All,

I got bombarded with many written responses in class yesterday, some of which contained good ideas and analyses. This fact also points to some frustrations, though: where were all these comments in our class discussions? Recall a post I made early in the semester about speaking up in class, taking intellectual risks, and voicing your ideas. By showing up for class, doing the standard requirements, and not separating yourself from others (in class or in written form), you will earn a 'C' (the default grade for all college-level work). It is all too obvious that some are still playing on their computers, phones, or doing other classwork (with headphones in ears!). Others sit quietly with no texts, notes, or obvious effort to engage the class in any way whatsoever. 

As for A Woman Under the Influence and "A Room of One's Own": notes are now online. However, I want to encourage you to strike out on your own in terms of analysis, particularly connecting the two texts. Obviously they are both focused on "woman." How (as film specifically) deal with Mabel, her house, and her marriage? How does the camera function? What is the relationship between camera and its subject/object? Don't write merely about story here but about elements that are particular to cinema. How might the ideas that Woolf highlights be seen in the film? How does Woolf see history and the future for woman?

ODYSSEY

Forgot to mention this in class last Tuesday; all apologies.  For next week, you need read only four of the books of The Odyssey. You can choose any of the listed books on the course webpage. Again, sorry.

Alright, alright. I know that Proust is a challenge. I know that it is difficult to make it through; I know that it is even more of a challenge to “do something” with Proust. His narrative style seems to deflect entry. But, I hope that I was able to tie together the beginning and ending of class today in such a way that we can see how Proust narrates and how his narration is the “thing itself.” That is, “the thing itself” and the “knowing the thing” are the same, that the form becomes the content, that the narration is the story. I use Proust in this class because he makes us think about narration so differently (particularly in contrast to the mode of narration we’ve grown accustomed to through Hollywood’s transparent style).

I have fixed the link for The Odyssey on the webpage. There are, however, numerous different translations you can read (online and in print). The version I have linked to is written in prose form (rather than the lined poetic verse). Either type would be fine, as we are not really discussing the poem as poetry, per se. We are looking for evidence of some of the earliest contributions to western formations of narrative (how words are used to construct story). Particularly, we are going to discuss how The Odyssey foregrounds a specific narration of masculinity, a trait that runs throughout western narratives, all the way to Godard’s Contempt. Jack Palance (as the film producer in Contempt) is perfect here.

There are notes on the webpage that outline the conversation we will have concerning Man With A Movie Camera and Proust's text, In Search of Lost Time. These notes are sort of longish, so be sure to print them before class. Moreover, read Proust and reveal you've read him by specifically pointing to the text (whether in class discussions or in blog entries). Talking in class (ie, not in our discussions), texting, and sleeping are all really bad indications of your engagement with the material (specifically) and the class (generally). These indiscretions bother other students, are disrespectful to the class, and are blatantly obvious to all around you. There was far too much of that stuff going on last Tuesday.

Back to Proust...Be sure to engage the text well before Tuesday, as it takes a while to get the flow of his singular writing style. Remember that I have already noted that in the passage "nothing happens," so you don't have to anticipate any sort of "story" to get rolling. But, rather than mere ephemeral Franco-babble, the text does have an interesting narrative frame. And, the connection with the film I am going to make in class concerns the specific socio-cultural moment of early part of 20th century (an era loosely called modernism). The notes on the webpage point to the specifics here.  Don't give up when reading In Search... It just might end up being one of the coolest things you've read; but, you've got to give yourself over to it for this to happen.  

Graphic Novel intro

What was that, like eight people spoke up in yesterday’s class? Nice. I am hopeful even more will do so. It makes class run, just like the film clips I am trying to assemble for next week’s class. Speaking of which…

There are new notes for our discussions of the graphic novel for next week. If you’re not in-the-know yet, check out the webpage for an intro to our topic. There, you will find these new notes, which will be generically applied to graphic novels and films (in general). I will bring some novels to class to peruse. You’re encouraged to do the same. In sum, we will be discussing the differences in “meaning making” between graphic novels and cinema.

In a concerted effort to be more teacherly, I offer the following: Let’s be sure in our written responses (those you turn in rather than post on this blog) to push as fully as we can in our investigations and analyses. Particularly, we need to be mindful when we are writing about a film that we are actually writing about that: its cinematicness, its filmic qualities. If we are not doing so, we might as well be writing about a novel or any other form of storytelling.

I also point you to my other to brief posts about film club activities, which are good and worth your participation and attendance.

film club meeting

I forward this note from the film club...

The next screening for the GSU film club will be on Tuesday 2/10 at 6:30 pm at the screening room (Arts & Humanities 406). We will be seeing For a Few Dollars More, directed by Sergio Leone, as we will continue our discussion on the Spaghetti Western genre. Dr. Raengo will introduce the film during the first part of the meeting.

On another note, I would like to remind all of you about a special screening of two documentaries presented by Roberto Arevalo. This will take place on Monday, February 16th at 7:15pm at the Cinefest theater. Please try to have that date open for this special presentation, since this is a rare occasion for a guest to be showing two of his own films such as these.

As always you can find this information at our website at www.bandofoutsidersgsu.org

I want to let you know that the (increasingly cool) film club at GSU ("Band of Outsiders") is getting a tour of GSTV in room 205 of the Student Center this Friday (Feb. 6th) at 4PM. This is a really great opportunity for those of you who need more hands on experience with production. You will be led by fellow students. This is a great first step for those interested in production (of any kind, not just TV).