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ENG 2300 Spring 2006
Film Analysis: Through the Eyes of a Child

Course Overview:

This class is an introductory class devoted to an overview of film techniques, film vocabulary, and film history.

Because of the numerous film genres and movements that use childhood, this introductory film course uses the theme of children and childhood to link the film screenings. This class is not a special topics course, but a general introduction to film analysis; therefore, I am not teaching children’s culture through film, but am using films with children and childhood themes to span the breadth of an introductory film course.

The tag line of this class is “Film Analysis: Through the Eyes of a Child.” This which constructs a paradox with which to examine our films and with which we ourselves approach the films. While theorists like Laura Mulvey have discussed the camera as an active male gaze, we will look films where the camera creates an intrinsically adult gaze with the child as a subject. For this film class we will use films with the theme of children and childhood to analyze and study both film history and film theory. However, just because the films deal with childhood does not mean that they are all about Happy Elves, woodland creatures, and butterflies (think opening to A Series of Unfortunate Events). Some of these films will be disturbing and require a mature audience. And while we need a mature gaze to watch the films and to discuss them, because this is an introductory class, we are all approaching the films with the eyes of children unused to screening films in a rigorous way.

While this is NOT a film appreciation course, you will hopefully gain a deeper appreciation of film as you study and analyze it. Also, this IS a 6,000-word Gordon Rule class (per the Gordon Rule established by the Florida Legislature), you must meet the writing volume minimums in order to pass the course.

 

 

 

 

 

A special thanks to Kate, who donated materials and ideas for this class.