Film Studies (FILM) 301 - Lecture 01
Cinema in the Third Reich
Winter 2007
Lectures: TR @ 11-12 Labs: M, 9-11 T, 13-15 F, 9-12  

Instructor:	Dr. Florentine Strzelczyk
Office Location:	CH C206
Office Phone:	220-3990
E-Mail:	strzelcz@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:
Office Hours:	T: 12-13, R: 10-11

Course Description

This course will examine a number of representative German films made in the Third Reich. We will study the notorious Nazi propaganda films, but also have a close look at the melodrama, adventure and history films and comedies that –by far– represented the majority of the film production during the Third Reich. Our exploration of these various film genres employed by Third Reich filmmakers will lead us to question the political dimension of seemingly non-political entertainment films and –vice versa– the aesthetic surfaces of political films. - For a long time, the Nazi past has been a preferred topic of contemporary films. The course will therefore conclude with two films that offer retrospective representations of the Third Reich.

Objectives of the Course

This course will teach students to recognize, describe and evaluate •Historical, political and cultural parameters shaping film production in the Third Reich •Film techniques employed by Third Reich filmmakers •The relation between ideology and entertainment at work in various films •The cinematic after-life of Nazi images in contemporary films •The ideological manipulations inherent in all mass media

Textbooks and Readings:

The course manual ($80.00) contains all the relevant materials and is available in the GSEA main office (Craigie Hall C 205).

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Midterm (30%): March 6

Research Paper (40%): April 13 (Approx. 2,500 words or 10 pages, double- spaced)

Final Exam (30%): Scheduled by the Registrar’s Office

Note: Please return assignments directly to the instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: Yes

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255.

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people’s words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS110) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Will be handed out on the first day of class.