27104 - Film Analysis (A-L)

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will:

- know the story of the film analysis and its different methodologies;

- know how to analyse the general system and the various components of films;

- know how to analytically interpret films.

Course contents

‘Where are the Sphynx’s wings? With a human head, an animal’s body and a spirit’s wings it has symbolized the evolution of humans since the most ancient cultures on our planet. Art, theatre, literature and eventually cinema have projected its meanings trough the narrative that revolves around the Hero’s actions (his ‘doing -to- be’). The audience has been empathizing with him since Silent Film until today; from King Kong to Batman, Star Wars and so on, the Hero’s body is strong and his mind, during the course of Cinema History, acquires extraordinary skills such as extrasensory ones for instance. “We are made by the movies that we see, therefore, it's a great responsability to make them” (G. Muccino 2019). ‘'Indeed, we feed constantly on moving images and sounds’’ , both those who make movies and those who watch them and also those who love and study them, but are those wings, that the Sphinx indicates we have, still recognizable? Based on this, the film analysis that we will make during our classes will start a collective research with all the participants.

Supplementary contributions to the course will be provided by:

° dr. Daniele Pajar “Relationships between films and online press and media.

° dr. Ivan Selva "Specific insights on the films: No country for Old Men, Blues Brothers, Babette's Lunch"

° dr. Chiara Bigondi "Social media and cinematographic communication: a delicate intertwining. Analysis and consequences of the digital present"

Readings/Bibliography

FILMOGRAPHY composed of two sections and a total of 15 films

First Section: films analyzed during classes

The hero in the achievement / failure of the purpose of his action: the dramatization of the film narrative through the implicative logic of events.

1) Matrix (Fratelli Wachowski, 1999)

2) Settimo Sigillo (I.Bergman, 1957)

3) Il gladiatore (R.Scott. 2000)

4) Non è un paese per vecchi (J. e E.Coen, 2007)

 

The hero's renunciation of "taking possession" of the purpose of his action: fragmentation, destructuring and de-spectacularization of the filmic narrative

5) Lo sguardo di Ulisse - Το Βλέμμα του Οδυσσέα - (T. Angelopoulos, 1995)

6) Je vous salue Marie (J.L.Godard, 1985)

7) Blow up (M.Antonioni, 1966)

The unveiling of an "Elsewhere" through the action of the hero himself through space-time extensions in a realistic, dreamlike and imaginary way.

8) Sacrificio - Offret- (A.Tarkovkij, 1986)

9) Il pranzo di Babette - Babettes gæstebud - (G.Axel, 1987)

10) Ordet (C.T.Dreyer 1955)

“We are on a mission on behalf of God”.

11) Blus Brothers (J.Landis 1980). (The filmic tale of the adventurous journey of two brothers through the interchange of different film genres at the fast-paced rhythm of a musical show and with a cast of absolute prominence composed of artists and musicians, will seal the closing of the film analysis course).

Second Section: 4 obligatory films freely chosen by students among the following (in particular for a deeper focus on the theme "Analysis of film setting")

“Edipo Re” 1967 ;“Mamma Roma” 1962 (P.P. Pasolini)

“L'arpa birmana” - Biruma no tategoto - (K.Ichikawa 1950)

“Lanterne rosse” - Da hong deng long gao gao gua - (Z.Ymou 1992)

“Rashomon” (A.Kurosawa, 1950)

“Hong Kong Express” (W.Kar-Wai, 1994)

“L'argent” (R. Bresson, 1983)

“Il vento” - The wind - (V. Sjöström, 1928)

“Aurora” - Sunrise - (F.W. Murnau, 1927)

“Fiori d'equinozio” - Higanbana - (Y.Ozu. 1958)

“Lo specchio” - Zerkalo - (A.Tarkovskij, 1974)

“L'uomo senza passato” - Mies vailla menneisyyttä - (A.Kaurismäki, 2002)

“Il posto delle fragole” - Smultronstället - (I.Bergman, 1957)

“Il deserto rosso” (1964), “L'eclisse” (1962), “La notte” (1961), “N.U.” (1948), M.Antonioni.

“Morte a Venezia” (1971) “Gruppo di famiglia in un interno” (1974), L.Visconti

A) One reading chosen among the following:

- G.Rondolino, D.Tomasi, Manuale del film. Linguaggio-racconto-analisi, Utet, Torino, 2018 (non altre edizioni) (Recommended to all students)

- D.Cassani, Il manuale del montaggio, Utet, Torino, 2000 ( Particularly recommended for students who already know the basic elements to analyze the film)

- F. Casetti, F.Di Chio, Analisi del film, Bompiani, Milano, 1990 (Particularly recommended for students who already know the basic elements of film segmentation and editing and who are interested in a neo-positive approach to filmic narrative )

 

Bibliography

B) One reading chosen among the following:

- R.McKee, Story,Omero, Roma, 2011

- C.Vogler (1992), trad. it. Il viaggio dell'eroe, Dino Audino, Roma, 1999

C) S.Iommi, Appunti per un'analisi dell'ambientazione nel film, updated by the author version can be found on the USEFUL CONTENTS section on the professor’s webpaged.

D) Non attending students:

L.Guerrini Verga, A.Papi, Filmagogia, ed UTET. Torino 2015, focus on the theme of film education.

Bibliographic notes for possible consultations. (Additional bibliographies: see the teacher's website

- P. Bertetto (a cura di) Metodologie di Analisi del film, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2006

- G.Alonge, Il Cinema tecniche e linguaggio. Un'introduzione, Ed Kaplan, 2011

- F.Vitella, Il montaggio nella storia del cinema, Marsilio, Venezia, 2009

- R.Bellour (1995) trad.it., L'analisi del film, Kaplan, Torino, 2005

- R.Odin (2000) trad. it., Della finzione, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2004

- R.Altman (1999) trad. it., Film/Genere, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2004

- S.Chatman (1978) trad. it., Storia e Discorso, La struttura narrativa nel romanzo e nel film, Pratiche, Parma, 1980

- D.Parent-Altier, (1997) trad. it., Introduzione alla sceneggiatura, Lindau, Torino, 2007

- N.Burch (1990) trad. it., Il Lucernaio dell'infinito. Nascita del linguaggio cinematografico, Pratiche, Parma, 1994

- M.Joly (1994) trad. it., Introduzione all'analisi dell'immagine, Lindau, Torino, 2008

- D.Chateau (2006) trad. it., Introduzione all'estetica del cinema, Lindau, Torino, 2007

- M.Chion (1990) trad. it., Audiovisione, Lindau, Torino, 2000

- C.Vicentini, (2007), L'arte di guardare gli attori, Manuale pratico per lo spettatore di teatro,cinema, televisione, Marsilio, Venezia

- B.Brown, La fotografia nel film, I-II Vol., Dino Audino, Roma, 2004

Teaching methods

Lectures. Film analysis will be carried out in front of the movie screen.

Students are encouraged to collectively discuss the films and readings analyzed during classes.

They will be considered attending students those able to demonstrate attendance to the lessons.

Assessment methods

*In order to prepare for the test, students have to stick to the program seeing the 15 films in the first and second section of the Filmography and studying the obligatory books in the bibliography, and also be careful to potential updates in the program.

- Only for those who are graduating there’s the possibility of arranging with the Professor the switch of readings/films for specific and coherent curricular needs.

• Erasmus and non Italian native speakers students are required to contact the Professor to prepare for the test.
• • DSA certified students and students with different learning methods have the right to extend the duration of the test according to what established by the University and are also asked to contact the professor to arrange the test mode.

*The final examination will consist of a written part and an interview. Students shall pass the written part with closed answers by video terminal to sit the interview. The written exam focuses mainly on the basic knowledge of the course books and the other material in the syllabus. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to apply the course contents to films.

At the exam date, students should come with their selected books and Filmography list, and also shall show their university badge or ID card to access the computer system by their institutional credentials (firstname.surname @ studio.unibo.it + personal password). They are invited to check their institutional credentials before the exam.

Attending students who do not obtain a sufficient mark will have to take the exam as non-attending students.

The achievement of an organic vision of the themes addressed, the possession of an expressive mastery and of a specific language, thought originality and familiarity with film analysis tools will be evaluated with excellent marks. The notional knowledge of the subject, a capacity for synthesis and non-articulated analysis or a correct language, but not always appropriate, will lead to fairly good evaluations. Knowledge gaps or inappropriate language, as well as a lack of analysis tools of the film will lead to marks that stand on the threshold of sufficiency. Knowledge gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliography and inability to analyze are evaluated negatively.

For attending and non-attending students, normal written exams are scheduled during the academic year.

Office hours

See the website of Loretta Guerrini