Metropolis Influence  

Metropolis has been very influential from film to music video. There are two videos that actual directly derive from Metropolis. The most blatant examples are Madonna's Express Yourself video and Queen's Radio Ga Ga. Madonna's video was directed by David Fincher who was clearly influenced by Fritz Lang's vision:

 

Queen's Radio Ga Ga has portions of the video taken directly from Metropolis. The music producer Gorgio Moroder restored it in 1984 with modern music. Freddy Mercury was asked to participate. In exchange, Queen were granted the rights to use the movie in the video:

I watched "Rare Exports a Christmas Tale". Directed by Jalmari Helander. It was disturbing and I will leave it at that. I don't want to spoil it.It was in English and Sami for some reason. Filmed in Lapland.

I could not believe the attention to detail the movie Metropolis had throughout the movie.In the opening scene the workers are getting off the elevator and new workers are getting on, it looked as if everyone was the same exact size as they paraded on and off the elevator, albeit subdued into submission. Near the end it looked as if there was only one take as the set was destroyed as the film neared the end

METROPOLIS

Here is some poster artwork done for "Metropolis."  Also a couple of backstage shots: one of Brigitte Helm being rehearsed by director Fritz Lang (seated) for her seduction dance and one of her in the robotrix suit being cooled off between takes.

SYLLABUS - PEL - FALL 2 - 2013

 INTERNATIONAL CINEMA

PEL Fall 2 – 2013

Instructor: Tom Hammond

Contact: hammontm@eckerd.edu, 813-900-4759

Office hours: before and after class or by appointment

Classroom:  TBA – We will watch some films in Miller Auditorium.  Our regular classroom will be FT210 or FT211.  Be sure to show up at the classroom for the first session.

Course description:  This course surveys the basic trends, genres and filmmakers that exist outside the American Film Industry.  We will study various national film histories, styles and movements with an emphasis on their cultural, social and political underpinnings.

Text:  The Oxford History of World Cinema (Nowell-Smith).  This book is available on Amazon used at a much reduced rate.

Netflix Subscription:  You will be required to view some films outside of class.  All of these assignments will be streamable on Netflix or Hulu.  Monthly subscriptions are about $8 each.  The first month on Netflix is free and Hulu has an introductory offer.

Course Requirements: Three papers, random quizzes, a final exam, blog postings, quizzes, attendance and participation.  A film journal may be submitted for extra credit.

Grade Distribution:

Papers (3) -                30%

Blog Postings -           10%

Exam -                                   30%

Quizzes -                     10%

Att. & Part. -               20%

Film Journal -             (+10%)

Essay:  You will write three papers (4-5 pages each) on subjects TBA.  A rubric will be handed out for each assignment.

Blog Postings – You will be invited to author on a class blog.  You can post on subjects within class studies and comment on the postings of other students.  Film reviews, research, clips, trailers, stills and links of interest all qualify for credit.

Exam – There will be a final exam on the last day of class.  A review will be conducted the week before.

Quizzes – Random quizzes will gauge your adherence to the home viewing assignments.  No make-ups.

Attendance and Participation:  Any pattern of absence will adversely affect your grade.  Come prepared to discuss your viewings and readings.

Extra Credit Opportunity – A journal of all your outside film viewings and readings, other than those assigned, can be handed in at the end of the term for a potential 10% addition to your grade.

Disabilities Accommodations:  If you have a disability or believe that you qualify for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or other laws, please contact Disability support Services at extension8248 or via email at dss@eckerd.edu as soon as possible.  Appropriate accommodations can only be arranged through that office, and may not be made retroactively.

Academic Dishonesty Policy:  students should familiarize themselves with Eckerd College’s policy on academic dishonesty.  Information can be found at: http://www.eckerd.edu/library/services/plagiarism/ec-policies.php

Class Schedule

(All readings are from “The Oxford History of World Cinema”)

Week 1

            Lecture subject: Early German Cinema

            Class screening: “Faust”

            Viewing assignment: “Metropolis Restored”

            Reading assignment: “Germany: The Weimar Years” p. 136

Karl Freund – p. 314

Fritz Lang – p. 196

F.W. Murnau – p. 146

Conrad Veidt – p. 140

Week 2

            Lecture subject: Italian Horror

            Class screening: “Susperia”

            Viewing assignment: “Kill Baby Kill”

            Reading assignment: “The Fantastic” – p.312

Roberto Rossellini – p. 438

Vittorio De Sica – p. 360

Federico Fellini – p. 587

Luchino Visconti – p. 440

 Week 3

            1^st paper due   

            Lecture subject:  The French New Wave

            Class screening: “The Wages of Fear”

            Viewing assignment: “Breathless”

            Reading assignment: “New Directions in French Cinema” – p.576

“Art Cinema” – p. 567

Jean Luc Godard – p. 752

Raoul Coutard – p. 487

Jacques Tati – p. 351

Anatole Daumar – p. 571

Week 4

            Lecture subject: Luis Bunuel & Surrealism

            Class screening:  “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie”

            Viewing assignment: “The Exterminating Angel” & “Simon of the Desert”

            Reading assignment: “Spain After Franco” – p. 596

Luis Bunuel – p.432

Week 5

            Lecture subject:  Japanese Film

            Class screening: “Ugetsu”

            Viewing assignment: “Seven Samurai”

            Reading assignment: “Classical Cinema in Japan” – p.413

“The Modernization of Japanese Film” – p.714

Akira Kurosawa – p. 716

Kenji Mizoguchi – p.418

Yasujira Ozu – p. 420

Nagisa Oshima – p. 718

Week 6

            2^nd paper due

            Lecture subject:  Andrei Tarkovsky & The Soviet State

            Class screening: “Stalker”

            Viewing assignment: “Andrei Rubelev”

            Reading assignment: “Russia After the Thaw” – p. 640

Andrei Tarkovsky – p. 646

Dziga Vertov – p. 92

Sergi Eisenstein – p. 168

Alexander Dozhenko – p. 394

Week 7

            Review for exam

            Lecture subject: Scandinavian Film

            Class screening: “The Passion of Joan of Arc”

            Viewing assignment: “Fanny & Alexander” (theatrical version)

            Reading assignment:

Ingmar Bergman – p. 572

Carl Theodor Dreyer – p. 102

Victor Sjostrom – p. 156

Greta Garbo – p. 190

Week 8 – Final Exam

            3rd paper due

            Lecture subject:  Hong Kong Movies

            Class screening: “The Killer”