The paper must be at least 2000 words long if you are working individually. If you are working as a group it must be at least 3.500 words.

You MUST hand in your work typed (New Times Roman; font size 12; double space).

I will be looking at your bibliography sources. Remember, if you use material from the ebrary you will earn extra points. All sources must be quoted appropriately; otherwise it can be seen as fraud, which means 0. If you do not know how to quote please click here. No excuses accepted.

All papers must be handed in on Nov 24th before 12pm. I will be in my office, waiting for you. I will not accept any late work or any work that comes via email.

Guys, I misplaced the work you handed in last week. Forgive me and please be so kind as to print it again and hand it to me in class tomorrow.

Again, my apologies for the inconvenience.

Thanks.

I FOUND THEM!

Readings for November 5th:

-Barry Keith Grant, Reason and the Visible in the Science Fiction Film (Mark & Rachel)

- Steve Neale, Hollywood and Genre, Horror & Science Fiction (pg. 92-100) (Mark & Rachel)

- Paul Wells, The Horror Genre, Configuring the Monster (Valentina & Vanessa)

Please read all three texts and write a structured synopsis for Wells´ and Neale´s text.

Today in class we discussed the final papers and on Nov 5 we agreed you would hand in a paper in which you described what you want to work on. Your paper will be graded based on the thoroughness of your research as well as the bibliographical references and the filmography you consult.

1. What is Film Noir? Please use quotes from the different texts you read for class.

2. Why do you think different scholars have different views when it comes to defining noir?

3. Discuss the importance, the influence and the impact of Film Noir.

4. What is Neo-Noir?

5. What are the similarities and the differences between Todd Erickson´s view on Neo Noir and James Naremore´s  perspective?

5. Please compare Laura (or any of the noir films you watched) to Chinatown or Memento.

Unless previously arranged, NO exams will be accepted later than 9AM on Wednesday 29th October.

Next class you will have to present the section of Steve Neale’s chapter on Film Noir that was assigned to your group.

Also you need to read both texts on neo-noir (Erickson’s and Naremore’s) and write a summary for each.

HW 18,19 & T3

French film critics concussed the term “Film Noir” in 1946. Due to the war and the German occupation not much cinema could be imported or screened in France during those years and the sudden release of all the movies left critics and audiences in awe and amazement. I dare say that it was the sudden release of these films that allowed French film viewers and critics to recognize certain common traits and moods between the movies. As Billy Wilder recognizes in an interview, filmmakers were not aware of the term “Film Noir” while they made the movies.

The French noticed a certain similarity between the gangster film, the police genre and the detective fiction. Authors like Raymond Chandler, James Cain, and Dashiell Hammett among others were already well know writers and film viewers were already familiar with some of the novels that served as inspiration to the movies, such as The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Farewell, My Lovely and The Maltese Falcon.

It is no coincidence that when you look up the definition of detective fiction you find that it resembles the definition(s) that critics tend to give of film noir. However, a closer reading of the attempts to define noir as a genre reveals that scholars have found it impossible to capture and define its essence in any absolute sense. In her article on Film Noir and Women, Elizabeth Cowie (in Copjec’s Shades of Noir) discusses the public’s fascination with film noir and how this plays a crucial role in the construction of the category as such. Continue reading this post…

The following movies are available at the library:

El angel azúl
House of Bamboo
Laura
Out of the Past
Touch of Evil (Sed del mal)

Please chose one of the films mentioned above and write a brief comparison between Laura and the film you chose to work with. List the elements that you find familiar as well as the motifs of noir you identify on each.

HW17

Please read and write a structured synopsis for the fourth chapter of Steve Neale, Hollywood and Genre book (Film Noir - pg. 151-179).

Also read the fourth chapter of James Naremore´s More Than Night (Low is High – pg. 137 – 166) and write a set of 5 questions that are answered within the text.

Also, please write a couple of paragraphs that discuss the film we watched in class (Laura) and what traits of noir can be indentified in the film. A copy of the movie is available at the library.

HW 13,14&15

I have attached a weekly schedule of the coursework here: cronograma-generos-2008-2.pdf . Please have a look at it and check when your oral presentation is due. If you have not yet chosen a text to present, please pick one that is free and email me or write a comment on the blog.

I have also added all the readings to the ftp, you should be able to download them all.

Readings for next week are as follows:

Introduction to Silver & Ursini’s, Film Noir Reader.
- Introduction (pg. 3-15)

Chapter 4 of Steve Neale’s, Hollywood and Genre.
- The History of an idea (pg. 9-39)

Please read both texts and write a series of 5 questions for each. PRINT them and bring them to class.

HW12 & HW13

Our first exam will be held in class on Sept. 17th at 9AM sharp. Make sure you are there on time. You can bring all your readings, notes, structured synopsis, etc.

Also, please read and write a structured synopsis for Tomás Sandoval´s essay on Lone Star.