EN 212, Spring 2021
Professor: Bob Boon
Office: Cuples 425
Email: rboon@centralmethodist.edu
Office Hours: MWF 8-8:50 via Zoom. The English Dept. has decided to have a closed office space. Don’t just show up. https://centralmethodist.zoom.us/j/97762404092
COURSE INFORMATION
EN 212 Intro to Cinema
MF 2:00-2:50pm, W 2-3:50pm, Stedman 307
Spring 2021
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION
EN212 Introduction to Cinema. 3 hours. The class examines themes, impacts, and techniques in cinematic art. Through experiencing, reading about, and discussing a series of films, the class studies the history of film, the major film genres, and some of the important film directors. Fulfills "Fine Arts" requirements. Prerequisite: EN120 or EN110/111. Spring
TEXTBOOK INFORMATION [all of these are required]
The Story of Film, Mark Cousins. Pavilion, 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1911641827
Zoom link: https://centralmethodist.zoom.us/j/93840974684
Panopto link: https://centralmethodist.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Sessions/List.aspx?folderID=0ef8b511-b2aa-42e9-a436-ac160107e7c6
CMU MISSION STATEMENT
Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.
STUDENTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS
Central Methodist University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual preference, religion, sex, national origin, age, or federally defined disability/state defined handicap ("disability"). This includes but is not limited to recruitment and admission of students, educational programs, services, activities, financial aid, and scholarship programs. The University complies with all federal and state non-discrimination requirements. The Center for Learning & Teaching at Central Methodist University is committed to ensuring nondiscrimination and equal access to all programs, service, and activities for qualified students with a disability. It is the responsibility of any student who wishes to claim a disability and seek an accommodation to file official documentation confirming the disability and a completed Disability Services Student Information Form with the Center of Learning and Teaching prior to seeking any accommodation based on the disability.
GRIEVANCE POLICY
Central Methodist University has established a grievance policy and process designed to provide students and others with a process to resolve potential issues. This policy and process is established to provide persons with an avenue to file a written concern and to establish a process to track and implement changes as a result of said concern. For more detailed information, consult the CLAS catalog at: http://www.centralmethodist.edu/academics/catalog/clas-catalog/policies/index.php.
If an issue cannot be solved through consultation with the faculty or division chair, students can report an incident/issue within 30 days of the event via the online web form https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?CentralMethodistUniv&layout_id=3
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND ACADEMIC CONDUCT
ACADEMIC CONDUCT: Any student found guilty of academic misconduct on any assignment, quiz or exam in this class will earn a zero for that assignment, quiz or exam. Furthermore, that student will come under the auspices of the Academic Conduct Policy of CMU. It is the student's responsibility to review and understand the CMU Academic Conduct Policy. Plagiarism falls under this code. I have no sense of humor nor forgiveness for any plagiarism. At best, plagiarized work will receive a zero and be formally reported to the Provost. Plagiarized work cannot be done over. Severe or repeated episodes of plagiarism will likely guarantee an F in the course and may result in the offender being dropped from the course.
“Study Guides”: from the start, let me define a special type of conduct violation for this class. I do expect students to actually read the text and watch the movies. I will consider any use of study guides or online summaries (such as Cliff notes, or Sparknotes or Shmoop or blog summaries or whatever…) to be a form of academic dishonesty—whether in papers, or to “just get an idea of what’s going on,” or last minute instead of reading—any use at all will be considered a form of academic dishonesty, and may be reported to the Provost as such.
CLASS CONDUCT: In class, we need to be alert, civil and courteous to others. Partly this means being prepared for the day’s work; this also means staying reasonably focused on our activities. So, you shouldn’t be on Facebook or Snapchat or whatever other social media, not texting, not listening to music, not playing games, not watching sports during class. No earphones at any time. Don’t bring your phones out, especially not during group work. Use your iPads, but if you abuse the privilege, you may be asked to leave class and not return until we have a talk with your advisor.
Do be civil—we will discuss a number of controversial issues. You certainly don’t have to agree with everyone, or with me, but we do need to discuss issues, to argue productively, not insult or name-call. But you know these things.
Zoom conduct: When you are on Zoom, you need to have your camera on, and the camera needs to be showing your face, not the ceiling, not the top of your head, etc. And you need to be focused and attentive. This is still class, not a time to be cooking, jogging, driving, etc.
ATTENDANCE: This semester, I will take regular attendance for each class. Excessive absence can lower your course grade, potentially to an F. Anything over 8 absences is excessive.
And despite the pandemic, unless you are ill, quarantined or have made special arrangements, you are expected to attend class in person. Zoom is not an option just because you feel like not showing up, or you’re having a bad hair day. Put on a cap and get here.
Do be on time for class, whether we are meeting in person or via Zoom.
WELLNESS AND SICKNESS POLICIES:
Wearing a face mask is about protecting others, our Central Methodist Community and the communities we work in. The primary purpose of wearing a face mask is to reduce the probability of virus spreading from the wearer (who may not know they are spreading the virus) into the environment and to others. The secondary purpose of the face covering is to reduce the likelihood that large droplets containing virus that are spread by others may enter the nose and mouth of the wearer. The use of a face mask does not replace the continued need to maintain physical distances from others, at least 6 feet, but instead augments physical distancing and helps us further reduce the likelihood of virus transmission. The complete CMU Face Mask Policy is available at: https://www.centralmethodist.edu/about/offices/human-resources/_docs/FaceCoveringPolicy.pdf
We do need to sanitize our class spaces as we leave. Please review the Safety Video, posted in the Announcements.
If you are ill, of course, do not come to class. Email me as soon as possible. · Being absent does not excuse you from turning in homework on myCMU on time. If there are extenuating circumstances, contact me within 24 hours of the missed deadline. It would be wise to complete and submit work as early as possible to avoid any emergency.
If you are in quarantine, accommodations will be determined in partnership with the Center for Learning and Teaching. These issues will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
As a responsible student, you should only miss classes if you are sick or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or participating in a University Sanctioned Event. Missing class to finish homework or to take a friend to a doctor is not a wise choice.
Do be on time for class, whether we are meeting in person or via Zoom.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: I tend to make frequent use of the Announcements in myCMU. You are responsible for information and course materials in the Announcements.
CLASS CANCELLATION: If there is a weather emergency, please check the CMU website for school cancellation. If I have a personal emergency or illness, I will attempt to post that in the course Announcements.
MAKE-UP AND LATE WORK: We have a fairly tight schedule, and so a caution—late work will put you at many disadvantages throughout the course, not only in terms of grades. Not being prepared is more than a little rude to the group and class members who depend on your active contribution. So, I do reserve the right to penalize or refuse entirely any late work throughout the semester. Any make-up work must be done within one week of the original due date. Email me to make arrangements.
WRITING CENTER: Please take advantage of the Center throughout the semester. This extra attention to your writing can make a significant difference in what you learn about writing. Schedule appointments here: http://www.centralmethodist.edu/academics/english/writingcenter.php
GRADING
We will use the standard grading scale. In general, I do not round up any grade percentages, unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
100%-90% = A
89%-80% = B
79%-70% = C
69%-60% = D
59% or below = F
ASSIGNMENTS AND POINTS BREAKDOWN
Plagiarism 5 points
Me and the Movies 40
Online discussions (open ended, generally 15 points each for film/reading, 5 points for presentation responses)
Film presentations 40 X 2
Me and the Movies 2 40
I assume (hope) we won’t need to do quizzes and that sort of thing. Though an undesired option.
DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
Plagiarism exercise: Please go to this website, http://www.lib.usm.edu/plagiarism_tutorial/, which contains a plagiarism tutorial. Work through the exercises and take the test at the very end. Post that result in myCMU, in some form, screenshot, download, or even just your own statement that you completed the exercise.
Me and the Movies: For this early essay, tell us about your experience with movies. What kind of movies do you like/despise? What particular movies stand out for you, good or bad? What movies have that special, sentimental attachment for you? What do you know about film-making, editing, directors, Hollywood, international films, etc.? Don’t just go through and answer these questions. They are just prompts. Convey to us your relationship to this medium. 3-4 pp., typed, double-spaced.
Film presentations: This is a group project. Hopefully, we will have about two presentations a week that expand on the film, genre or era that the class is considering. You should do one of these in the first half of the semester and the second after that. For these presentations, give us a good sense of what the movie is about, plot, characters, key action, and do look at some of the critical history of the film. I will have the class respond to the presentation, and hope that the presentation group will actively reply to class reactions and questions.
Discussions in myCMU: Ok, this will cover a lot of different things. We will have a place each week to respond to the “feature presentation” shown in class, as well as to the readings in The Story of Film. We will also do responses to presentations. I’ll provide specific instructions for each discussion, but overall, for these to be successful, each of you needs to jump in and decide to treat this as a lively conversation, not just busy-work. We will never have enough time or Covid-free moments to talk about all this in person, but this is a chance to bring the material to life! I hope class leaders emerge quickly in the discussions.
Me and the Movies 2: Toward the end of the semester, I’ll ask you to write another essay about what you have learned, or what new pathways seem open to you and film. 3 pp.
COURSE SCHEDULE: This schedule is subject to change or modification, though hopefully we will stay close to this outline.
Week 1 (January 20-22)
W. Course introduction
Cousins, Chapter 1
The Sting (129)
Week 2 (January 25-29)
M. Plagiarism exercise due
Cousins, Chapter 2
Old stuff: Lumiere, A Trip to the Moon (13), Corbett-Fitz Fight, Great Train Robbery (12)
Railroad Porter (if I can find it), Birth of a Nation, selections
F. Me and the Movies essay due
Week 3 (February 1-5)
Cousins, Chapter 3
Chaplin, Keaton: Modern Times (87)
[[City Lights (87), The General (67)
Week 4 (February 8-12)
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (67)
[[Metropolis (153), Battleship Potemkin (66)
Week 5 (February 15-19)
Cousins, Chapter 4
Gangsters: Little Caesar (79)
[[Public Enemy (83), White Heat (1949), Bonnie and Clyde, Natural Born Killers
Week 6 (February 22-26)
Bringing Up Baby (102)
[[Golddiggers of 1933
Week 7 (March 1-5)
Cousins, Chapter 5
Westerns: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (123)
[[Stagecoach, Johnny Guitar, My Darling Clementine, A Fistful of Dollars, Rio Bravo, Magnificent Seven, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Wild Bunch
Week 8 (March 8-12)
Revisionist Westerns: Legends of the Fall (133)
[[All the Pretty Horses, Unforgiven, Blazing Saddles
Week 9 (March 15-17)
Cousins, Chapter 6
Post war/ Capra and Hitchcock: The Man Who Knew Too Much [1956] (120)
Spring Recess, March 18-21
Week 10 (March 22-26)
Cousins, Chapter 7
War: The Dirty Dozen (150)
Week 11 (March 29-31)
Musicals
April 2, Good Friday
Week 12 (April 5-9)
Cousins, Chapter 8
Documentaries: Rich Hill (91)
Week 13 (April 12-16)
Cousins, Chapter 9
Spike Lee +: Do the Right Thing (120)
Me and the Movies 2 essay due
Week 14 (April 19-23)
Cousins, Chapter 10
Chasing Amy (113)
Week 15 (April 26-30)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (161)
grades due May 10