The main aim of this course is analysing cinema's visual dimension, especially regarding its connections with visual arts. From this point of view we will focus on the different types of gaze made up in the hybridation and during the history of reciprocal borrowing between cinema and visual arts. A further aim of the course is acquainting students with some classic movies, particulartly relevant for their connections with other visual arts. Furthermore, students will learn to analyze from a critic perspective the movies by analyzing them and making in class discussions.

In the first part of the course will consider cinema production, following an historical journey that will trace a co-evolutive path regarding the general developmet of visual arts. The recall between cinema and visual arts will be deepened thanks to the suggestion of some movies, chosen for their meaning. Furthermore the course will give some specific tools to apply a critical gaze to audiovisual products.

The specific topic of the course will be a particular genre, musical, that will be analyzed from an historical and a social point of view. This second part of the course will be completed with the projection of a selection of movies, highly representative of this genre.

2.1 Those competences will be acquired through moments dedicated to discussion and comment of the movies projected in class and thanks to the writing of brief critical essays on contemporary movies.

3. Capabilities of critical judgment: ability to reflect upon the hybridation between cinema and visual arts.

3.1. This critical capability will be developed during the moments of in class discussion together with other students and the teacher.

4 Communication skills: students will take part in in-class activities, discussion, comments and critics on movies, also using to form of the brief critical essay.

4.1 Students will develop those competences through the discussion with other students and the teacher and also the wrinting of brief critical essays on the contemporary cinema production

5. Learning capabilities: students are encouraged to create and connect the differnt movies, authors and items together

5.1 Debate and confrontational capabilities will be fostered during the in class activities of discussion and comment of the movies

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The course will use movies and audiovisual materials regarding contemporary visual arts. There will be also seminars with some young professional in film production distibuted online, trying to connect theory and practice in this area. Finally there will be opportunities of in-depth analysis and interdisciplinary connection with other courses, focused on the specific topic chosen this year.

Teaching

Lectures, movies and audiovisual projections, supplementary seminars.

Attendance

Students must take part to at least the 3/4 of the classes;

Study of assigned readings;

Audiovisual products projection;

In class activities and in class discussions.

Writing of brief critical essays on contemporary movies.

Course books

- A. Costa, Saper vedere il cinema (new edition), Bompiani, Milano, 2016.

- S. Cohan (eds), Hollywood musicals. The film reader, Routledge, London-New York, 2002 (the only parts selected during lessons).

- F. La Polla, Striclty USA. Il musical americano e l'ideologia nazionale, in F. La Polla, I. Moscati (a cura di), Il cinema che ha fatto sognare il mondo. La commedia brillante e il musical, Bulzoni, Roma, 2002.

The viewing of these films is mandatory:

M. Sandrich, Top Hat (Cappello a cilindro), 1935

S. Donen, G. Kelly, Singin' in the rain, 1952

R. Wise, J, Robbins, West side story, 1961

R. O'Brian, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975

J. Badham, Saturday night fever (La febbre del sabato sera), 1977

L. von Trier, Dancer in the dark, 2000

J. Taymore, Across the universe, 2007

The viewing of the following movies is recommended:

- F. Lang, Metropolis 

- F. Lang, M

- A. Hitchcock, Spellbound

- M. Antonioni, Blow up 

- F. Truffaut, Confidentially yours

- P. Greenaway, The draughtsman's contract

At the beginning of the course  the list of the musicals suggested will be released.

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting. 

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

- A. Costa, Saper vedere il cinema (new edition), Bompiani, Milano, 2016. 

- S. Cohan (eds), Hollywood musicals. The film reader, Routledge, London-New York, 2002 (the only parts selected during lessons).

- F. La Polla, Striclty USA. Il musical americano e l'ideologia nazionale, in F. La Polla, I. Moscati (a cura di), Il cinema che ha fatto sognare il mondo. La commedia brillante e il musical, Bulzoni, Roma, 2002.

The viewing of these films is mandatory:

M. Sandrich, Top Hat (Cappello a cilindro), 1935

S. Donen, G. Kelly, Singin' in the rain, 1952

R. Wise, J, Robbins, West side story, 1961

R. O'Brian, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975

J. Badham, Saturday night fever (La febbre del sabato sera), 1977

L. von Trier, Dancer in the dark, 2000

J. Taymore, Across the universe, 2007

The viewing of the following movies is recommended:

- F. Lang, Metropolis 

- F. Lang, M

- A. Hitchcock, Spellbound

- M. Antonioni, Blow up 

- F. Truffaut, Confidentially yours

- P. Greenaway, The draughtsman's contract

At the beginning of the course  the list of the musicals suggested will be released.

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting. 

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.