Cinema Studies, Innis College, University of Toronto

INI 214Y: FILM THEORY
Course Description - 1999-2000

Professor Kay Armatage, Innis College Rm 224
Tel. 416-978-8572; Fax 416-978-5503; kay.armatage@utoronto.ca


Lectures Monday 3:00 - 4:00 pm, Town Hall, Innis College
Screenings Tuesday 4:00 - 7:00 pm, Town Hall, Innis College
Seminars Wednesday 3:00 - 4:00; 4:00 - 5:00 pm, Room 222, Innis College
Office Hours Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 pm, Room 224, Innis College

This course is required for Majors and Specialists in Cinema Studies, and is suitable as well for students with a background in Sociology, Twentieth Century Studies, and Literary Studies. It may also be of interest to general arts students. INI 214Y counts towards Specialist, Major or Minor programmes in Cinema Studies.


Course Description

From its earliest days, cinema has attracted unusually sophisticated defenders, theorists and aestheticians inspired to write on cinema's nature, its prospects and its ideological entanglements. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the major theoretical positions and debates that have arisen from this group of writers who engendered what has come to be called film theory. Using readings of theory texts and film screenings, the course will examine selected major authors like Arnheim, Kuleshov, Eisenstein, Bazin, Metz, Godard, Mulvey, and tendencies including Formalism, Realism, Semiotics and Feminism.


Texts to Buy

Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen, eds. Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings (5th edition). New York: Oxford University Press, 1999

Supplementary Course Reader.

Recommended Supplementary Texts: J. Dudley Andrew, The Major Film Theories: An Introduction; Pam Cook, The Cinema Book; R. Stam, S. Flitterman-Lewis, et al, New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics; N. Carroll, Philosophical Problems of Classical Film Theory; K. Silverman, The Subject of Semiotics.


Method of Evaluation

Two essays (one each term; 20% each); two in-class tests (25% each); class participation (10%).


Prerequisites: INI 112Y/115Y/Vic 112Y


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