Modesto Junior College
SOCIAL SCIENCES 154 – Movies with a Message: Our Modern Mythology
Section# 9345 (Fully Online)
Professor: Al Smith - Founder's Hall 120E - office hours M-6:30 ZOOM and F-12:30 ZOOM
SYLLABUS/SCHEDULE Fall 2020
THIS SEMESTER’S THEME: Film as a metaphor. This means that in all of the readings and discussions, we will be concerned with the concept of film and mythology as motivators for historical change. The complimentary and contrasting aspects of social identity and cultural identity in film present a graphic history of great tragedy and equally great triumph over tragedy. Film is about dreams – the ideal instead of the real. Movies represent ourselves as we think we could be – or as we fear that we are - or as we think that we should be.
Social Science 154 Course Learning Objectives (CLOs)
- Students will be able to demonstrate factual knowledge of key political, economic, social and cultural events and issues in film.
- Students will be able to apply critical thinking (including causal analysis and skeptical inquiry) to historical concepts and developments in film.
- Students will be able to evaluate, analyze and interpret primary and secondary historical sources and make historical arguments based on these sources about Movies With a Message
Your course will require the following work:
#1- Weekly Writings based on Weekly Readings / Viewings
Due every week …...............................................................................................................200 pts poss.
#2- Discussion.
Due every week....................................................................................................................300 pts. poss.
#3- Midterm Essay
Due midterm….…...............................................................................................................200 pts poss.
#4- Final Exam Project Course Learning Objectives (CLO) completion
Each student will complete course learning objectives sheets
Due final week of instruction...................................................................................................300 pts poss.
1000 points possible – 900 and above = an A grade
The link below is to the resource website for the class...
SCREENING AMERICA WEBSITE
Genre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genres
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You need to know what you can count on! - Here's how I'll contact you
Like you, I'm juggling many responsibilities every day, so I have limited availability during traditional business/college hours, but I want to help you succeed in this course. Here is my plan for maintaining Regular Effective Contact with you throughout the term:
- I will usually post at least one announcement per week with reminders and other notifications about what is happening in the course and/or on campus.
- I will provide you with feedback on your assignments. My goal is to do this within one week, but sometimes it takes a little longer. Check Grades for my feedback. (Links to an external site.)
- I may occasionally participate in discussion board assignments with you.
- I may message you if I see that you are falling behind. Please try to let me know if you run into difficulties that prevent you from submitting in a timely fashion.
- I may reach out to you in other ways as well, including phone messages and email.
- I will host Live ConferZoom online office hours will be Mondays at 6:30 pm and Fridays at 12:30. Zoom invites will be below in your Canvas!
- Professor Al Smith, Griot (which means Historian)
- [email protected] (I try for a 24 hour turn around on email, except weekends and holidays)
- My campus phone number is 209-575-6153
- Our office hours are in ConferZoom. There will be a link in your Canvas
VIEWING / READING SCHEDULE
WEEK #1 – Beginning Monday, 8/24/2020
VIEWING STRATEGY - "Double-tap"
The Genre – Categories of Film
The Hero's Journey
Star Wars, Joseph Campbell and Movies With A Message.
http://www.openculture.com/2012/11
/joseph_campbell_and_bill_moyers_break_down_star_wars_as_myth.html
The Last Jedi - Trailer
A Star Wars Critique...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKtZmQgxrI
Directors http://www.thecinemaholic.com/20-best-directors-working-in-hollywood-today/
DISCUSSION
Course organization and goals
VIDEOGRAPHY
Film as metaphor – the real and the ideal
READINGS / HOMEWORK
Student Success Self-Mentoring / Assessment worksheet – Due typed, in class 2nd week of the course:
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WEEK #2 – Beginning Monday, 8/31/2020
VIEWINGS
Birth of a Nation; Birthright; Ethnic Notions; To Kill A Mockingbird; A Time To Kill; Inherit the Wind; Gone With The Wind; A Man Called Horse; Jeremiah Johnson; Dances With Wolves; Bamboozled; Schindler’s List; Area 9; Lee Mun Wah.
DISCUSSION: what is "Race?"
Race in Movies : The Color of Fear - Lee Mun Wah
Hate Rising - Jorge Ramos
A Birth of a Nation - Nate Parker
The DNA
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY - The first assignment is due this week. We will work on it together.
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WEEK #3 – Beginning Monday, 0/7/2020
VIEWINGS
Student Choice - DJANGO UNCHAINED - The new "Spaghetti Western." http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3McgQg9M_X5OlZY5aVn_kA
Bollywood! Jai Ho _ a summary in music of Slumdog Millionaire
Get Out - Professional Review - Peele Review
Academy Awards
DISCUSSION
Race in Movies
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #4 – Beginning Monday, 9/14/2020
VIEWINGS
Birth of a Nation; Birthright; Ethnic Notions; To Kill A Mockingbird; A Time To Kill; Gone With The Wind; Wizard of OZ; Water For Chocolate; Philadelphia; Brokeback Mountain; Thelma and Louise; Bonnie and Clyde; The Wild Bunch.
DISCUSSION: Gender or Sex?
Gender in Film - Miss Represented & The Mask You Live In
READINGS / HOMEWORK
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT - The End of Romantic War
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v1486715efNPr68g
Wiki - Western Front
After viewing the film, provide a full paragraph of response to each of the following questions. Bring the typed answers to class on Thursday.
- What is the primary target the film aims at? What is the difference between “Specificity” and “Universalism” in the film?
- What techniques, methods and technologies does Milestone use to replicate the combat experience?
- How does this picture account for the origins of WWI?
- What was the significance of the film’s focus on the German military, and what impact do you think this had on American audiences? Does this decision reinforce the filmmaker’s objectives?
- Is the film an objective presentation of war? Explain.
- This film – All Quiet on the Western Front – was censored in many countries (France & Germany), why?
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #5 - Beginning Monday, 9/21/2020
VIEWINGS
Student Choice
Unforgivable Blackness - Jack Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnlDXM889-s
Great Depression https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCQfMWAikyU
Philadelphia
DISCUSSION
Gender in Film
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #6 – Beginning Monday, 9/28/2020
VIEWINGS
Grapes of Wrath; Citizen Kane; Matwan; Falling Down; Fahrenheit 911; Fahren-hype 911.
DISCUSSION
Rich and the Poor – Class in the Cinema
READINGS / HOMEWORK
Rich House & Poor House
The American Way Of Poverty (a video in 6 parts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX96OY1ygCw)
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WEEK #7 - Beginning Monday, 10/5/2020
VIEWINGS
Student Choice
DISCUSSION
Rich and the Poor – Class in the Cinema
The Economy in 2 Minutes!
Inequality For All
Class in America - People Like Us...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6D871A2A8C3C8EF
Top 10 Ways to End Poverty
The 1 Percent (DO THIS FILM!)
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #8 - Beginning Monday, 10/12/2020
VIEWINGS
Wizard of OZ; “Wayne-a-thon” John Ford; The Way The West Was Won; Casablanca; All Quiet on the Western Front; Catch 22; Deer Hunter; Grapes of Wrath; Dr. Strangelove; Failsafe; Patton; Green Berets; Forrest Gump; Fahrenheit 911; Fahren-hype 911
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR LINK (OPTIONAL: If you want to know how we got into Afghanistan!)
DISCUSSION
Political Movies
READINGS / HOMEWORK
Midterm Essay = 200 points (topic not released until this week!)
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WEEK #9 - Beginning Monday 10/19/2020
VIEWINGS
Political Movies
Citizens United Explained
Gerrymandering
Electoral College - Khan Academy
Term Limits - No Term Limits
DISCUSSION
Student Choice
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #10 – Beginning Monday, 10/26/2020
VIEWINGS
To Kill A Mockingbird; Inherit the Wind; Wizard of OZ; Grapes of Wrath; Schindler’s List; Area 9; Forrest Gump; Fahrenheit 911; Fahren-hype 911; Collapse; The Corporation;
DISCUSSION
Social Justice – Righting Our Wrongs with Movies
The Corporation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMNZXV7jOG0
READINGS / HOMEWORK
- SALT OF THE EARTH
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WEEK #11 - Beginning Monday, 11/2/2020
VIEWINGS
Eisenhower's Military Industrial Complex Warning (7:30)
Cuban Missile Crisis (Again - in 5 minutes!)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb.
Bomb Run! (The real thing - Yokosuka Ohka ["Baka"])
The Making Of Dr. Strangelove
How Powerful are Nuclear Bombs?
Student Choice
DISCUSSION
Social Justice – Righting Our Wrongs with Movies
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #12 – Beginning Monday, 11/9/2020
VIEWINGS
Area 9; Forrest Gump; Michael Moore films such as Fahrenheit 911; Ant-Moore films such as Fahren-hype 911; Collapse; The Corporation; Why We Fight; The Money Makers;.
DISCUSSION
Educational Films – Documentary and Docu-Drama
-AIM - Alcatraz & Red Cry
READINGS / HOMEWORK
Dakota Access Pipeline - A New "RED CRY?"
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #13 - Beginning Monday, 11/16/2020
VIEWINGS
Miss Representation
Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ap2xnMcvpw
Mask you live in https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhD5nlGfHWFEmlT1gf75Mx9hggV68aQjx
Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc45-ptHMxo
http://therepresentationproject.org/film/the-mask-you-live-in/
Be a Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVI1Xutc_Ws
DISCUSSION
Educational Films – Documentary and Docu-Drama
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #14 - Beginning Monday, 11/23/2020
VIEWINGS
Birth of a Nation; Birthright; Ethnic Notions; To Kill A Mockingbird; A Time To Kill; Inherit the Wind; Gone With The Wind; Wizard of OZ; The Bible; The Greatest Story Ever Told; The Ten Commandments; Ben Hur; A Man Called Horse; “Wayne-a-thon” versus “Clint-a-thon”; Jeremiah Johnson; Dances With Wolves; Casablanca; All Quiet on the Western Front; Catch 22; Deer Hunter; Grapes of Wrath; Water For Chocolate; Philadelphia; Dr. Strangelove; Failsafe; Citizen Kane; Brokeback Mountain; Patton; Green Berets; Bamboozled; Red Dawn and the Zombie Apocalypse; Taxi Driver; Thelma and Louise; Bonnie and Clyde; The Wild Bunch; Schindler’s List; Area 9; Forrest Gump; Michael Moore films such as Fahrenheit 911; Ant-Moore films such as Fahren-hype 911
DISCUSSION
Popular Culture – The Best and the Worst of us?
Jeff Bridges on HBO……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16K6m3Ua2nw
POP Culture
Look Up!
The Lie We Live
Tapped
READINGS / HOMEWORK
VIDEOGRAPHY
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WEEK #15 Beginning Monday, 11/30/2020
Social Science 154 Course Learning Objectives (CLOs)
- Students will be able to demonstrate factual knowledge of key political, economic, social and cultural events and issues in film.
- Students will be able to apply critical thinking (including causal analysis and skeptical inquiry) to historical concepts and developments in film.
- Students will be able to evaluate, analyze and interpret primary and secondary historical sources and make historical arguments based on these sources about Movies With a Message
VIEWINGS
Student Choice (not!)
Pop-Culture Podcasts - NPR
Evolution of Video Game Visuals - 1958-2018
Best Video Games of 2019 (so far!)
TOP 20+ Upcoming Games 2020 | (PC-Xbox-PS4-Switch-Stadia)
FORTNITE
DISCUSSION
Popular Culture – The Best and the Worst of us? Masculinity and Video Games
READINGS / HOMEWORK
CLO research project instructions = 300 points
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WEEK #16 -12/7/2020- FINALS WEEK
Final Discussion = 100 points
FINAL SCHEDULE (Finals are held on different days than regular classes!)
VIEWINGS
Professor’s Choice
DISCUSSION
Modern Media – Pros and Cons
The Great Hack
Amazon Prime? Just GOOGLE it!
FOX on News Bias
"Outfoxed"
READINGS / HOMEWORK (in preparation for the final Discussion)
TBA