Department of Foreign Languages
JFT 414 - SUNY
The State University of New York
New Paltz, NY 12561
Phone (914) 257-3480
 
 

Course # 59375/01 ITALIAN CINEMA – FALL 2003
Lectures/Seminars T & H 10:00-11:15 a.m. – HUM 313 & LC 112
Film Showings H 6:30-9:20 p.m. – LC 104
Dr. Giorgio Melloni JFT 510 – ext. 3504 – mellonig@newpaltz.edu
Office Hours TH 5:00-6:00 p.m. - F 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and by appointment
 
 

The Myth of Rome

Course Syllabus

 The aim of the course is to acquire a basic understanding of Italian Cinema from its origins to the present, with emphasis on major directors and films representative of their work.
The Monday and Wednesday meetings consist of lecture and class discussion.  On Wednesdays a general discussion will introduce the students to aspects of the history of the Italian cinema and its culture contained in the assigned readings and in the film to be viewed on Thursdays, which will be analyzed in greater depth and detail during the Monday classes.  Occasionally students will be assigned a specific article from the reading material listed below to report on briefly during the Wednesday classes.  Lectures and discussions presuppose students’ preparation based on:

1. assigned readings;
2. film viewing;
3. questions distributed in class prior to the  film viewing.

Students are expected to take notes during class lectures.

One essay of 5/6 pages long based on the questions seen in class or other discussed topic. For extra-credit, students may write a 5/7-page analysis of a novel chosen in consultation with me.  The analysis should relate the novel to a film or films shown and indicate how both genres have helped you to understand Italian art and culture better.  All compositions must be neatly typed, with at least 1.5” margins all around.  First papers with a grade of C- or less must be returned to me incorporating the written suggestions for improvement.  The paper’s final grade will take into consideration how thoughtfully it has been rewritten and be the average of both grades.  Papers turned in beyond the deadline will receive a grade of “-5” (out of 100) per each day of delay.


There will be two exams, the mid-term, and the final (covering the material of the entire semester). THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS.


During Monday and Wednesday lectures students are expected to attend every class and not step out of class, for any reason, during the lecture sessions.  On Thursdays, prior to the film showing, there is a ten-minute presentation of material not covered during the Monday and Wednesday lecture sessions, for which each student is responsible.  Attendance is taken and absences count toward the MAXIMUM ALLOWED OF FOUR. Beyond four unexcused absences the final grade will be diminished by 3% per each absence.  In order to have an absence excused students are requested to provide a formal justification (e.g. a specific note from a physician, from a professor, from the team coach, from a family member in case of extenuating circumstances etc.). Arrive ON TIME!  At least no later than ten minutes after the class has started.  Thrice late equals once absent.

The final grade will be based upon:

- class participation [30%];

- a mid-term exam [20%];

- one paper (5/6 pages) [20%];

- a final exam [30%].

The novel analysis counts for extra-credit, which, if well done, will increase the grade by one step: e.g., from C to C+, from C+ to B – and so on.
Poor attendance will lower the grade (see above).

Assigned from:
   a) required texts;
   b) books put on reserve in the library + ERes;
   c) chosen novel.


 Bondanella, Peter. Italian Cinema from Neoralism to the Present. New York, NY: Continuum, 2001 [3rd revised edition];

 (N.B. Students are responsible for knowledge of every chapter, whether or not covered in class)


 Mignone, Mario. Italy Today. A Country in Transition. New York: Peter Lang, 1995.

 The Betrothed (Manzoni); The House of the Medlar Tree (Verga); After the Divorce (Deledda); The Time of Indifference (Moravia); Fontamara (Silone); The Leopard (Tomasi di Lampedusa); Family Sayings (Ginzburg); Christ Stopped at Eboli (C. Levi); The Gardens of Finzi-Contini (Bassani); Woman at War (Maraini); Passion (Tarchetti).  Other novels can be chosen.

 Armes, Roy. Patterns of Realism. South Brunswick and New York: A. S. Barnes and Company, 1971.

 Fell, John. Film: an Introduction. New York: Praeger, 1975.

 Giannetti, Louis D. Understanding Movies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1976.

 Jarrat, Vernon. The Italian Cinema. London: The Falcon Press, 1951.

 Landy, Marcia. Fascism in Film. The Italian Commercial Cinema, 1931-1943. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1986.

 Leprohon, Pierre. The Italian Cinema, New York: Praeger, 1972.

 Liehm, Mira. Passion and Defiance. Film in Italy from 1942 to the Present. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1984.

 Marcus, Millicent. Italian Film in the Light of Neoralism. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1986.

 Rotha, Paul. The Film Now. A Survey of World Cinema. London: Spring Books, 1967.

 Witcombe, R.T. The New Italian Cinema. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982.

[Shown Thursday evenings, 6:30 p.m. in LC 104.  The following are also available in the Language Laboratory, LC 110-112 {tel. #257-3611}, for in-lab viewing.]
 

- Cabiria (1914)                                              Aug. 28
directed  by Giovanni Pastrone

- The Iron Crown (1941)                                 Sept. 4
directed  by Alessandro Blasetti

- Rome Open City (1944-45)                           Sept. 11
directed by Roberto Rossellini

- Bicycle Thief (1948)                                     Sept. 18
directed by Vittorio De Sica

- Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)             Oct. 2
directed by Mario Monicelli

- La dolce vita (1960)                                     Oct. 9
directed by Federico Fellini

- Joyful Laughs (1960)                                    Oct. 17
directed by Mario Monicelli

- Mamma Roma (1962)                                   Oct. 23
directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

- Satyricon (1969)                                           Oct. 30
directed by Federico Fellini

- Roma (1972)                                                 Nov. 6
directed by Federico Fellini

- In the Name of the Pope-King (1977)            Nov. 13
directed by Luigi Magni

- A Special Day (1977)                                    Nov. 20
directed by Ettore Scola

- Life is Beautiful  (1997)                                 Dec. 4
 directed by Roberto Benigni