CMDI-2020-01 Sex & Cinema in 20th Century

Winter 2014 (2 January 24 January) Angel Nebot Alonso, Esq. anebotalonso@plymouth.edu Important Information Go over this syllabus carefully. If you haven't used Moodle before, be sure to spend some time experimenting with it. Any technical questions should be directed to the ITS help desk at (603) 535-2929. ADA Statement Plymouth State University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring accommodations, you should immediately contact the PASS Office in Lamson Library (535-2270) to determine whether you are eligible for such accommodations. Academic accommodations will only be considered for students who have registered with the PASS Office. If you have a Letter of Accommodation for this course from the PASS Office, please provide the instructor with that information privately so that you and the instructor can review those accommodations. Course Description Explores the evolution and social construction of sex, gender and sexual orientation in narrative cinema during the 20th century (and beyond). Course Objectives 1. Student will gain a general understanding of significant historical events/origins that influenced the representations of gender on film over time. This objective will be gained through readings and online discussions of selected films. 2. Students will gain fundamental theoretical and historical knowledge about cinematic constructions of gender and sexual orientation from the earliest representations to those of the 21 st century. This will be achieved through readings that reflect cultural-studies scholarship, the history of films, as well as popular sources and film reviews. 3. Students will develop critical thinking skills about stereotypes, both past and present, in relation to how such stereotypes influenced various perspectives about cultural constructs (gender, sexual orientation and race) over time. This objective will be met through assignments (such as reflective papers) that allow students to analyze the nature of gender representations in the films they view and the readings they complete. 4. Students will be able to conduct original research in relation to the course topic. This will be achieved by having them read research essays and requiring them to apply similar ideas to current films of their choice.

5. Finally, the overarching objective/goal is that students will be able to apply all this to critically think about gender representations in films they watch in the future. General Education Description of Past and Present Directions Courses In order to comprehend the present and envision the future, we must understand the past. Cultures and societies discern time and construct chronologies of significant events to explain the past, comprehend the present, and envision the future. By examining issues and events that are currently impacting students lives, Past and Present courses explore how people interpret causes and effects within events, and how actions and reactions circumscribe the "origin" of an event. These courses encourage students to realize that different times shape different views of the world. Any form of knowledge is vital and in flux. For students to realize that all fields of knowledge are subject to change, they need to study the changes that have taken place within those fields. They also need to understand the dialectic movement between the past and present: just as the past shapes the present, so does the present shape our understanding of the past. There are multiple perspectives and interpretations of the same events and these interpretations are subject to revision. Past and Present courses emphasize the skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening, critical thinking, and conducting research. Past and Present Direction Course Skills Reading: This course requires readings of both academic and popular sources on a weekly basis. Writing: Students must complete two essays, one reflective paper, one research paper, and four discussion posts (and respond to the posts of others). Critical Thinking: Several of the readings are based on cultural-studies scholarship, requiring students to examine representations of gender/ sexual orientation and to investigate the many ways that these representations impact often uncritical reception by audiences. Essay topics allow students to think academically about the readings, while reflective papers largely address the way the students react to representations and stereotypes in films on a personal level as well as how they might consider such representations in the future, in light of the readings. Speaking: Students speak to one another through at least four discussion posts; they are required to respond to one another in meaningful ways. Listening: The discussions assignments provide the opportunity to listen to the reactions and opinions of others, and to thoughtfully respond to each other. Conducting Research: Students will be required to conduct original research that relate to current/future representations of sex, gender, or sexual orientation in recent films.

Academic Integrity and Departmental Plagiarism Policy (Please read carefully) The work you submit in this course must be your own. Whenever possible, it is preferred that students paraphrase/explain key concepts in their own words and cite the original source material appropriately. However, if you include four or more consecutive words directly from any source, be certain to surround them with quotation marks, and to properly cite the source and page number. Plagiarism, however unintentionally it may occur, is a serious violation of academic integrity. A student who is found to have plagiarized on any assignment should expect to receive a failing grade for the entire course. There are no exceptions to this policy. Course Requirements: 1. Full Internet and e-mail access. You will need to access this online course on a daily basis. 2. Adobe Acrobat, to access additional readings posted in Moodle. Essay and Reflective Paper Instructions You MUST use your own words when responding. Simply copying from the textbook (including the glossary) and/or other sources does not demonstrate understanding and such assignments will not get any credit. While occasional quotations are ok, the expectation is that you respond using your own words and examples. Each assignment must be submitted within the time frame/date specified. After that time, you will be unable to submit your work. Each assignment must be submitted directly into the submission box. To make sure that you meet specified requirements (and to better edit your work), it is best to complete the assignment in Microsoft Word (or another word processing program) and then copy/paste into the submission box. Do not attach your work; if I cannot open it, your submission will receive a failing grade and a second submission of the same work will NOT be accepted. Late assignments are not accepted under any condition. Discussion Instructions Discussion postings must be submitted within the time frame/date specified. After that time, the particular discussion category disappears, and you will be unable to submit your work. Your discussion postings should be at least 200 words in length. These should reflect on the questions posed, and the personal ways that any theory/concept relates to your own experience, when relevant. When required, you should respond to someone elses posting. Please note that I expect thoughtful and meaningful responses that are at least 100 words in length.

Just agreeing with someone elses point without explanation will not get any credit, and inane comments will receive appropriately mediocre grades. Late postings are not accepted under any condition.

Important Notice on Submitting Work in Times of Crises! As noted above, late work is not accepted under any condition. On rare occasions, you might have trouble submitting your work. If that ever occurs, email your work to mwoldemariam@plymouth.edu BEFORE THE DEADLINE. Furthermore, you must copy-paste the submission into the body of an email because any attachment I cannot open will not count as work submitted. Please Note In all assignments/discussion postings, grammar and spelling matter. I look for critical insight and original ways of relating material to your own experiences. Grading Essays (x2): 40% Critical Reflection Papers (x1): 20% Discussion Posts (x4): 40% Readings (posted in Moodle) Bergman, Paul and Assimow, Michael. Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, (2006); 64-71. Bonila, Paul. Is There More to Hollywood Lowbrow than Meets the Eye? Quarterly Review of Film and Video 22 (2005): 1724. Boucher, Leigh. and Pinto, Sarah. I Aint Queer: Love, Masculinity and History in Brokeback Mountain. The Journal of Mens Studies 15.3 (2007): 311330. Cooper, Brenda and Pease, Edward C. Framing Brokeback Mountain: How the Popular Press Corralled the Gay Cowboy Movie. Critical Studies in Media Communication 25.3 (August 2008): 249 - 273 Garrett, Greg. Hitchcock Women on Hitchcock. A Panel discussion with Janet Leigh, Tippi Hendren, Karen Black, Suzanne Pleshette, and Eva Marie Saint. Literature Film Quarterly 27.2, (1999): 78-89. Lieberfeld, Daniel; Sanders, Judith. Comedy and Identity in Some Like it Hot. Journal of Popular Film & Television. 26.3 (1998): 128-135. Mondello, Bob. Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On. Npr.org. Npr.org. 8 August 2008. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93301189. 6 November 2010. Philaretou, Andreas G. Learning and Laughing about Gender and Sexuality through Humor: The Woody Allen Case. The Journal of Men's Studies 14 (2006): 133-144.

Thiher, Allen. Surrealism's Enduring Bite: Un Chien andalou. Literature Film Quarterly 5.1, (Winter 1977): 38-49.

Required Films Anatomy of a Murder. Dir. Otto Preminger, Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1959, DVD. Brokeback Mountain . Dir. Ang Lee, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 2005, DVD. Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask . Dir. Woody Allen, MGM Home Entertainment Inc, 1972, DVD. Psycho. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, MCA Universal Home Video, 1960, DVD. Some Like it Hot. Dir. Billy Wilder, MGM Home Entertainment, 1959, DVD. DAILY SCHEDULE 1. INTRODUCTION: EARLY CINEMA AND THE PRE-HAYS CODE ERA Thursday 2 January Read the syllabus carefully. Note that we will sometimes resort to youtube.com clips so that we can access some parts of early films, in particular. Make sure you can access all the readings posted under the Required Readings folder. Make sure you can access the required films from Netflix, Blockbuster, your local video store or library. Post a brief description of yourself under the Introducing Ourselves icon. You should also get familiar with Moodle, its various functions, etc. Friday 3 January Watch Un Chien Andalou . Dir. Luis Buuel (1929, Fr.) (available at Youtube.com or see link in Moodle). Read Surrealisms Enduring Bite: Un Chien Andalou. Thiher, Allen. Under the Discussions 1 icon, respond to the questions posted. The original discussion post and the answer are due by 11:55 p.m. Sun. 5 Jan). 2. THE HAYS CODE: ESTABLISHMENT OF SELFCENSORSHIP Monday 6 January Read the article Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40 Years On . Mondello, Bob. Watch the Hays Code clips (see Youtube.com links in Moodle).

3. WHITENESS AND THE SEX GODDESS: MARILYN MONROE Tuesday 7 January Read The Creature from Black Lagoon. Marilyn Monroe and Whiteness . Banner, Lois W.

Wednesday 8 January Under the Discussion 2 icon, respond to the questions posted. The original discussion post and the answer are due by 11:55 p.m. Fri. 10 Jan). 4. NOBODY IS PERFECT (EXCEPT BILLY WILDER): SOME LIKE IT HOT Thursday 9 January Watch the film Some Like It Hot. Dir. Billy Wilder (1959). Begin work on Essay 1 (due by 11:55 p.m., Sunday 12 January). Friday 10 January Read Comedy and Identity in Some Like It Hot. Lieberfeld, Daniel and Sanders, Judith Continue work on Essay 1 (due by 11:55 p.m., Sunday 12 January). 5. ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE COLD BLONDES Monday 13 January Read Hitchcock Women on Hitchcock. A Panel discussion with Janet Leigh, Tippi Hendren, Karen Black, Suzanne Pleshette, and Eva Maria Sant. Tuesday 14 January Watch the film: Psycho. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock (1960). Begin work on Critical/Reflection Paper, due on Sunday 19th January by 11:55 p.m.

6. BREAKING THE CODE: OTTO PREMINGER

Wednesday 15 January Watch the following film: Anatomy of a Murder. Dir. Otto Preminger (1959). Read excerpt from the book Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies . Bergman, Paul and Assimow, Michael. Thursday 16 January Under the Discussion 3 icon, respond to the questions posted (original post and response due by 11:55 p.m. Fri. 17 January).

Friday 17 January Continue working in Critical/Reflection Paper due on Sunday 20 th January by 11:55 p.m. 7. IS SEX FUNNY? ASK WOODY ALLEN Monday 20 January Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Tuesday 21 January Read Learning and Laughing about Gender and Sexuality through Humor: The Woody Allen Case. Philaretou, Andreas G. Watch the film Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask. Dir. Allen, Woody (1972). Under the Discussion 4 icon, respond to the questions posed. (original post and response due by 11:55 p.m. Wed. 22 January). 8. A LOVE STORY FOR EVERYBODY: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN Wednesday 22 January Watch the film Brokeback Mountain . Dir. Lee, Ang (2005). Read I Aint Queer: Love, Masculinity and History in Brokeback Mountain. Boucher, Leigh and Pinto, Sarah. Read Framing Brokeback Mountain: How the Popular Press Corralled the Gay Cowboy Movie. Cooper, Brenda and Pease, Edward C. Thursday 23 January Work on Essay 2. Essay 2 due by 11:55 p.m. Friday 24 January.

Friday 24 January Submit Essay 2. Essay 2 due by 11:55 p.m. Friday 24 January.