quark Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Kiddo is signed up locally for a six-week film appreciation class in summer (starts in June). Topic: American cinema from the 1900s to 1960s. Subtopics include film noir, Hitchcock movies, vaudeville, forces that shape the language of film. This is an appreciation/ critique class and not a film-making class. He loves oldies but lacks the background to write about films so I thought he would benefit from a quick primer before his course starts. Although it is a fun course meant to round up his school year, it will be graded. Books (any level), dvds, documentaries (e.g. any youtube series?), interactive websites etc would be awesome (secular please). Thanks in advance! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Oooo! How fun! :hurray: Jumping up and down and waving hand because I have a film background here, with a college degree in film appreciation AND film/video production. :) Several years back, I created curriculum for a 12-week "Understanding Movies" high school co-op class (intro to beginning film analysis and very brief overview of American Film History. So, for your topics, here's what I would suggest: General Resources - Young Oxford Book of Movies (Parkinson) -- pub. almost 20 years ago, but a great history and genre background book for teens (and it goes up into the 1990s -- your class only goes up to 1960s, so you're good); out of print, so super cheap to buy used - Early Cinema -- website with very brief articles on the pioneers of film and very early technology - Digital History: Film -- series of articles on American Film history (start with "Pre-History of Motion Pictures", and go through the 10 articles after it, up through "Hollywood Today") - Film Site: Tips on Film Viewing -- just a heads up -- most, but not all, of the material on this site is youth-friendly; may wish to preview first; this article gives you tips on how to watch a film critically - A Basic Glossary of Film Terms -- this list is a good basic list; some lists are so extensive as to overwhelm American Cinema 1900s-1960s - understand how the technology changed over the first 60 years of film, and how that changed how films could be made - Digital History: Film -- (same link as above) - Singin' in the Rain -- super fun film that shows the difficult transition from silent films to talkies Film Noir - a style of film that relies heavily on dramatic lighting and framing, so learn especially about those film elements - called "noir" (French for "black") not only because the films are shot in black & white, and make use of strong light/dark contrasts in the lighting, but also because they often are set at night, and explore themes that are "black" -- amoral protagonists and "morally murky" subjects - Film Site: Film Noir -- website article (part 1 =article; parts 2-5 = chronological lists of film noir movies) - Film Noir Studies -- website; articles on aspects in a film noir; nice time line list of the classic film noirs (1940-1960) Hitchcock Movies - master of suspense, working predominantly in the mystery, spy-thriller, and horror genres, but also with a few films in other genres, too - film suspense esp. is built up through use of close-ups, lighting (mood), framing, and editing, so learn esp. how those film elements work - Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense -- website - Film Techniques of Alfred Hitchcock -- website Vaudeville - this was the "common person's" form of broad entertainment before the medium of film; it was usually a series of acts of many types combined in a single show -- comedy, acrobatics, musical performances, short skits, etc. Many silent film stars (esp. comics) started in vaudeville (Buster Keaton) lot of the talking comic films of the 1930s-40s that relied on either slapstick or fast talking (or both) starred performers who had their roots in Vaudeville (the Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, W.C. Fields, etc.). Also, early musicals often starred dancers and singers who had started in vaudeville (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland - Vaudeville - website; article on the history; a few short silent films of vaudeville acts; etc. Forces that Shape the Language of Film - learn a little about film elements and how a filmmaker uses them: framing, camera angles lighting, editing, motion, color, sound, special effects... - Sherlock Jr. - Singin' in the Rain 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Togo Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Bravewriter has an inexpensive packet/pdf ($9.95), "Bravewriter Goes to the Movies," we have used for writing about movies. It is 11 pages and would be excellent prep for a movie appreciation course this summer. Pick movies from the class modules and use the packet for writing or informal discussion. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Lori, you are simply awesome! :001_wub: Oh, we love, love Singin' in the Rain! I will forward these links to DS. They sound wonderful! Thank you so much Lori. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Bravewriter has an inexpensive packet/pdf ($9.95), "Bravewriter Goes to the Movies," we have used for writing about movies. It is 11 pages and would be excellent prep for a movie appreciation course this summer. Pick movies from the class modules and use the packet for writing or informal discussion. Oh this is great, thank you 1Togo! There are a number of our favorites on that movie list too! Very excited now and hoping DS will find something he likes from these suggestions. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 This isn't what you were asking for, but has that ever stopped anyone? I was reminded of a book that I read several years ago that you might find of interest. David Gilmour's The Film Club: A Memoir ~ There a good NY Times Book Review article here. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 This isn't what you were asking for, but has that ever stopped anyone? I was reminded of a book that I read several years ago that you might find of interest. David Gilmour's The Film Club: A Memoir ~ There a good NY Times Book Review article here. Regards, Kareni :lol: I hope it never does! Thank you Kareni! I will research that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Island Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 If you are looking for a text that covers the different aspects of movies and film making (such as directors, cinematography, acting, writing, themes, etc.), I highly recommend the book "Understanding Movies" by Louis Gianetti. It is available on Amazon for a fairly low price - especially if you go for an older edition. This is a text used for introductory film classes in college, but it is very readable. I think learning about the different aspects of film would help your child with analyzing movies and writing about them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 We used "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Movies, Flicks, and Films," "Young Oxford Book of the Movies," the Annenberg free online video series "American Cinema" (http://www.learner.org/resources/series67.html), "Teach with Film" website (http://www.teachwithmovies.org/). Filmeducation.org also looks promising. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 For my film class in college, we had to watch Psycho, Citizen Kane, Bonnie and Clyde, and The Pit and the Pendulum. There were others, but those were most memorable. I think I would just have him watch movies from different genres and enjoy them (if they're enjoyable). I didn't need any prep to get an A, but exposure to different types of movies would have given me a broader range of experiences to draw from when doing my responses/reviews. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 If you are looking for a text that covers the different aspects of movies and film making (such as directors, cinematography, acting, writing, themes, etc.), I highly recommend the book "Understanding Movies" by Louis Gianetti. That was the text I used in one my college film courses too, and it's a terrific one for explaining how film elements work. :) Just a heads up for parents of teens -- there are photo still shots from many movies and descriptions of scenes from many movies to explain how the film elements are working; a few of these examples are explicit photos and descriptions of mature scenes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thanks so much everyone! If anyone is following this topic, I also found a lovely coffee table book in my library: American Cinema: one hundred years of filmmaking by Jeanine Basinger (ISBN: 0847818144). DS really likes it. It's based on the PBS series that aired in the '90s I think? Trying to track down that series but not successful so far. ETA: The series is on learner.org here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Just wanted to add for anyone following this topic that we are using a book called Writing About Movies to help DS shape his responses to the movies in a coherent format. I really like its straightforward style. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 So is he enjoying the class? :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 So is he enjoying the class? :) Oh yes! Thank you for asking Lori! He asked the instructor if he could add Arsenic and Old Lace separately although it was not an assigned movie. His instructor was pleasantly surprised that DS has heard of and watched it before. :laugh: One happy kiddo. We get to watch Back to the Future next week. So fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Oh yes! Thank you for asking Lori! He asked the instructor if he could add on and analyze Arsenic and Old Lace separately although it was not an assigned movie. His instructor was pleasantly surprised that DS has heard of and watched it before. :laugh: One happy kiddo. We get to watch Back to the Future next week. So fun! Yea! I was also going to ask if you are getting to watch along with -- but from this, I can tell you are. Sounds like YOU are enjoying this class alongside, too! :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Oh yes! Thank you for asking Lori! He asked the instructor if he could add Arsenic and Old Lace separately although it was not an assigned movie. His instructor was pleasantly surprised that DS has heard of and watched it before. :laugh: One happy kiddo. We get to watch Back to the Future next week. So fun! We did Arsenic and Old Lace last year as part of Movies as Lit. Shannon loved it! she must have watched it 5 times and she read the play at least twice. Thanks for posting all these other great finds, everybody! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Yea! I was also going to ask if you are getting to watch along with -- but from this, I can tell you are. Sounds like YOU are enjoying this class alongside, too! :) Oh yes! I'm seizing the chance lol. Any excuse to snuggle with the boy on the couch (shh, don't tell him why I'm doing it!). We did Arsenic and Old Lace last year as part of Movies as Lit. Shannon loved it! she must have watched it 5 times and she read the play at least twice. Thanks for posting all these other great finds, everybody! Yes, it's such a dear, dear movie. I love it too. Funny twist but DS found some interesting parallels with Psycho and thinks he might explore that in more depth (he likes exploring character's psyche/ motivations etc). That learner.org series is very interesting and well done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdesigns Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I'm saving this post. I've been asked to teach a Film History class. Lots of great suggestions here! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labellavita Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Love this thread! Thank you Quark! DD 14 is interested in film and I've been looking for resources. So far she has watched a film history class at Coursera (which she loved) and I have The Filmmaker's Handbook for her but she needs more material. I just ordered Understanding Movies by Giannetti. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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