MDST 2870 – Writing Film Criticism                                                                          Patrick Cribben

Spring 2022                                                                                                                      Wilson Hall 229

Mon. 5:00 – 7:30pm                                                                                      email: pjc9y@virginia.edu

New Cabell 115                                                                                                Office hours: Thurs. 11-3

 

Course Description:  Critics writing in newspapers, magazines, journals, and (more recently) online platforms have been helping to shape the way consumers of media look at film for nearly the past century. Many of the best and most influential critics not only serve as the film-going public's “editors” or gatekeepers, helping the audience make informed choices about what they choose to see and not to see, but most have attempted to locate individual films in the context of the history, culture and politics that surrounds them in real time. Writing about film for mass audiences provides a platform to both engender and enter into a dialog about an experience nearly every American shares on a daily and weekly basis: consuming fictional (and non-fiction) narratives that we all have more or less in common with one another [and which both shape and reflect the evolving cultural, artistic, and political zeitgeist]. We'll explore what is required for thoughtful, informed and engaging non-academic film criticism, including the obligation to understand both the historical and contemporary landscape of film and the other arts, to simply write well and with a personal voice and style, and even to entertain and connect with a readership.

Course work will include considerations of basic film production and aesthetics/form; numerous extant examples of published film criticism both historical and contemporary and across both old and new media; weekly opportunities to write journalistic film reviews of various length and style requirements while developing and nurturing your own writer-ly and critical perspectives; and broadening your understanding for the act of and need for criticism in general.

Course Texts: 1)   Hornaday, Ann, Talking Pictures: How To Watch Movies, Basic Books, NYC (2017)

1. 1. 1. 2. Scott, A. O., Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth, Penguin Books, NYC (2016)
         3.  Individual film reviews by various critics, and other miscellaneous readings, via  Collab or in class handout

(Hornady and Scott books are available at UVA Bookstore)

Grading

Participation; response papers; discussion posts*                                          25 points

Weekly film review assignment (5 @ 10 points each)                                   50 points

Final Exam                                                                                                      25 points

TOTAL                                                                                                            100 points

(*approximately 15 short, informal papers and posts @ 1 point each. The remainder from contribution to in class discussion. Further description to come.)

 

Weekly Schedule

 

January 24

What is a film critic? What does she do? What's a film reviewer? Is there a difference? What purpose is served by public film criticism? Who can write it? Who should?

What is Film?

In class screening – The Man with a Movie Camera (Vertov, 1929)

Reading for 1/31: Bywater, Intro and pp. 1-22 : reviews by early film critics (e.g. Heywood Broun, Robert Sherwood, Otis Ferguson, Cecelia Ager), Hornaday Chapter 4

At home screening for 1/31: For the Love of Movies (Info and link in Resources)

Writing for 1/31: response paper – For the Love of Movies

 

January 31

History of Film Criticism

Where are we, and how did we get here?

A visual medium

In-class screening: Visions of Light

Reading for 2/7: Hornady, Intro; Reviews by mid-century film critics (e.g. James Agee, Manny Farber)

At-home screening for 2/7: Citizen Kane (Wells, 1939) (Info and link in Resources)

Writing for 2/7: TBD

 

February 7

Film form: A closer look.

Master class. Kane Shot by Shot. I

Reading for 2/14: Hornady Chapter 1-3. Reviews of Citizen Kane. 

Writing for 2/14: TBD

 

February 14

More form.

Kane Shot by Shot II

Reading for 2/21: Hornady, Chapters 3 and 5, film reviews by “Golden Age” critics (e.g. Pauline Kael, Andrew Sarris, Molly Haskell, Stanley Kaufman)

Writing for 2/21: Group A reviews (Group B Editors)

 

February 21

Workshopping #1

Reading for 2/28: Hornaday, Chapters 6-7

Film reviews 1980s – 2000s (TBD – e.g. Roger Ebert, Terrence Rafferty, Ann Hornady, Stephen Hunter)

Writing for 2/28: Group B reviews (Group A Editors)

 

February 28

Writing about film: An overview

Workshopping # 2

Reading for 3/14: Scott, Intro and Chapter 1 pp.1-43, selected film reviews 2000s – present

Writing for 3/14: Group A reviews (Group B Editors)

 

March 7 --  SPRING BREAK

 

March 14

Workshopping #3

Reading for 3/21: Scott: 43-91, selected film reviews

Writing for 3/21: Group B reviews, Observations in Scott

 

March 21

Workshopping # 4

Reading for 3/28: Scott 91-120, selected film reviews

Writing for 3/28: Group A reviews, Observations in Scott

 

March 28

Workshopping # 5

Reading for 4/4: Scott 123-155, selected film reviews

Writing for 4/4: Group B reviews, Observations in Scott

 

April 4

Workshopping # 6

Reading for 4/11: Scott 155-167, selected film reviews

Writing for 4/11: Group A reviews, Observations in Scott

 

April 11

Workshopping # 7

Reading for 4/18: Scott 167-213, selected film reviews

Writing for 4/18: Group B reviews, Observations in Scott

 

April 18

Workshopping # 8

Reading for 4/25: Scott 213-253, selected film reviews

Writing for 4/25: Group A reviews

 

April 25

Workshopping # 9

Reading for 5/2: Scott 253-269, selected film reviews

Writing for 5/2: Group B reviews

 

May 2

Workshopping # 10

Semester review

 

*This Weekly Schedule is subject to change and amendment as we progress.