribution to discussions counts toward your participation grade. Remember to be respectful in class, disagreements are inevitable in discussions but they should always be conducted in a civil manner. THE GRADING SYSTEM FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE A, B, C, D, AND F Grading Scale: A; B; C; D; below 60 F ****************************************************************************** 6

7 Schedule** **The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course but some changes may be necessary. Students will be notified in advance of any changes Week 1: August 21 (M): Introduction August 21 (M): Screening: Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 115 m. US) Reading for W: Laura Mulvey s essay, p. 34 (in Kaplan) August 23 (W): discussion on the film and reading Readings for next Monday: re-read Visual Pleasure... ; Reading for next Wednesday: two essays on Stella Dallas, p. 466 (by E. Ann Kaplan and p. 479 (by Linda Williams, both in Kaplan) Week 2: August 28 (M): discussion on the reading. Distribution copy of Mulvey s revised Visual Pleasure.. and in class discussion on Mulvey s essays. Clips from a selection of films (Hollywood cinema) August 28 (M): Screening Stella Dallas (1937, dir. King Vidor, 106 m. US). August 30 (W): discussion on the film and readings Reading for next week: re-read Mulvey and essays on Stella Dallas Week 3: Sept. 4 (M). NO CLASS LABOR DAY Sept. 6 (W): discussion on the readings and films. Reading for next M: Woman as Sign by Elizabeth Cowie, p. 48 (in Kaplan); Film and the Masquerade, by Mary Ann Doanne (in Kaplan, p. 418) Week 4: Sept. 11 (M): Discussion on Mulvey (both essays, Visual Pleasure.. and the revised one.; discussion on the films Vertigo and Stella Dallas Sept. 11 (M): Screening: Adam s Rib (1949, dir. George Cukor, 101 min. US). Sept. 13 (W): discussion on the film and readings. Reading for next M and W: Is the Gaze Male? (Kaplan, p. 119); Masculinity as spectacle by Steve Neale, p.253 Week 5: Sept. 18 (M): discussion on the reading/film. FILM ESSAY N. 1 DUE Sept. 18 (M): Screening: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, dir. Howard Hawks. 91 m. US) Sept. 20 (W): discussion on the film/reading Reading: for M/W: Women s Genre, (Annette Kuhn in Kaplan, p. 437) and additional reading to be assigned 7

8 Week 6: Sept. 25 (M): in-class activity and discussion on the readings Sept. 25 (M): Screening: Mildred Pierce (1945, dir. Michael Curtiz. 116 m. US) Sept. 27 (W): discussion on the film and reading Reading for next M/W: to be assigned Week 7: October 2 (M): discussion on the readings October 2 (M): Screening: All About Eve (1950, dir. Joseph Mankievicz, 138 m. US) October 4 (W): PRESENTATION N. 1 (GRAD STUDENT) Reading for next week: read The difficulty of difference, (David Rodovick, p.181, in Kaplan); Read: Masculinity in Question (in Radner s Feminism at the movies) Week 8: October 9 (M): Discussion on the film/reading. FILM ESSAY N. 2 October 9 (M): Screening: All About my Mother (1999, dir. Pedro Almodovar, 101 m. Spain) October 11 (W): PRESENTATION N. 2 (GRAD STUDENT) Reading for M: read Introduction (Radner and Stringer pp. 2-9) Reading for W: read chapter on Enchanted (Radner and Stringer) Week 9: October 16 (M): discussion on film/readings. October 16 (M): Screening: Enchanted (2007, dir. Kevin Lima. 104 m. US) October 18 (W): PRESENTATION N. 3 (GRAD STUDENT) Reading for next W: read chapter on The Secret Life.. (in Radner) Week 10: October 23 (M): Discussion on the reading on Enchanted and the film October 23 (M): Screening: The Secret Life of Bees (2008, dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood. 116 m. US) October 25 (W): PRESENTATION N. 4 (GRAD STUDENT) Reading for next W: reading essay on Marie Antoinette (in Radner) Week 11: October 30 (M): discussion on the reading and the film. FILM ESSAY N. 3 October 30 (M): Screening: Marie Antoinette (2006, dir. Sofia Coppola. 123 m. US/France/Japan) Nov. 1 (W): PRESENTATION N. 5 (GRAD STUDENT) Reading for next W: read chapter on Kissing..(in Radner) 8

9 Week 12: Nov. 6 (M): discussion on the film and reading Nov. 6 (M): Screening: Kissing Jessica Stein (2001, dir Charles Herman-Whurmfeld. 97 m. US) Nov. 8 (W): PRESENTATION N. 6 (UNDERGRAD STUDENTS) Reading for next week: TBA Week 13: Nov. 13 (M): discussion on the film/readings Nov. 13 (M): Screening: The Killing (2011, US. The first two episode, season 1) Nov. 15 (W): PRESENTATION N. 7 (UNDERGRAD STUDENTS) Week 14: THANKSGIVING VACATION Week 15: November 27 (M): discussion on the readings of the past three weeks November 27 (M): screening: The Fall (2013, UK. The first two episodes, season 1) November 29 (W): discussion on the television series Week 16: Dec. 4 (M): DRAFT final paper due in class; presentations of students final papers. Dec. 4 (M): cont. presentations students final papers. Dec. 6 (W): final considerations/students evaluations. Conferences in my office Week 17:FINAL WEEK. FINAL PAPER DUE WEDNESDAY, DEC. at 8:00 am. LATE PAPER WILL BE PENALIZED 50 PTS FOR EACH HOUR LATE 9

WIU Spring 2016 ENG/BC/WS 494 Women in Film/Television-sec. 01 Discussion/Lecture: M and W 1:00-1:50 (SI 220) Screening: Monday 2:00-4:00 (SI 220)

WIU Spring 2016 ENG/BC/WS 494 Women in Film/Television-sec. 01 Discussion/Lecture: M and W 1:00-1:50 (SI 220) Screening: Monday 2:00-4:00 (SI 220) Dr. Roberta Di Carmine, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Film