Based on his own experience as a producer of films and documentaries, the instructor will present a series of intersecting views on contemporary Parisian culture in the categories of cinema, theater, paintings, museums, art films, the literature of images, and opera. This seminar requires the student’s engagement with cultural opportunities in Paris as well as classroom participation. This engagement will take the form of group attendance at the cinema, theater, opera, and visits to libraries for independent research.
Prerequisites:
Good understanding of spoken French
Method of presentation:
Lecture, discussion, films and journal.
Required work and form of assessment:
Mid-term exam (20%), final exam (30%), participation (20%) journal maintained throughout the semester with course notes, written assignments and independent research (30%).
content:
1. Introduction: Parisian culture.
2. Interpreting an image: the parameters of film expression.
3. Interpreting an image: vocabulary and application
4. Theatrical creations.
Tartuffe de Molière, A. Mnouchkine.
5. The actor and the Word.
Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand/J. P. Rappeneau.
6. Jacques Prévert and the theater.
Drôle de drâme et Les enfants du paradis, Jacques Prévert.
7. Jean Cocteau: from Du sang d’un poète to La belle et la bête.
8-9. Social scene and landscape.
La règle du jeu, Jean Renoir
10. Surrealism and the inversion of symbols.
Le dernier bunuel.
11. The abyss and “scenography”: a “hyper-film”.
Smoking/No Smoking, A. Ayckbourn and A. Resnais.
12. Mid Term
13. Anylaysing the Results of the Mid-term
14. European transculturalism: an Italian Producer, an English interpretation, a German novel, and the universe according to Marcel Proust.
Mort à Venise, Visconti.
15. Philosophy and art in Venice.
L’archipel carpaccio, Pierre Samson and Michel Serres.
16. Paintings and the cinema.
Le mystère Picasso, H.G. Clouzot.
17. Portraits of words through film.
Les mots ont la parole, Pierre Samson.
18. Pierre Samson, Poésie à l’écran.
19-20. Adaptations of Maupassant in films.
Le plaisir, d’Ophuls and La partie de campagne, Jean Renoir.
21. Marcel Pagnol, La femme du boulanger.
22. Destruction of words and images.
Zazie dans le métro, Raymond Queneau and Louis Malle.
23. Le festin de babette, K Blixen and G. Axel.
Required readings:
Y. Ishaghpour, Dominos. Le cinema. Flammarion, 1996.
Recommended readings:
Bazin, André. Qu’est-ce que le cinéma? Editions du Cerf , 1994. (2ème édition).
Clerc, J. Marie. Littérature et cinéma. Nathan Université, “Fac cinéma,” 1993.
Deleuze, G. L’image-mouvement et l’image-temps. Les éditions de Minuit, 1983-1985.
Ishaghpour, Y. Opéra et théâtre dans le cinéma d’aujourd’hui. La Différence, 1995.
Masson, A. Le récit au cinéma. Cahiers du Cinema “Essais,” 1994.
Vanoye, F. La règle du jeu. “Synopsis.” Nathan, 1989.
Based on his own experience as a producer of films and documentaries, the instructor will present a series of intersecting views on contemporary Parisian culture in the categories of cinema, theater, paintings, museums, art films, the literature of images, and opera. This seminar requires the student’s engagement with cultural opportunities in Paris as well as classroom participation. This engagement will take the form of group attendance at the cinema, theater, opera, and visits to libraries for independent research.
Good understanding of spoken French
Lecture, discussion, films and journal.
Mid-term exam (20%), final exam (30%), participation (20%) journal maintained throughout the semester with course notes, written assignments and independent research (30%).
1. Introduction: Parisian culture.
2. Interpreting an image: the parameters of film expression.
3. Interpreting an image: vocabulary and application
4. Theatrical creations.
Tartuffe de Molière, A. Mnouchkine.
5. The actor and the Word.
Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand/J. P. Rappeneau.
6. Jacques Prévert and the theater.
Drôle de drâme et Les enfants du paradis, Jacques Prévert.
7. Jean Cocteau: from Du sang d’un poète to La belle et la bête.
8-9. Social scene and landscape.
La règle du jeu, Jean Renoir
10. Surrealism and the inversion of symbols.
Le dernier bunuel.
11. The abyss and “scenography”: a “hyper-film”.
Smoking/No Smoking, A. Ayckbourn and A. Resnais.
12. Mid Term
13. Anylaysing the Results of the Mid-term
14. European transculturalism: an Italian Producer, an English interpretation, a German novel, and the universe according to Marcel Proust.
Mort à Venise, Visconti.
15. Philosophy and art in Venice.
L’archipel carpaccio, Pierre Samson and Michel Serres.
16. Paintings and the cinema.
Le mystère Picasso, H.G. Clouzot.
17. Portraits of words through film.
Les mots ont la parole, Pierre Samson.
18. Pierre Samson, Poésie à l’écran.
19-20. Adaptations of Maupassant in films.
Le plaisir, d’Ophuls and La partie de campagne, Jean Renoir.
21. Marcel Pagnol, La femme du boulanger.
22. Destruction of words and images.
Zazie dans le métro, Raymond Queneau and Louis Malle.
23. Le festin de babette, K Blixen and G. Axel.
Y. Ishaghpour, Dominos. Le cinema. Flammarion, 1996.
Bazin, André. Qu’est-ce que le cinéma? Editions du Cerf , 1994. (2ème édition).
Clerc, J. Marie. Littérature et cinéma. Nathan Université, “Fac cinéma,” 1993.
Deleuze, G. L’image-mouvement et l’image-temps. Les éditions de Minuit, 1983-1985.
Ishaghpour, Y. Opéra et théâtre dans le cinéma d’aujourd’hui. La Différence, 1995.
Masson, A. Le récit au cinéma. Cahiers du Cinema “Essais,” 1994.
Vanoye, F. La règle du jeu. “Synopsis.” Nathan, 1989.