NYU/FAMU: Topics from (Czech and) European Film History

New York University

Tisch School of the Arts

Course Sylabus

TOPICS FROM (CZECH AND) EUROPEAN FILM HISTORY

Spring 2016

Monday 9:00-11:25 a.m. + Wednesday 10:40 a.m. -12.15 p.m.

Instructor Name: Petra Dominkova, PhD.

Course Objectives:

The aim of the course is to make students familiar with some of the innovative moments in the history of Czech (and East European) cinema. The subject will be presented within the historical, political, and cultural contexts. The historical facts and artistic/theoretical ideas will be accompanied by specific examples. During the sessions students will watch films in their entirety (with English subtitles) or short extracts illustrating particular topic.

Requirements:

Final Test: five questions about topics and films which were discussed in class.

Participation in discussions: Student are expected to vividly participate in dicsussions.

Presentation: A presentation based on a film seen within the class and the required reading. Sudent will prepare PWP and/or handout. Presentation should last at least 45 minutes and should include at least 5 discussion questions. Send me your presentation ahead – until Sunday

evening – to I can provide you with the feedback.

Evaluation:

Final test: 35%

Participation in discussion: 32,5%

Presentation: 32,5%

Class meetings:

Monday: Klimentská;

Wednesday FAMU main building classroom no. 7

Contact:

e-mail: petra.dominkova@gmail.cz

office hours: by appointment

tel: +420 739 053 950

Week 1 MON, February 1

Theme:

Introduction + Chronology; Mise-en-scene

Week 1 WED, February 3

Screening: Ida, dir. Pawel Pawlikowski (Poland, 2013, 82’)

Week 2 MON, February 8

Discussion: Ida (discuss particularly Mise-en-scene)

Reading: Elsaesser, Thomas and Warren Buckland. Studying Contemporary American Film: A Guide To Movie Analysis. London: Arnold and New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. 80-106. Print. (Chapter Mise-en-scène Criticism and Statistical Style Analysis (The English patient).)

Theme: WW2 and Holocaust in East European cinema: various approaches

Closely Watched Trains, dir. Jiří Menzel (1967); Shop on the Main Street, dir. Elmar Klos + Ján Kadár (1965); Protector, dir. Marek Najbrt (2009), etc.

Week 2 WED, February 10

Screening: Daisies , dir. Věra Chytilová (Sedmikrásky, Czech Republic, 1966, 74’)

Editing

Week 3 MON, February 15

Discussion: Daisies (discuss particularly Editing)

Reading: Lim, Bliss Cua. “Dolls in Fragments: Daisies as Feminist Allegory.” Camera Obscura 16.2: 36–77. Print.

Theme: Female filmmakers in Eastern Europe. Věra Chytilová, Ildiko Enyedi, Agnieszka Holland

Various films by the directors mentioned above.

Week 3 WED, February 17

Screening: Firemen’s Ball, dir. Miloš Forman (Hoří, má panenko, Czech republic, 1969, 71’)

Framing

Week 4 MON, February 22

Discussion: Firemen’s Ball (discuss particularly Framing)

Reading: Branigan, Edward. Approaches to Semiotics (AS): Point of View in the Cinema. Tubingen, DEU: Walter de Gruyter, 2012. 39–72. Print.

Theme: Czechoslovak New Wave I: Inspirations. French Nouvelle Vague, Italian neorealism, etc.

Les quatre cents coups, dir. François Truffaut (1959); Cléo de 5 à 7, dir. Agnès Varda (1962); Ladri di biciclette, dir. Vittorio De Sica (1948)

Week 4 WED, February 24

Screening: Happiness, dir. Agnés Varda (Le Bonheur, France, 1965, 79’) + Color

Week 5 MON, February 29

Discussion: Happiness (discuss particularly Color)

Reading: DeRoo,Rebecca J. “Unhappily ever after: visual irony and feminist strategy in Agnès Varda’s Le Bonheur.” Studies in French Cinema 8:3 (September 2008): 189–209. Print.

Theme: Czechoslovak New Wave II: Poetics and Politics

Cremator, dir. Juraj Herz (1968); Joke, dir. Jaromil Jireš (1969)

Week 5 WED, March 2

Theme: The 1970s and 1980s

Week 6 MON, March 28

Theme: Experimental Films / Jan Švankmajer + Sound

Czech experimental films + short films by J. Švankmajer

Week 6 WED, March 30

Screening: Conspirators of Pleasure; dir. Jan Švankmajer (Spiklenci slasti, Czech Republic, 1996, 85’)

Week 7 MON, April 4

Discussion: Conspirators of Pleasure (discuss particularly Sound)

Reading: Jackson, Wendy. “The Surrealist Conspirator: An Interview with jan Svankmajer.” Animation World Magazzine 2:3 (June 1997): n. pag. Web. 15 August 2014 <http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.3/issue2.3pages/2.3jacksonsvankmajer.html>.

Shaviro, Steven. “Conspirators of Pleasure.” The Pinocchio Theory 11 Feb 2007: n. pag. Web. 20 July 2014 <http://www.shaviro.com/Blog/?p=555>.

Theme: Preparation for final test.

Screening: Taxidermia; dir. György Pálfi (Hungary, 2006, 91’)

Week 7 WED, April 6

Discussion: Taxidermia; dir. György Pálfi (Hungary, 2006, 91’)

Reading: Shaviro, Steven. “Body Horror and Post-Socialist cinema: György Pálfi’s Taxidermia.” A Companion to Eastern European Cinemas. Ed. Aniko Imré. Chichester, U.K. ; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishing, 2012. 25–40. Print. (Also at Web. 20 July 2014 <http://www.shaviro.com/Othertexts/Taxidermia.pdf>)

Week 8 MON, May 2

Final Test

Week 8 WED, May 4

Discussion about the class

Readings:

Branigan, Edward. Approaches to Semiotics (AS): Point of View in the Cinema. Tubingen, DEU: Walter de Gruyter, 2012. 39–72. Print.

DeRoo,Rebecca J. “Unhappily ever after: visual irony and feminist strategy in Agnès Varda’s Le Bonheur.” Studies in French Cinema 8:3 (September 2008): 189–209. Print.

Elsaesser, Thomas and Warren Buckland. Studying Contemporary American Film: A Guide To Movie Analysis. London: Arnold and New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. 80-106. Print. (Chapter Mise-en-scène Criticism and Statistical Style Analysis (The English patient).)

Jackson, Wendy. “The Surrealist Conspirator: An Interview with jan Svankmajer.” Animation World Magazzine 2:3 (June 1997): n. pag. Web. 15 August 2014 <http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.3/issue2.3pages/2.3jacksonsvankmajer.html>.

Lim, Bliss Cua. “Dolls in Fragments: Daisies as Feminist Allegory.” Camera Obscura 16.2: 36–77. Print.

Shaviro, Steven. “Body Horror and Post-Socialist cinema: György Pálfi’s Taxidermia.” A Companion to Eastern European Cinemas. Ed. Aniko Imré. Chichester, U.K. ; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishing, 2012. 25–40. Print. (Also at Web. 20 July 2014 <http://www.shaviro.com/Othertexts/Taxidermia.pdf>)

Shaviro, Steven. “Conspirators of Pleasure.” The Pinocchio Theory 11 Feb 2007: n. pag. Web. 20 July 2014 <http://www.shaviro.com/Blog/?p=555>.