While this course is nominally the second part to a two-part narrative of the history of cinema, it should actually be understood as the third part in a three-part story (with the silent cinema--1895 to 1930 or so--as the first part and classical Hollywood--roughly 1930 to 1960--as the second part). This course then will focus on a number of major historical moments in the evolution of the cinema in what is often termed the "post-classical" moment, from 1960 until the present day. A significant part of the course will focus on the transformation of Hollywood in the wake of the Paramount Decision which effectively put an end to the vertical integration of the studio system, but we will additionally spend a considerable amount of time considering moments that fall outside of this narrowly US-centered industrial history. Other critical moments include the French New Wave, the rise of Third Cinema, movements in the avant garde (including structuralist film, the "underground" film, and culture jamming), changes in documentary form (cinema verite, Direct Cinema), the rise of (so-called) independent film, etc. As we trace these different histories alongside the history of Hollywood, we will also attempt to articulate a theory of what it is that we are doing when we construct a historical narrative--i.e., what, in fact, "film history" actually is or is meant to be.

Syllabus cover sheet
(policies, grading, etc.)

Weekly Syllabus, part 1
Weekly Syllabus, part 2

Screening response paper assignment
paper 1 assignment/topics
final paper topics