Programme

With the support of some theoretical and critical reference contributions, we will review the milestones that marked the emergence of film as an art and as a cultural industry, from pre-cinema to classical Hollywood, through the experience of 1920s Avant-Gardes, the introduction of sound and the emergence of different models of "Studio System". Renoir and the modernism of The Rules of the Game. Welles and the experimentalism of Citizen Kane. The neorealism as seen by Rossellini. The hieratic classicism of Ozu. The lesson of Bazin and the Nouvelle Vague (Godard). Modern auteur film (Bergman, Antonioni, Tarkovskij). Cinema novo (Rocha). New Hollywood (Coppola). New Iranian cinema (Kiarostami). The emergence of women's film and the synergy film-television (Campion). The digital switchover and the relaunch of 3D (Avatar).

Please note: students must read the extended program (link: bit.ly/2lzP7tJ, in Italian).

Core Documentation

Bibliography:
David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson, Storia del cinema. Un’introduzione, Milano, McGraw-Hill, 2010 and further editions (chapters 1-20 and Appendix).
A Reader of reference film theory and critics contributions, edited by the professor in charge (link: bit.ly/2nHLO4j).

Filmography (long feature films):
Cabiria (G. Pastrone, 1913), The Birth of a Nation (David W. Griffith, 1915), The Outlaw and His Wife (Victor Sjöstrom, 1917), Eldorado (M. L’Herbier, 1921), Nosferatu (Friedrich W. Murnau, 1922), Battleship Potëmkin (Sergej M. Ejzenštejn, 1926), Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929), Sisters of Gion (Mizoguchi Kenji, 1936), Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939), The Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir, 1939), Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941), Paisan (Roberto Rossellini, 1946), Tokio Story (Jasujirô Ozu, 1953), Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957), Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960), L’avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960), Antonio das Mortes (Glauber Rocha, 1969), Solaris (Andrej A. Tarkovskij, 1972), Xala (Sembene Ousmane, 1975), Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979), Close-up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990), An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion, 1990), Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)

Type of delivery of the course

The course is to be taught in a traditional way, in the presence of the professor, and is to be enriched by the vision of a reference filmography.

Attendance

Students are strongly recommended to attend class, but participation is not mandatory.

Type of evaluation

Written test, including six open-ended questions, with two hours at disposal, actual time.

Programme

With the support of some theoretical and critical reference contributions, we will review the milestones that marked the emergence of film as an art and as a cultural industry, from pre-cinema to classical Hollywood, through the experience of 1920s Avant-Gardes, the introduction of sound and the emergence of different models of "Studio System". Renoir and the modernism of The Rules of the Game. Welles and the experimentalism of Citizen Kane. The neorealism as seen by Rossellini. The hieratic classicism of Ozu. The lesson of Bazin and the Nouvelle Vague (Godard). Modern auteur film (Bergman, Antonioni, Tarkovskij). Cinema novo (Rocha). New Hollywood (Coppola). New Iranian cinema (Kiarostami). The emergence of women's film and the synergy film-television (Campion). The digital switchover and the relaunch of 3D (Avatar).

Please note: students must read the extended program (link: bit.ly/2lzP7tJ, in Italian).

Core Documentation

Bibliography:
David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson, Storia del cinema. Un’introduzione, Milano, McGraw-Hill, 2010 and further editions (chapters 1-20 and Appendix).
A Reader of reference film theory and critics contributions, edited by the professor in charge (link: bit.ly/2nHLO4j).

Filmography (long feature films):
Cabiria (G. Pastrone, 1913), The Birth of a Nation (David W. Griffith, 1915), The Outlaw and His Wife (Victor Sjöstrom, 1917), Eldorado (M. L’Herbier, 1921), Nosferatu (Friedrich W. Murnau, 1922), Battleship Potëmkin (Sergej M. Ejzenštejn, 1926), Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929), Sisters of Gion (Mizoguchi Kenji, 1936), Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939), The Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir, 1939), Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941), Paisan (Roberto Rossellini, 1946), Tokio Story (Jasujirô Ozu, 1953), Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957), Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960), L’avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960), Antonio das Mortes (Glauber Rocha, 1969), Solaris (Andrej A. Tarkovskij, 1972), Xala (Sembene Ousmane, 1975), Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979), Close-up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990), An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion, 1990), Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)

Reference Bibliography

David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson, Storia del cinema. Un’introduzione, Milano, McGraw-Hill, 2010 and further editions (chapters 1-20 and Appendix). A Reader of reference film theory and critics contributions, edited by the professor in charge (link: bit.ly/2nHLO4j).

Type of delivery of the course

The course is to be taught in a traditional way, in the presence of the professor, and is to be enriched by the vision of a reference filmography.

Attendance

Students are strongly recommended to attend class, but participation is not mandatory.

Type of evaluation

Written test, including six open-ended questions, with two hours at disposal, actual time.

Programme

The invention of cinema, between science and ontology. Lumière, Méliès and the "primitive way of representation". The affirmation of the "institutional mode of representation" from the School of Brighton to Griffith. The rise of Hollywood and the birth of genres: the slapstick comedy, Chaplin and Keaton. The avant-gardes of the 1920s in France (abstraction, dadaism and surrealism). German expressionism. Soviet Union (theories and practices of editing). Sound and American classic cinema. The Hollywood genres and the Studio System. Poetic realism and Renoir. Welles, Bazin and modern cinema. New Hollywood. The elaboration of contemporary genres: post-modern cinema.

Core Documentation

D. Bordwell, K.Thompson, Storia del cinema e dei film, McGraw-Hill Education, Milano 2018


FILMOGRAPHY:
SHORT FILMS
Arrivée d'un train à la Ciotat (Arrivo di un treno alla stazione Ciotat, L. Lumière, 1895), Arrivée des congressistes à Neville-sur-Saône (Arrivo dei congressisti a Neville-sur-Saône, L.Lumière, 1895), Sortie d'usine (Uscita dalla fabbrica, L. Lumière), Répas de bébé (Pasto del bambino, L. Lumière, 1895), Arroseur et arrosé (Innaffiatore e innaffiato, L.Lumière, 1896), Départ de Jerusalem en chemin de fer (Partenza da Gerusalemme in treno, prod.Lumière, 1896), L'Homme orchestre (L'uomo orchestra, G.Méliès, 1900), L'Homme à la tête en caoutchouc (L'uomo dalla testa di caucciù, G.Méliès, 1901), Voyage dans la lune (Viaggio sulla Luna, G.Méliès, 1902), Le Mélomane (Il melomane, G.Méliès, 1903), The Countryman and the Cinematograph (Il contadino e il cinema, R.W.Paul, 1901), As seen through a Telescope (Visto da un cannocchiale, G.A.Smith, 1900), Mary Jane's Mishap (La disavventura di Mary Jane, G.A.Smith, 1903), Ladies Skirts Nailed to a Fence (Gonne di signore inchiodate ad un recinto, prod. Bamforth, 1900), A Big Swallow (Un bel boccone, J.Williamson, 1901), Fire! (Fuoco!, J.Williamson, 1901), Stop Thief! (Ferma ladro!, J.Williamson, 1901), Rescued by Rover (Salvata da Rover, L.Fitzhamon, 1905). The Great Train Robbery (La grande rapina al treno, E.S.Porter, 1903), A Corner in Wheat (Un accaparramento di grano, D.W.Griffith, 1909), The Musketeers of Pig Alley (La banda di Pig Alley, D.W.Griffith,1912), The Immigrant (L'emigrante, C.S.Chaplin, 1917), Entr'acte (Id. R.Clair, 1924), Un chien andalou (Un cane andaluso, L. Buñuel, 1929).

FEATURE FILMS:
Sherlock Junior (B.Keaton, 1924)
Il carretto fantasma (V. Sjöstrom, 1921)
Das Cabinet des Dr.Caligari (Il gabinetto del dottor Caligari, R.Wiene, 1919)
Bronenosec Potëmkin (La corazzata Potëmkin, S.M. Ejzenstejn, 1926)
Chelovek s kino-apparatom (L'uomo con la macchina da presa, D.Vertov, 1929)
Citizen Kane (Quarto Potere, Orson Welles, 1941)
Roma città aperta (R. Rossellini, 1945)
Ladri di biciclette (V. De Sica, 1948)
Bellissima (L.Visconti, 1951)
Singin’in the Rain (Cantando sotto la pioggia, S.Donen-G.Kelly, 1952)
L'eclisse (M. Antonioni, 1962)
Les 400 coups (I 400 colpi, F.Truffaut, 1959)
A bout de souffle (Fino all’ultimo respiro, J.L. Godard, 1960)
Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio (F.Fellini, 1962)
La ricotta (P.P.Pasolini, 1963)
Persona (I.Bergman, 1966)
Taxi Driver (M. Scorsese, 1976)

Reference Bibliography

The interested student can contact the teacher to request further bibliographical information.

Type of delivery of the course

The course takes place in a traditional mode, through the analysis of the individual works in the filmography.

Attendance

The frequency is optional, but strongly recommended, since classes will analyse the cinematographic works that will then be requested in the final examination.

Type of evaluation

The final test will be written with open questions. The exam is written and consists of four or five open-ended questions. A question among those proposed will be about the elements of cinematographic language, therefore the careful study of the lexicon placed in appendix to the manual is recommended.