Syllabus Film Noir. ENG/FILM 4390 Special Topics in Film Studies Dr. Ed Cameron through Blackboard or

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1 Syllabus Film Noir ENG/FILM 4390 Special Topics in Film Studies Dr. Ed Cameron through Blackboard or Course Description This section of Special Topics in Film Studies will focus on the generic/stylistic universe of film noir. Beginning with films from the heyday of film noir in the 1940s and 1950s, we will ultimately proceed to an examination of the transformation of the genre in the present context of neo noir, especially as the style was revitalized in the 1980s and 1990s. This course is a fully online course. All assignment descriptions and instructions are available electronically through Blackboard Learn. Also, the final essay, response papers, and discussion posts must be turned in electronically through Blackboard Learn, and all grades will be electronic. Detailed instructions about submission procedures are provided with each assignment. Prerequisite: None Course Objectives 1. Students will explain the significance of film history and develop a visual literacy that is historically situated. 2. Students will articulate the aesthetic merits, cultural benefits, and social importance of film. 3. Students will explain how film borrows elements from the other arts. 4. Students will analyze the formal and technical elements of film so as to move beyond the surface impressions of movies. 5. Students will articulate the proper terminology associated with film studies in order to improve critical thinking and writing skills. 6. Students will explain film authorship and the generic categorization of film. Technical Requirements Computer Hardware To participate in this online course, you should have easy access to a computer less than 5-years old with high-speed internet connection via cable modem, LAN or DSL. To ensure you are using a supported browser and have required plug-ins please refer to Supported Browsers, Plugins & Operating Systems for Blackboard Learn which is available through Blackboard s resource page.

2 Student Technical Skills You are expected to be proficient with installing and using basic computer applications and have the ability to send and receive attachments. Software Microsoft Office s Internet Explorer (latest version) Mozilla s Firefox (latest version; Macintosh or Windows) Adobe s Flash Player & Reader plug-in (latest version). Apple s QuickTime plug-in (latest version). A free download is available at Virus protection Microsoft Office Technical Assistance If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem with Blackboard you can: Visit the Blackboard Student Help Site Submit a Blackboard Helpdesk Ticket COLTT Help Desk Contact Information ( UTPA s Blackboard Support) Location: Education Building Room Phone: Monday Thursday 7:30AM 7:00PM Friday: 7:30 AM 6:00PM Course Structure This course will be delivered entirely online through the course management system Blackboard Learn. You will use your UTPA account to login to the course from the My UTPA site and under applications click on Blackboard Learn. The content of the course will be divided into seven modules or sections. Each section will introduce students to some formal/technical elements of film noir in relation to a theoretical framework for understanding film noir. Students will watch a number of assigned films throughout our course modules. The first module consists of Weeks 1-2 and covers the introduction to film noir. The second section of the course consists of Weeks 3-5 and covers the early classical film noir. The third section of the course consists of Weeks 6-8 and covers the late classical noir. The fourth module consists of Week 9 and covers the introduction to neo noir. The fifth section of the course consists of Weeks and covers the neo noir femme fatale. The sixth section of the course consists of Weeks and covers the neo noir homme fatale. The seventh module is scheduled during Finals Week and consists of the Final Term Paper assignment. The course is organized into modules of instruction, as outlined in the Assignment Schedule. Each week contains required readings, Tegrity lectures, and other various assignments, ranging from discussion posts and response papers to formal academic essays.

3 Required Reading/Viewing Book: Film Noir Reader, Edited by Alain Silver & James Ursini. Limelight, (ISBN ) DVDs: Double Indemnity (1944), directed by Billy Wilder The Woman in the Window (1944), directed by Fritz Lang Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orson Welles Vertigo (1958), directed by Alfred Hitchcock Angel Heart (1987) directed by Alan Parker The Last Seduction (1994) directed by John Dahl Bound (1996) directed by Wachowski Brothers Lost Highway (1997) directed by David Lynch Each student is required to obtain copies of each of the eight DVDs. Whether you rent, buy, or borrow, you need to obtain a copy to view by the date scheduled on the Assignment Schedule. All films are instantly streamable at amazon.com, vudu.com or youtube.com for anywhere from $3-$10. Please see the Course Films link for a list of our films and the venues you can use to stream them. There is also a copy of each DVD for loan at the Reserves Desk on the 3rd floor in the Library. Format/Requirements Discussion Posts There will be a number of discussion posts required during the semester. You may also post to the Discussion Board, as an optional activity, whenever you like. Response Papers There will be four informal response papers due at various times throughout the semester. These response paper assignments will be available and submitted through Blackboard. Instructions, due dates, and submission procedures for the Response Papers are provided on Blackboard. Final Essay Assignment All students will also complete a Final Essay assignment using everything they have learned about film noir for an in-depth comparative analysis of one classical noir and one neo-noir film not covered directly in class. Therefore, all students must obtain a DVD copy/stream of the films of choice for this final project. Term paper will also be submitted through Blackboard. Instructions, due date and submission procedures for the Term Paper are provided on Blackboard. Grades Final grades are based on the following grade dissemination:

4 Discussion Posts Response Papers Final Essay Assignment TOTAL 20 pts 80 pts 100 pts 200 pts A=90-100% ( pts) B=80-89% ( pts) C=65-79% ( pts) D=50=64% ( pts) F=0-49% (0-100 pts) Late Work Policy Be sure to pay close attention to deadlines there will be no make-up assignments or late work accepted without a serious and compelling reason and instructor approval. Viewing Grades in Blackboard Points you receive for graded activities will be posted to the Blackboard Grade Book. Click on the My Grades link on the left navigation to view your points. Your instructor will update the online grades each time a grading session has been completed typically 7 days following the completion of an activity. You will see a visual indication of new grades posted on your Blackboard home page under the link to this course. University/Department Policies Plagiarism/Academic Honesty Statement: Dishonest acts such as plagiarism or collusion will result in no credit on the assignment, possibly an F in the class and will lead to a disciplinary hearing conducted through the Office of the Dean of Students, which could result in suspension or expulsion from UTPA. If you have questions or concerns about whether your use of sources is fair or not, make sure you ask me before turning in the work. If you have questions about how to use source material fairly and appropriately from print or Internet sources, be sure to ask me or consult a reference book (such as the MLA Handbook). Disability Statement: If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as I have outlined and/or if you need special accommodations /assistance due to the disability, please contact the Office of Services for Persons with Disabilities (OSPD), located in Emilia Ramirez-Schunior Hall Room immediately. Appropriate arrangements / accommodations can be arranged. Drop Deadline: If you wish, at any time, to drop the course, do so by the official drop deadline indicated in the Academic Calendar. After that drop/withdrawal deadline, students will not be allowed to drop or withdraw from classes and will receive one of the following grades: A, B, C, D, F, I, P, S, or U for the class.

5 Course Evaluations: Mandatory Course Evaluations period (Apr 15 May 6): Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTPA account ( you will be contacted through with further instructions. The evaluation window closes at 11:59 pm on May 6 th, the last day of Spring classes. Students who complete their evaluations by May 6 th will have priority access to their grades.