CINE 4550: Cinema Studies Seminar: Stanley Kubrick (Spring 2014, CRN: 34341)

Class: MW 1:35pm-4:30pm, Snell Library 043 Instructor: Email: Phone: Website: Dr. Drew Ayers [email protected] (617) 373-6179 www.drewayers.com Office: 126 Holmes Office Hours: MR 11:35am-1:35pm By Appointment

N.B. 1) Blackboard will reflect updates to the course, changes in the syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Northeastern University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the TRACE evaluation. Course Description This course examines the entire film corpus of Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999, U.S/England), beginning with his early documentary, Day of the Fight (1951), and ending with his final film, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Of particular interest to the class are: a) The politics of emotion employed by Kubrick; b) The ways in which his films capture and depict affect, sensation, and sensuality; c) How Kubrick imagines the role of contingency, fate, and chance in human life; and d) The interplay between the human and the nonhuman within his films. This course is designed to develop the skills necessary to write cogently and persuasively about film, as well as to cultivate the skills necessary to do film research. The class is also structured heavily around discussion, and students are expected to contribute their thoughts during every session. This course is a capstone course in the Media and Screen Studies combined major, and it includes an experiential learning component. Course Prerequisites CINE 3500 and junior or senior standing Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: ! Identify and analyze the aesthetic and thematic elements of Kubricks films ! Critique the broader cultural relevancy of these films ! Situate Kubricks work within 20th century modes of visuality ! Effectively read, analyze, and critique scholarly writing about film ! Present original ideas through class presentations and discussion ! Conduct research specific to film studies ! Write and speak cogently and persuasively about film and film scholarship ! Reflect on the relationship between cinema studies and the world beyond academia Required Texts 1) Naremore, James. On Kubrick. London: British Film Institute, 2007.

2 2) Nelson, Thomas Allen. Kubrick: Inside a Film Artists Maze, New & Expanded Edition. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000. 3) Readings on Blackboard Screenings Screenings will be held during class time as indicated in the daily schedule. Students are expected to attend all screenings, and absences from screenings will count against the attendance/participation grade. If a student cannot attend a screening, s/he must conduct the screening on his/her own time. Some materials are available through the library, and most materials are available through online rental and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lecturesyou cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. If a student arrives to class after the first fifteen minutes, s/he will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as one-half of an absence. Each student will have three personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, travel, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial three, the overall attendance grade will be lowered by a full letter grade. If a student has an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that students have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill their responsibilities as a member of our learning community. Further, students are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and the participation grade will be based on both the frequency and quality of a students participation. The default participation grade for the class is a D, so even if you have perfect attendance, if you rarely contribute to class discussions, your grade will be negatively affected. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. A Note About Laptops and Technology As a media scholar, I acknowledge the ubiquity and utility of (new) media technologies. Laptops and other communication technologies can serve as useful educational and professional tools, provided they are used effectively and responsibly. However, it is often the case that technologies become distractions rather than learning aids. I leave it to you to decide how best to utilize your technology, but I have consistently found that students who are distracted during class tend to earn lower grades than those who engage with the lectures and discussions. Also keep in mind that if youre emailing friends and chatting on Facebook, youre not participating, and your participation grade will suffer. Think of your time in the classroom as an opportunity to

3 unplug and devote complete focus to a subject. If youre going to email and Tweet the entire class, consider staying home. I also expect laptops to be closed during class screenings. If you want to take notes, please do so in an analog fashion, with paper and pencil. Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. If a student is unable to submit the assignment on the day it is due, s/he must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. Assignments must be uploaded to Blackboard by class time on the day they are due (1:35pm). Assignments uploaded after 1:35pm will automatically be marked as late. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen on exam dates and assignment due dates: ! Your internet connection suddenly stops working ! Blackboard crashes or experiences some other kind of technical difficulty ! Your computer crashes and all your data is lost ! Your car will not run, your T line is undergoing maintenance, busses will skip your stop, and all of your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are: The Writing Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/english/writing-center/)Provides advice and tutoring in composition Office of Academic & Student Support Services (http://www.cps.neu.edu/studentresources/oasss.php)Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups MyNEU Academic Guide (http://www.advising.neu.edu/) Policy for Make-Up Exams Unless we have discussed rescheduling an exam before the exam date, exams may only be madeup in instances of extreme hardship. I will require documentation verifying the hardship, and the option to complete a make-up exam is at my discretion. Special Accommodations Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Disability Resource Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/). Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the DRC of a signed accommodation plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.

4 Assignments There are four primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Blog Posts: As indicated in the daily schedule, students will post questions and responses to the weeks reading and screening to the class blog on Blackboard. The questions/responses should be posted as comments to the weeks blog entry. Each post should be a paragraph or two in length, and it may include questions about the weeks reading, commentary/thoughts about the weeks reading, and/or a response to the connections between the reading and the screening(s). 2) Experiential Learning Component: On April 9, the class will visit the MFA for a conversation with film curator Carter Long, who organized a Kubrick film series last February. Students will also complete a short write-up about the MFA visit, which is due on April 14. See page 10 of this syllabus for more details. 3) Midterm Exam: The midterm exam is due on February 19. This exam is take-home, and it will consist of short answer and essay questions. 4) Final Paper/Creative Project: Students will write an 8-10 page paper OR complete a creative project. This project will include a proposal, a commentary on others proposals, a rough draft, an in-class presentation/workshop, and the final product. See pages 11-12 of this syllabus for more details. All materials must be submitted to Blackboard by the beginning of the class for which they are due (1:35pm), and papers should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use Chicago or MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Grading Weekly Blog Posts Experiential Learning Component Write-Up Midterm Exam Final Paper/Creative Project: Attendance/Participation: Grading Breakdown B+ A 94-100% B A90-93% B87-89% 84-86% 80-83% C+ C C10% 15% 20% 45% 10% 77-79% 74-76% 70-73% D+ D D67-69% 64-66% 60-63%

Below 60%

Grading Criteria " A indicates truly outstanding work that shows a command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. The work doesnt merely address the questions through a repetition of course material and lectures. It provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument. The

5 work is error-free in spelling and grammatical errors. A work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment. B indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment. The work provides smart and solid analyses that I would expect any diligent student to be able to produce. These assignments take on the questions directly, citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate the points being made. These assignments often offer previously discussed examples illustrating points covered in class. There are usually few typos or spelling errors (if any), sentences are relatively clear, and thoughts are organized into a concise argument. C indicates satisfactorily meeting the course requirements in an adequate fashion. The work addresses the questions but doesnt explicitly cite specific texts and discussion. This work tends to recycle examples from discussion without discussing how they fit with the analysis and repeats information given in class. There are usually typos, spelling errors, and poorly structured sentences that make the argument vague or awkward. D indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized, and instead of the course materials, relies on personal experience alone or materials from other classes. In other words, the assignment shows no evidence that the student was paying attention in class and does not incorporate materials used in the readings or in class discussion. Often these assignments seem more like summaries or reviews rather than analyses. These assignments may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment. They do not use appropriate grammar and often are not proofread. F indicates work that dramatically fails to meet course goals and course expectations. It is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never turned in.

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Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Integrity, please consult the Offices website at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html. The policy prohibits cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, participation in academically dishonest activities, and facilitating academic dishonesty. The process by which the university handles academic misconduct cases is also very specifically spelled out in the policy. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarismIf you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarizeits not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

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Northeasterns Academic Integrity Policy http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeatern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University. The following is a broad overview, but not an all-encompassing definition, of what constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Cheating: The University defines cheating as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. When completing any academic assignment, a student shall rely on his or her own mastery of the subject. Examples: Unauthorized use of notes, text, the Internet, or other aids during an examination. Copying from another students academic work. Unauthorized communication during an examination. Handing in the same paper for more than one course without the explicit permission of the instructor(s). Intentionally viewing a test before it is administered. Storing notes in a portable electronic device for use during an examination.

Fabrication: The University defines fabrication as intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples: Inventing data or facts for an academic assignment. Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey. Citing a source in a bibliography that was not used. Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

Plagiarism: The University defines plagiarism as intentionally representing the words, ideas, or data of another as ones own in any academic exercise without providing proper citation. The following sources require citation: Word-for-word quotation from a source, including another students work. Paraphrasing (using the ideas of others in your own words). Unusual or controversial facts not widely recognized. Audio, video, digital, or live exchanges of ideas, dialogue, or information. Students unclear as to whether or not a source requires citation should speak with their professor or consult the Writing Center in 412 Holmes Hall. Unauthorized Collaboration: The University defines unauthorized collaboration as instances when students submit individual academic works that are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the data must be each individual's independent work. Examples: Sharing a take-home examination, case write-up, lab report, or any other assignment with a peer without express permission from the instructor. Completing an academic exercise with the aid of a peer, but unfairly crediting all work to oneself.

Participation in Academically Dishonest Activities: The University defines participation in academically dishonest activities as any action taken by a student with the intent of gaining an unfair advantage. Examples: Misrepresenting oneself or one's circumstances to an instructor. Stealing an examination. Purchasing a pre-written paper. Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts. Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging another student's work, library materials, laboratory materials, academic records, course syllabi, or examination/course grades. Intentionally missing an examination or assignment deadline to gain an unfair advantage. Forging information or signatures on official University documents.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: The University defines facilitating academic dishonesty as intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to violate any provision of this policy. Examples: Doing academic work for another student. Making available previously used academic work for another individual with the intention of resubmitting the work for credit.

Guidelines All members of the Northeastern University community share a role in upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. Any member of the community who witnesses a violation of this policy should report it to the appropriate faculty member or the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. Cases referred to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution will be investigated and, if sufficient evidence is presented, the case will be referred to the University's Student Conduct Board. If a student is found responsible for violating any of the preceding items, a minimum sanction of deferred suspension will follow. A second violation will meet with expulsion from the University. Students who violate Northeastern University's Academic Integrity Policy may also be subject to individual course penalties. This can result in, but is not restricted to, failing the course, in addition to any University penalty. All instructors must reference academic integrity in their syllabi. If a student feels that he or she has been wrongly accused of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the student has the right to appeal the charge to the body that first issued the sanction.

7 Daily Schedule Early Kubrick 1/6 Reading: Screening: Course syllabus Day of the Fight (1951, 16 min.) Flying Padre (1951, 9 min.) The Seafarers (1953, 30 min.) Naremore, pp. 1-43 Fear and Desire (1953, 68 min.)

1/8 1/13

Reading: Screening: Reading:

Naremore, pp. 45-66 Nelson, Chapter 1 Screening: Killers Kiss (1955, 67 min.) Assignment: Blog Post #1 Naremore, pp. 67-80 Nelson, Chapter 2 The Killing (1956, 84 min.)

Kubrick, Harris, Douglas 1/15 Reading: Screening: 1/20 1/22

NO CLASS (MLK, JR. DAY) Reading: Naremore, pp. 80-97 Eaton, Patterns of Space, Sound, and Movement in Paths of Glory Screening: Paths of Glory (1957, 87 min.) Assignment: Blog Post #2 Reading: Screening: Naremore, pp. 97-117 Lolita (1962, 152 min.)

1/27 1/29

Reading: Nelson, Chapter 3 Assignment: Blog Post #3 Naremore, pp. 119-137 Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964, 95 min.)

Stanley Kubrick Presents 2/3 Reading: Screening: 2/5 2/10

Reading: Nelson, Chapter 4 Assignment: Blog Post #4 Reading: Screening: Naremore, pp. 137-153 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, 141 min.)

8 2/12 Reading: Nelson, Chapter 5 Assignment: Blog Post #5 Distribute and Discuss Midterm Exam NO CLASS (PRESIDENTS DAY) Reading: Naremore, pp. 153-170 Screening: A Clockwork Orange (1971, 137 min.) Assignment: Midterm Exam Due Reading: Nelson, Chapter 6 Assignment: Blog Post #6 Reading: Naremore, pp. 170-187 Screening: Barry Lyndon (1975, 187 min.) Assignment: Final Paper Proposal Due NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK) NO CLASS (SPRING BREAK) Reading: Nelson, Chapter 7 Assignment: Blog Post #7 Reading: Naremore, pp. 187-207 Screening: The Shining (1980, 146 min.) Assignment: Commentary on Classmates Proposals Due Reading: Nelson, Chapter 8 Assignment: Blog Post #8 Naremore, pp. 209-222 Full Metal Jacket (1987, 116 min.) (SCMS?)

2/17 2/19

2/24 2/26

3/3 3/6 3/10 3/12

3/17

Late Kubrick 3/19 Reading: Screening: 3/24 3/26

Reading: Nelson, Chapter 9 Assignment: Blog Post #9 Reading: Naremore, pp. 222-244 Screening: Eyes Wide Shut (1999, 159 min.) Assignment: Rough Draft of Final Paper Due Reading: Nelson, Chapter 10 Assignment: Blog Post #10

3/31

9 Afterword 4/2

Reading: Screening:

Naremore, pp. 245-267 Nelson, Postscript Sobchack, Love Machines A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001, 143 min.)

4/7 4/9 4/14 4/18

Writing Workshop (Jury Duty) MFA Tour with Carter Long Presentations Assignment: Experiential Learning Component Write-Up Due Assignment: Final Paper Due at 5:00pm

10 Experiential Learning Component Write-Up 1) Students will complete a short (2-3 page) reflection essay about our visit to the MFA and our conversation with Carter Long. 2) While this essay is personal and reflective in nature, your paper should still have a central theme and argument. 3) Some topics and issues to consider in your essay: a. What is the relationship between Media and Screen Studies and the professional world? b. What are some potential ways in which Media and Screen Studies might be useful in a professional capacity? c. What is the value of Media and Screen Studies to the general public? Society in general? (i.e., why does the study of film and media matter?) d. How does Media and Screen Studies connect to your career goals? 4) This essay is due on April 14.

11 Final Paper Project 1) You have two options for the final paper: a. Develop an argument on a topic of your choosing that engages with the themes, topics, and films of this course. I will leave the exact topic up to you, but you should engage with and demonstrate a clear understanding of the issues and concepts that weve discussed in class. b. Alternately, you may choose to complete a creative project of your design. If you choose to go this route, your proposal will function as your pitch to me, and we will work together to come up with a system of requirements and evaluation equivalent to that of the written project. 2) At least five peer-reviewed, scholarly sources are required, and these sources must be cited within the text and in a works cited pageremember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. 3) The sources must be academic in nature, either from scholarly journals or books (Wikipedia or film reviews will not count toward your source total, but you may use them in your paper, provided the information is properly cited). You may use two sources from the class, but the other three must be the product of your own research. Use the librarys research page to help begin your research: http://subjectguides.lib.neu.edu/content.php?pid=30708. 4) This project will consist of five parts: a. An initial proposal b. Commentary on others proposals c. A first draft d. An in-class presentation/writing workshop e. The final version of the project 5) The proposal is due on February 26 and is worth 5% of the overall course grade. a. The proposal should be 350-400 words in length, and it should state the title of your paper, a thesis statement and/or research question, and a summary/outline of the main points of your argument. Since this proposal is an early stage of the writing process, you should feel free to be speculative here. However, you should try to articulate your thoughts as clearly as possible. b. Submit the proposals on the classs Blackboard blog. This will allow feedback from your classmates. 6) Commentary on classmates proposals is due on March 12 and is worth 5% of the overall course grade. a. Using the comment feature of the blog, students must provide commentary on five of their classmates proposals. This commentary should provide constructive criticism, feedback, and advice as to how the project might be made stronger, what aspects of the project seem most interesting, and suggestions for things to consider. 7) A full rough draft of the project is due on March 26 and is worth 5% of the overall course grade. Although this is a draft, it should be polished and readable. 8) On April 7, we will have an in-class writing workshop. During this time, youll read one or two of your classmates papers and provide feedback.

12 9) Each student will present his/her final paper project to the class in a 5-7 minute presentation. These presentations will take place on April 14, and the presentation is worth 5% of the overall grade. 10) The final draft of the paper is due on April 18, and it must be uploaded to Blackboard by 5:00pm. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late. The final draft is worth 25% of the overall grade. a. The final draft must be 8-10 pages in length, and it must include a title page and bibliography (in Chicago or MLA format). The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. b. The final draft should expand on the work you did in your proposal and rough draft, and you should expect to do significant rethinking/revising of your initial argument, incorporating any suggestions your classmates and I may have provided you. Failure to take revision suggestions into account will negatively affect your grade on this paper. c. The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.