Author: tkaminsk@fsmail.uwsp.edu
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 08:58:50 -0500
I often teach a writing emphasis section of the U.S. survey, which means that I have a smaller class (about 18) and require more complicated writing assignments. I have been thinking about using movies extensively in one of these we sections in the second half of the survey. The idea is to teach the students to view movies as texts and have them critique them with their knowledge of history.
Has anyone done anything similar to this? Any advice/warnings would be appreciated. I have a long time to think about and plan this as I am on leave next year to write a book.
Theresa Kaminski
Dept. of History
University of Wisconisn-Stevens Point
Author: peter c holloran
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 13:06:47 -0500
Designing a US History course with the critique of movies as a focus is not a new idea. The H-FILM lists frequently discusses this. I have taught a course called America on Film for ten years, with good success. For a main text on the history of Hollywood I use Movie Made America by Robert Sklar and two or three paperbacks. The trick is which films to show, and when and where and how many?
If you show them in class, you need at least a 75 minute class period twice a week or 3 hours once a week (which I prefer). If you show them outside of class, you will have fewer students who see the entire film, and need a cooperative library or media center staff.
You could center the course on two themes: 1. the history of movies, and 2. how movies use/abuse history.
There are, of course, other ways to design and teach such a course, but such courses often prove very popular. Go for it, I say, it has become my best and favorite course.
Peter Holloran, Mount Ida College, pch@world.std.com
Author: Mitch Lerner
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 13:07:44 -0500
In response to Prof. Kaminski's post about the use of movies in class, I have 3 words: "Inherit the Wind." For anyone who has not seen it, Inherit the Wind is based on the Scopes-Monkey Trial, and is a fabulous movie (my personal favorite with the possible exception of Casablanca), as well as a great symbol of the tensions on the 1920's. I preface it with a lecture about the tension between traditionalists and modernists that dominated the 1920's (prohibition, the Klan, etc.), tensions that are clearly shown during the trial, esp. during Clarence Darrow's examination of William Jennings Bryan. Funny, well-acted, dramatic, etc., my students love it, and I get some of my best papers from this film, as students discuss it as a representation of the changing values of American society. AND, as an added bonus, it has all kinds of cameos by actors who later appear in popular television shows, and I challenge my students to find them (among the represented shows are MASH, Threes Company, BJ and the Bear, Gunsmoke, and I Dream of Jeannie).
Other films that I have used to some success have included Dr. Strangelove and Rebel Without a Cause, but nothing ever matches the success of Inherit The Wind.
Mitch Lerner
Univ of TX-Austin
Author: Annette Laing
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 13:08:23 -0500
I once used an episode of Alistair Cooke's "America" in this way, to
generally good effect. He has a conspicuously trad. view of American
history.
Cheers,
Annette Laing
Visiting Assistant Professor
University of Redlands
Author: mdavis@uwcmail.uwc.edu
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 13:09:04 -0500
I used Marty and When Harry Met Sally in one of my classes. Made thirty years apart, the differencs and similaritiees in the relationships that are portrayed are striking.
Mark Davis
UWC Baraboo.
Author: Mike Richardson
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 15:40:00 -0500
I echo Mr. Lerner's sentiments about the use of Dr. Strangelove - although the first time I used it, I didn't "set it up" well enough for the students to get all I hoped they would.
I also had pretty good results with In the Heat of the Night. I've always figured that This Is Spinal Tap would be great for 70s/80s rock culture, but I think you'd have already to be fairly well-steeped in the culture to get most of the jokes - otherwise the differences between Spinal Tap and "real" lousy hard rock bands are too subtle to distinguish. I haven't given up hope of using it in class some day - maybe a History of Popular Music class.
mike richardson
SIU-Edwardsville
Author: Frank Johnson
Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 09:00:07 -0500
I agree with Mitch that "Inherit the Wind" is a great film. However, it also has many problems, namely it grossly misrepresents the trial (esp. the exchange between Darrow and Bryan). Lawrence and Lee purposely, to quote them, "fictionalized fact" when writing the play. I would never have suspected the degree to which they did so until I read the trial transcript. At issue: how do we help students negotiate the difference between fact and fiction or variations in between? After all, most of us can't compete with the "silver screen."
By the way, H-Net is developing a major web site/teaching project based on the Scopes Trial. Stay tuned.
Frank E. Johnson
Research Coordinator, Scopes Project
frank@h-net.msu.edu
Author: peter c holloran
Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 13:06:50 -0500
Frank Johnson made an important point about using a movie like Inherit the Wind in a course. It is not useful to simply show a movie we may like and enjoy to students without careful research on the film and preparation of the class. I show this film, sometimes, but always provide two pages of researched film notes to each student.
Information on the ahistorical features of Hollywood movies is readily available. We have long since gone beyond the point of merely viewing old movies about historical events to enlighten, inform or teach our students. Without careful preparation for each film, the history professor becomes a projectionist and the class becomes a conscripted audience.
Even ahistorical films may be useful teaching devices, but undergrads need much help in my experience.
Peter Holloran
Mount Ida College
pch@world.std.com
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