DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & FILM

FILM 333 CRN 6668
National Cinema A: GERMAN CINEMA

1996 COURSE INFORMATION PAGE

Co-ordinator and teaching staff

Co-ordinator: Harriet Margolis (Rm 302, 77 Fairlie Terrace, ext. 8604). Other staff members or guest lecturers may contribute to the course. Office hours will be posted.

Class times and venue

Second half year. Mon 10-1, Wed 10-11, Thurs 10-1 (screenings, lectures, discussions intermixed). Class will generally meet in the Dept of Theatre & Film, Rm 205, 77 Fairlie Terrace; please note that a few films will be screened in Memorial Theatre.

Course aims, content, and objectives

FILM 333 will survey the history of German cinema with the aim of understanding a vital aspect of twentieth century European culture that has had an international influence. For example, classic silent films like Nosferatu and Metropolis helped create new genres, launched acting and directorial careers beyond Germany, and reshaped filmmaking worldwide through their stylistic impact on Hollywood. Meanwhile, contemporary German cinema poses an international challenge on the basis of its subject matter as well as its style. By the end of the course, you should have a better understanding of various concepts (national cinema, international cinema; the relation between film and national identity) and styles (Expressionism), as well as a general familiarity with the history of German cinema, including its influence beyond Germany. The assessment exercises are designed to give you a chance to practice your analytic and research skills in the area of German cinema as well as to assess your comprehension of the readings.

Texts

Set text: A reader available from Student Notes.
Recommended: Knight, Julia. Women and the New German Cinema. London: Verso, 1982.

Workload

The university anticipates that you should be able to devote about 16 hours per week to a 6-credit course at 200 level.

Assessment All assessment will be internal. Details of each assignment will be given in class at a later date.

Due DateWeighting
Quizzes (2 out of 3; 15% each)See timetable30%
Essay (5-8 pp)10 Oct, 10 am25%
Participation5%
Director Report (2-3 pp)5 Aug, 10 am10%
2 Short Responses (2-3 pp &15% each)See timetable30%

Essay assignments must be handed in personally to your tutor or to another staff member of the Department, who will sign your receipt form. No responsibility will be taken for assignments which are not receipted.

If you must ask for an extension, please do so well before the due date. Unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g., medical reasons with certificate), work handed in late may be penalized (5% during the first late week, after which it may lose more or not be accepted at all, depending on the timing). Plagiarism may result in a mark of zero.

Terms

In order to qualify for terms (the right to be assessed for a final grade), you must turn in 2 out of 3 quizzes, a Director Report, a Short Response, and an essay. Quizzes will be given only on the dates noted on the calendar; there will be no makeups (with the possible exception of people with legitimate medical excuses who may be accommodated in some other way, if necessary). You are expected to attend all class sessions, but I will not be taking attendance. Terms will be awarded on 11 October.

Library and Green Room

Students are encouraged to make full use of the Department Library at 77 Fairlie Terrace; however, please note that department materials do not leave the building. The Green Room is also available to students working in the Department. You are expected to clean up after yourselves (this includes returning to the Green Room any mugs removed from there). The tea and coffee there are available to students who pay the requisite $10/per half year fee to the departmental secretary. No food or beverage is allowed in the Library.

Award

The Prize for Film Studies, arising from a fund established by the Wai-te-Ata Press, will be awarded to the best student of film history, criticism, or production.

Acknowledgements

This course would not be possible without generous assistance from the Goethe Institute of Wellington, which is gratefully acknowledged. Assistance from the German Embassy is also appreciated, as well as the Film Archive and the NZ Federation of Film Societies. Students are urged to join the Wellington Film Society.

Communication

Any additional information, or changes to the course, will be announced in class and posted on the course noticeboard at 77FT.

FILM 333 National Cinema: GERMAN CINEMA – TIMETABLE 1996

Mon 10-1Wed 10-11Thurs 10-1*
JUL151718
(clips) Siegfried; Kipho; Berlin, die Symphonie der Grossstadt(Memorial Theatre)
Nosferatu; Caligari
222425
Der Letzte Mann; Die Freudlose Gasse/SchlussakkordM
2931*AUG 1
Das Testament des Dr MabuseQuiz 1Der Blaue Engel; Mädchen in Uniform
AUG578
Director Report due
Der Triumph des Willens
Der Starke Ferdinand
121415
Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina BlumRussell CampbellEffi Briest
192122
Der Himmel über BerlinJen PuchNosferatu (1979)
---------------------------- AUGUST HOLIDAY ---------------------------
SEP245
La HabaneraShort Response 1 due
Bildnis einer Trinkerin
91112
(Memorial Theatre)
Nackt Unter Wolfen
Quiz 2Abschied von Gestern
161819
Gelegenheitsarbeit einer SklavinSpur der Steine
232526
Die Ehe der Maria BraunDeutschland Bleiche Mutter
30OCT 23
Short Response 2 due
Die Bleierne Zeit
Quiz 3Ich Bin Meine Eigene Frau
OCT7910
Mephisto Essay due
The American Friend
* Screenings may extend past scheduled hour.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Safety in the premises occupied by the Department of Theatre and Film is the responsibility of everyone who uses the facilities. While we make every effort to ensure that our premises are safe and hazard free, we need the cooperation of all students and visitors and hence request the following:

In addition there are certain ground rules regarding conduct within the Department of Theatre and Film. Smoking is not permitted in any part of the Theatre and Film Department. We greatly appreciate your help with these matters.

Academic Grievance Procedures The University has procedures which may be followed if you have problems with the course. Full details of these procedures are posted on the staff-student committee noticeboard at 77FT. Some details are stated below."If you have any problems with your course (such as too much work compared with other similar courses, poor teaching quality, unfair assessment, or poor feedback on assignments), you should talk to the tutor or lecturer concerned or, if you are not satisfied with the results of that meeting, see the Departmental Chairperson or the Associate Dean (Students) for your Faculty. The University has a well-developed, independent procedure for dealing with academic grievances and complaints of this nature. These procedures are set out in Part 5 of the Personal Courses of Study Statute in the Calendar.

More generally the University is also concerned to ensure that members of the University community are able to work, learn, study and participate in the academic and social aspects of the University's life in an environment of safety and respect. To this end, it has put in place a comprehensive Statute on Conduct. This Statute is printed in the Calendar and contains information about what conduct is prohibited and what steps can be taken if there is a complaint. Persons with a complaint or grievance may seek assistance or support from another member of the University community such as the Adviser on Grievance Resolution, departmental Chairpersons, Counselling staff or Sexual Harassment Contact Support persons. They may also resolve disputes by making use of any of the other informal or formal procedures outlined in the Statute on Conduct."


Assignment Receipt Form

NAME ..............................................................................................................
AssignmentReceived byDate
Director Report................................................................................
Short Reponse #1................................................................................
Short Response #2.................................................................................
Essay.................................................................................


FILM LIST 1996

Mon 10-1Thurs 10-1
Screenings in 205/77 Fairlie Terrace, unless Memorial Theatre is indicated.

PLEASE NOTE THAT VARIOUS GERMAN FILMS OF INTEREST WILL BE SCREENED DURING THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.


Mon 15 July:
Siegfried (part 1 of Die Nibelungen), Fritz Lang, 1922-24, 100 min. VIS 492 Kipho, Guido Seeber, 1925, 4 min.
Berline, Die Symphonie der Grossstadt (Berlin, Symphony of a Great City), Walter Ruttmann, 1927, 70 min.

Thurs 18 July: In Memorial Theatre, Sue Alexander accompanying
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror), F. W. Murnau, 1922, 63 min. VIS 129
Das Kabinett des Dr Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr Caligari), Robert Wiene, Germany, 1919, 58 min. VIS 14


Mon 22 July:
Der Letzte Mann (The Last Laugh), F. W. Murnau, 1924, 74 min. VIS 175 Die Freudlose Gasse (The Joyless Street), G. W. Pabst, 1925, 96 min. VIS 585

Thurs 25 July:
M, Fritz Lang, 1931, 95 min. VIS 33


Mon 29 July:
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse), Fritz Lang, 1933, 75 min.

*Thurs 1 Aug:
Mädchen in Uniform (Girls in Uniform), Leontine Sagan, 1931, 87 min. VIS 162 Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel), Josef von Sternberg, 1930, 92 min. VIS 5


Mon 5 Aug:
Der Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), Leni Riefensthal, 1936, 111 min. VIS 1

Thurs 8 Aug:
Der Starke Ferdinand (Strongman Ferdinand), Alexander Kluge, West Germany, 1975, 85-100 min.


Mon 12 Aug:
Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum (The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum), Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta, West Germany, 1975, 106 min.

Thurs 15 Aug:
Fontane Effi Briest (Effi Briest), Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany, 1972-74, 141 min.


Mon 19 Aug:
Der Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire), Wim Wenders, West Germany, 1987, 128 min. VIS 1284

Thurs 22 Aug:
Nosferatu the Vampyre, Werner Herzog, West Germany, 1979, 107 min. T&F 311


Mon 2 Sept:
La Habanera, Douglas Sirk, 1937, 98 min.

Thurs 5 Sept:
Bildnis einer Trinkerin (Ticket of No Return), Ulrike Ottinger, West Germany, 1979, 108 min.


Mon 9 Sept: [Memorial Theatre]
Nackt unter Wolfen (Naked among Wolves), Frank Beyer, East Germany, 1963, 125 min.

Thurs 12 Sept:
Abschied von Gestern (Yesterday Girl), Alexander Kluge, West Germany, 1965-66, 88 min.


Mon 16 Sept:
Gelegenheitsarbeit einer Sklavin (Occasional Work of a Female Slave), Alexander Kluge, West Germany, 1973, 91 min.

Thurs 19 Sept:
Spur der Steine (Trail of Stones), Frank Beyer, East Germany, 1965.


Mon 23 Sept:
Die Ehe der Maria Braun (The Marriage of Maria Braun), Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany, 1979, 120 min. VIS 1528

Thurs 26 Sept:
Deutschland Bleiche Mutter (Germany Pale Mother), Helma Sanders-Brahms, West Germany, 1979, approx. 120 min.


Mon 30 Sept:
Die Bleierne Zeit (The German Sisters/Marianne and Juliane), Margarethe von Trotta, West Germany, 1981, 106 min. T&F 18

Thurs 3 Oct:
Ich Bin Meine Eigene Frau (I Am My Own Woman), Rosa von Praunheim, West German, 1992, 96 min.


Mon 7 Oct:
Mephisto, Istvan Szabo, Hungary, 1981, Hungary, 135 min. VIS 2193

Thurs 10 Oct:
The American Friend, Wim Wenders, 1977, U.S/French/German, 127 min. VIS 686


* Screening will extend past scheduled hour.


READINGS 1996


22 July

Reimer, Robert C., and Carol J. Reimer. Nazi-Retro Film: How German Narrative Cinema Remembers the Past. New York: Twayne, 1992. xvi-xviii.

Schobert, Walter. The German Avant-Garde Film of the 1920's. Jeremy Roth, Susan Praeder, and Terry Swartzberg, transl. Munich: Goethe-Institut, n.d. 78, 82, 84, 86.

Eisner, Lotte H. The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema and the Influence of Max Reinhardt. Berkeley: U of California P, 1973. 18-19, 21, 23, 25, 97-102, 104-06, 109-10, 151-53, 155, 160, 163, 166-68, 212-14, 216-19, 221.

Kracauer, Siegfried. From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1947. 72-76, 165-80, 181-89.


29 July

Eisner, Lotte H. The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema and the Influence of Max Reinhardt. Berkeley: U of California P, 1973. 310-13.

"Weimar Cinema." The Women's Companion to International Film. Annette Kuhn, ed., with Susannah Radstone. London: Virago, 1990. 419-21.

Petro, Patrice. Joyless Streets: Women and Melodramatic Representation in Weimar Germany. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1989. 199-219.

Kracauer, Siegfried. From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1947. 3-11, 26-27.

McCormick, Richard W. "From Caligari to Dietrich: Sexual, Social, and Cinematic Discourses in Weimar Film." Signs 18/3 (1993): 640-68.

"Marlene Dietrich." The Women's Companion to International Film. Annette Kuhn, ed., with Susannah Radstone. London: Virago, 1990. 119, 121.


5 August

Sontag, Susan. "Fascinating Fascism." Movies and Methods. Nichols, Bill, ed. Berkeley: U of California P, 1976. 31-43.

"Nazi Cinema" and "Negri, Pola." The Women's Companion to International Film. Annette Kuhn, ed., with Susannah Radstone. London: Virago, 1990. 283-84.

Kaes, Anton. From Hitler to Heimat: The Return of History as Film. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1989. 3-35.

Elsaesser, Thomas. New German Cinema: A History. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1989. 8-9, 21-22, 24-27, 29-35.


12 August

Franklin, James. New German Cinema: From Oberhausen to Hamburg. Boston: Twayne, 1983. 17-18.

Gollub, Christian-Albrecht. "Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta: Transcending the Genres." New German Filmmakers: From Oberhausen through the 1970s. Klaus Phillips, ed. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1984. 266-302.

Jacobs, Diane. "Hitler's Ungrateful Grandchildren: Today's German Filmmakers." American Film (May 1980): 34-40.

Knight, Julia. Women and the New German Cinema. London: Verso, 1992. 1-24.


19 August

Horak, Jan-Christopher. "W.H. or the Mysteries of Walking in Ice." The Films of Werner Herzog. Tim Corrigan, ed. New York: Methuen, 1986. 23-42.

Wenders, Wim. The Logic of Images: Essays and Conversations. Michael Hoffmann, transl. London: Faber and Faber, 1991. 34, 36-38, 51-52, 54-55.

Kolker, Robert Phillip, and Peter Beicken. The Films of Wim Wenders: Cinema as Vision and Desire. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1993. 138-60.


2 September

Grisham, Therese. "An Interview with Ulrike Ottinger." Wide Angle 14/2 (1992): 28-36.

Hansen, Miriam. "Visual Pleasure, Fetishism and the Problem of Feminine/Feminist Discourse: Ulrike Ottinger's Ticket of No Return." New German Critique 31 (1984): 95-108.


9 September

Hansen, Miriam. "Space of History, Language of Time: Kluge's Yesterday Girl." German Film and Literature. Eric Rentschler, ed. New York: Methuen, 1986. 193-216.

Reimer, Robert C., and Carol J. Reimer. Nazi-Retro Film: How German Narrative Cinema Remembers the Past. New York: Twayne, 1992. 131-37.


16 September

Pflaum, Hans Günther, and Hans Helmut Prinzler. "Cinema in the Former GDR" and "Documentary Films in the GDR." Cinema in the Federal Republic of Germany. Bonn: Inter Nationes, 1993. 140-75.

Collins, Richard, and Vincent Porter. WDR and the Arbeiterfilm: Fassbinder, Ziewer and Others. London: BFI, 1981. 1-6.


23 September

Elsaesser, Thomas. New German Cinema: A History. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1989. 207-08, 211-12, 214-18, 242-43.

Shattuc, Jane. "R. W. Fassbinder as a Popular Auteur: The Making of an Authorial Legend." Journal of Film and Video 45/1 (1993): 40-57.

Haralovich, Mary Beth. "The Sexual Politics of The Marriage of Maria Braun." Wide Angle 12/1 (1990): 6-16.

Reimer, Robert C., and Carol J. Reimer. Nazi-Retro Film: How German Narrative Cinema Remembers the Past. New York: Twayne, 1992. 172-76, 201-04.

Fassbinder, Rainer Werner. "Hanna Schygulla--Not a Star, Just a Vulnerable Human Being Like the Rest of Us." The Anarchy of the Imagination: Interviews, Essays, Notes. Michael Töteburg and Leo A. Lensing, ed. Krishna Winston, transl. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1992. 199-214.


30 September

Fehervary, Helen, Claudia Lenssen, and Judith Mayne. "From Hitler to Hepburn." New German Critique 24-25 (1981-82): 172-85.

Knight, Julia. Women and the New German Cinema. London: Verso, 1992. 73-101.

"Frauen und Film." The Women's Companion to International Film. Annette Kuhn, ed., with Susannah Radstone. London: Virago, 1990. 166-67.

Moeller, H.-B. "West German Women's Cinema: The Case of Margarethe von Trotta." Film Criticism 11/1-2 (1987): 111-26.

DiCaprio, Lisa. "Marianne and Juliane/The German Sisters: Baader-Meinhof Fictionalized." Jump Cut 29 (1984): 56-59.


7 October

Reimer, Robert C., and Carol J. Reimer. Nazi-Retro Film: How German Narrative Cinema Remembers the Past. New York: Twayne, 1992. 31-35.

Margolis, Harriet. "`Nur Schauspieler': Spectacular Politics, Mephisto, and Good." Film and Literature: A Comparative Approach. Wendell Aycock and Michael Schoenecke, eds. Lubbuck: Texas Tech UP, 1988. 81-95.

Elsaesser, Thomas. New German Cinema: A History. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1989. 284-300.