English 288: Crime Pays: The Gangster Film Genre

Transcription

1 English 288: Crime Pays: The Gangster Film Genre Winter 2006 Dr. Glen Wickens TH 13:00 Morris House, 8 N.4 Office Hrs. Fridays 8:30-11:30 a.m. Telephone: ext (office) (home) gwickens@ubishops.ca This course examines the development of the gangster film from the classical cycle of the early 1930's to the 1990's. Films: 1. Little Caesar (1931) 2. The Public Enemy (1931) 3. Scarface (1932) 4. High Sierra (1941) 5. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 6. The French Connection (1971) 7. Godfather II (1974) 8. Goodfellas (1990) 9. Shanghai Triad (1994) Texts: Two copies of each of the films and one copy of most of the screenplays are on reserve at the front desk of the Library. Schedule of Lectures and Assignments January 10 Introduction to the course; characteristics of a genre 12 History of a genre 13 Screening of Little Caesar 17 Little Caesar 19 Little Caesar 20 Screening of The Public Enemy 24 The Public Enemy 26 The Public Enemy 27 Screening of Scarface 31 Scarface February 2 Scarface 3 Screening of High Sierra 7 High Sierra 9 High Sierra 10 Screening of Bonnie and Clyde 14 Bonnie and Clyde 16 Bonnie and Clyde

2 17 Screening of The French Connection 21 Bonnie and Clyde 23 Bonnie and Clyde *1st essay due March 7 The French Connection 9 The French Connection 10 Screening of Godfather II 14 The French Connection 16 Godfather II 17 Screening of Goodfellas 28 Godfather II 30 Godfather II April 4 Goodfellas 6 Goodfellas 7 Screening of Shanghai Triad 11 Goodfellas 13 Class Discussion of Shanghai Triad *2nd essay due Weight of Marks: 1 st essay = 30% 2 nd essay = 30% Class attendance & participation = 10% Final examination = 30% Further Information for Students and the Godfather=s Rules: 1. Scale of Marks: Class Letter Grade Percentage First A 80 - l00 Second B Third C F (Failure) A student who does not do all the year's work (the examination and essays) places himself in jeopardy; he may be failed, regardless of how high his marks on submitted work. 3. Whatever the quality of the content, essays may be failed for stylistic or grammatical incompetence.

3 4. Students will be expected to have seen works before the days assigned for discussion of them. 5. Regular attendance is strongly encouraged. The examination will directly reflect the material and ideas discussed in class. Students who miss more than two classes, including screenings, before an essay is due will be in the following ways: they cannot receive an extension on the essay and will not get any comments on it. 6. There is no supplemental examination for this course. 7. An essay must be handed in either to the professor or to the English Department secretary no later than 4:00 p.m. on the day on which it is due. 8. An essay that is handed in after the deadline will be penalized 5% per working day late. 9. The third edition of the MLA Handbook defines plagiarism as "the act of using another person's ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source" (l.6). For details, examples of plagiarism, and instructions for avoiding it, please read the entire article on plagiarism carefully (pp. 2l-25). Also read the handout on Quotations, Citations, and List of Works Cited and the section about plagiarism and academic dishonesty on p. 21 of the Bishop's University Academic Calendar for If you are guilty of plagiarism, you will receive a mark of zero for the essay concerned and the Dean of the Division of Humanities will be informed. If you are guilty of a second offense, you will receive a mark of zero for the course; again, the Dean will be informed. 10. Students should see each film on the course at least twice, once during the public screening in N.4 and once in a private viewing in the Morris House Multi-Purpose Room or conference Room, or at home. 11. When quoting dialogue or voice over in a film make sure you consult the screenplay for accuracy. 12. The English Department now has plagiarism detection services (PDS). 13. Please put your box number on your essays. 14. All films will be screened in N.4 on Friday afternoons beginning at 2:00 p.m. 15. Students should buy the films on the course. English 288: First Essay Topics

4 Length: app words Due: February 23, 2006 Choose one of the following topics: 1. Discuss the problem of the gangster=s sexuality in one of the films of the classic cycle. 2. Is the gangster a Atragic hero@? Limit your discussion to one of the early gangster films. 3. How does Edward G. Robinson act out the transformation of Rico in Little Caesar? 4. Discuss the appropriateness of Rico=s death behind the billboard, ATipsy, Topsy, Turvy@ in Little Caesar. 5. Examine the function of the Depression extremes of setting in Little Caesar. 6. Analyze the use of subjective camera work in Little Caesar. 7. Discuss the gangster=s relation to public and private space in one of the early gangster films. 8. Discuss the conflict between the family and the gang in The Public Enemy. 9. What makes James Cagney=s acting so modern and forceful in The Public Enemy? 10. Analyse the expressionistic film techniques used in the later scenes of The Public Enemy. 11. Discuss the Oedipal implications of the story in The Public Enemy. 12. Why does The Public Enemy not end with Tom being gunned down? 13. Discuss the importance of the 1909 scenes at the start of The Public Enemy. 14. Is Tom Powers made bad or born bad in The Public Enemy? 15. Compare the two endings of Scarface. 16. Discuss the contribution of music in either The Public Enemy or Scarface. 17. What makes Scarface the most expressionistic of the classic gangster films? 18. How does Paul Muni=s very theatrical performance change in Scarface? 19. Do the scenes added to Scarface successfully moralize the story? 20. To what extent can Scarface be called a parody of a gangster film?

5 21. What does Humphrey Bogart bring to the role of the gangster that makes him new? 22. Discuss the contrast between old and new gangsters in High Sierra. 23. Discuss the significance of the mountain setting in High Sierra. 24. Is the Goodhue subplot essential to High Sierra? 25. Discuss the theme of ineffectual patriarchs in High Sierra. 26. How does High Sierra use Roy Earle=s alienation to comment on society? 27 Discuss the meaning of Acrashing in High Sierra. 28. How do editing, lighting, and camera position contribute to the intensity of the final manhunt in High Sierra? 29. Is the gangster film a Adisguised Western@? Focus your discussion on one film from the first half of the course. 30. How does Bonnie and Clyde put Athe sting back in death@? 31. Discuss the function of the jarring tonal shifts in Bonnie and Clyde. 32. How does the music in Bonnie and Clyde influence our view of the criminals? 33. Discuss the significance of the visual motif of glass in Bonnie and Clyde. 34. Discuss the psychological and emotional significance of the jagged editing in Bonnie and Clyde. 35. Discuss the relationship between crime and sexuality in Bonnie and Clyde. 36. Is Bonnie and Clyde Aabout style and people who have style@? 37. Discuss the relation between crime and media culture in Bonnie and Clyde. 38. Discuss the gangster=s attitude towards women in one of the films on the first half of the course. English 288: Second Essay Topics

6 Length: 1600 words Due: April 13, 2006 Choose one of the following topics: 1. How does The French Connection make the audience respond to the gangster/detective conflict in more than just a simple way? 2. How does The French Connection make scenes of watching suspenseful? 3. AIf realism is the heart of The French Connection, then irony is its soul.@ Discuss. 4. How does The French Connection prepare the viewer for its surprise ending? 5. Discuss the function of sound, editing, and camera position in the famous car/subway chase in The French Connection. 6. Discuss the significance of scenes of eating in The French Connection. 7. How does action reveal character and make visible theme in The French Connection? 8. How does music help to make The French Connection an exciting but disturbing film? 9. Discuss the treatment of the theme of vengeance in Godfather II. 10. Discuss the importance of the Cuban scenes in Godfather II. 11. Are Michael Corleone=s motives in Godfather II any different than his father=s in The Godfather? 12. Discuss the importance of musical cues in Godfather II. 13. How do Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro meet the challenge of playing their roles in Godfather II? 14. Discuss the use of intercutting in some of the sequences of Godfather II. 15. Discuss the relation between past and present in Godfather II. 16. Discuss how the Corlcone family is destroyed from the inside in Godfather II. 17. How does Godfather II use the mafia as a metaphor for America? 18. How do the songs chosen for Goodfellas enhance the rhythm and emotion of scenes

7 while commenting on the action? 19. Explain the function of the discontinuous storyline in Goodfellas. 20. Discuss the way Goodfellas often focuses on Asymptomatic 21. What does Goodfellas say about the progress of America from 1955 to 1980? 22. Discuss the importance of the strong woman in either Goodfellas or Godfather II. 23. How does Goodfellas thrust the viewer into the gangster=s lifestyle? 24. Discuss the importance of scenes where the camera work and editing call attention to themselves in Goodfellas. 25. Discuss the relation between pleasure and violence in Goodfellas 26. Explain the temporary triumph of gangster ideology in Goodfellas. 27. How does violence affect the humanity of the characters in Shanghai Triad? 28. Discuss the relationship between perception and power in Shanghai Triad. 29. Discuss the significance of the final shot of Shanghai Triad, the camera seeing the world upside down through the eyes of Shuisheng. 30. Discuss the use of child and female protagonists in Shanghai Triad. 31. How does the framing of shots in Shanghai Triad suggest a contingent and mediated point of view? 32. What role do the song sequences play in Shanghai Triad? 33. How does Gong Li=s performance suggest that Jimbao=s inner feelings are quite layered and complicated? 34. What does the pastoral movement from the city to a rural island reveal about the world of Shanghai Triad?

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