Special Topics: Realist Style

An investigation into the formal means that narrative filmmakers (from the Italian neo-realists to the LA Rebellion, Renoir to Cassavetes) have used to achieve a heightened sense of "reality" in their work. Topics include the incorporation of documentary technique into fictional films, "improvisation," performance styles and the relationship between these "naturalist" filmmakers and the mainstream cinema. The class consists of a lecture, a screening and discussion each week. Students are required to participate in discussions, write a weekly journal entry, read weekly critical and theoretical texts, and complete a final project (either a research paper or an original creative work accompanied by a paper contextualizing it in the content of the course). Please note early start time: do not enroll for the course if you cannot commit to prompt weekly attendance.