Introduction to Film Studies

Catalog description

This course examines the history of feature films from the silent era to the digital age with a special emphasis on those films and directors that are critically acclaimed as being the best of their era. Along the way, students will become acquainted with film theory and begin to see film as an international media despite Hollywood's prominence. Students will hone skills that pertain to the study of all humanities: critical thinking, solid interpretation, clear writing, and engaging conversation. Our guide in selecting films will be the lists published each decade by the British Film Institute (BFI) and the National Society of Film Critics. Fair warning: some of these films are rated R and contain scenes of sex and violence.