790:316:02 Politics, Literature & Arts: Cinema & Politics

Dr. Muli Peleg Tuesdays, 5:35-8:35, 612-Hickman Hall Introduction Politics is the art of resource allocation. It is the distribution mechanism of who will get what, why, when. Hence, politics exists in every human association, whereby demand exceeds supply. Politics is based on power, dominance, authority and communication among people, which renders it an ideal topic for movies. Consequently, the meeting between cinema and politics is a natural source of excitement and fulfillment. As two media for communication and interaction, which cherish shrewd dialogue and clever rhetoric, and value attractive appearance and crowd legitimacy, the political cinema is a superb meeting point to be acquainted with the abstract ideas of politics through the filmic interpretation. The Goal: The focus is on the philosophy of politics, the study of general and fundamental problems in a critical and systematic way. The basic concepts and ideas composing the realm of "the political" are abstract, polemic and ambivalent. As such, they are perennial "essentially contested concepts" (Gallie, 1964; Connolly, 1993). This course strives to obtain a better grasp of these contested concepts and consequently an improved communication among members of the political community through the visualization of the intangible. The Means: The course consists of watching and discussing films about politically significant concepts such as knowledge, justice, liberty, conflict, violence, ideology, leadership, equality, community, identity, meaning and others. The richness and diversity of political ideas and concepts is demonstrated by the broad array of directors from disparate genres, working at different times, in dissimilar cultural settings. We will discuss and analyze the various renditions as they are translated into the worldviews of directors and actors, and from them, to the cinematic experience of the viewer. Occasionally relevant examples from literature will be used to add an additional dimension of understanding the elusiveness of the political. Reading: Essentially Contested Concepts Gallie W. B. (1964) - "Essentially Contested Concepts", in Gallie, W.B., Philosophy and the Historical Understanding, London: Chatto & Windus, pp. 157-191 Connolly William (1993) (3rd edition) The Terms of Political Discourse. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press. Cinema and the Political Deleuze Gilles (1989) Cinema 2: The Time-Image (Translated by Hugh Tomlinson and Robert Galeta). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Parenti Michael (1992) Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment. New York: St. Martin's Press. Rosenbaum Jonathan (1997) Movies as Politics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Crowdus Gary (ed.)(1994) The Political Companion to American Film. New York: Lakeview Press. Combs James (ed.) (2003) Movies and Politics: The Dynamic Relationship. New York: Garland Publishers. Davies Philip John and Paul Wells (eds.) (2002) American Film and Politics from Reagan to Bush Jr. Manchester UK: Manchester University Press. Christensen Terry (1987) Reel Politics: American Political Movies from Birth of a Nation to Platoon. New York: Blackwell. Sarris Andrew (1978) Politics and Cinema. New York: Columbia University Press. Giglio Ernest (2005) Here's Looking at You: Hollywood, Films and Politics. New York: Peter Lang. Light Andrew (2003) Reel Arguments: Film, Philosophy and Social Criticism. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Shapiro Michael (1999) Cinematic Political Thought: Narrating Race, Nation and Gender. New York: New York University Press. King Geoff (2002) New Hollywood Cinema: An Introduction. New York: Columbia University Press. Literature and the Political Adams Richard (1972)- Watership Down Bernard Shaw George (1916)- Pygmalion http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3825 Camus Albert (1947) The Plague Camus Albert (1951)- The Rebel Carrol Lewis (1865)- Alice in Wonderland Defoe Daniel (1719)- Robinson Crusoe Eco Umberto (1980)- The name of the Rose Fanon Frantz (1961)- The Wretched of the Earth Fromm Erich (1980)- Escape from Freedom Golding William (1954)- Lord of the Flies Huxley Aldus (1932)- Brave New World Kafka Franz (1925) The Trial Kafka Franz (1926) The Castle Lee Harper (1960)- To Kill a Mockingbird O'Henri (1907)- The Last Leaf Orwell George (1938)- Homage to Catalonia http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0201111.txt Orwell George (1945)- Animal Farm Orwell George (1949)- 1984 Plato (380BC) The Allegory of the Cave http://public.wsu.edu/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/plato.html Saint-Exupery Antoine de (1943)- The Little Prince Salinger J.D. (1951)- The Catcher in the Rye Sartre Jean-Paul (1939)- The Childhood of a Leader Shakespeare William (1596)- The Merchant of Venice Swift Jonathan (1726)- Gulliver Travels Grading: There will be a midterm exam and a final. In addition there is an assignment of analyzing a film of your choice according to the theoretical concepts studied in class.

Finally, attendance and participation are also graded. The final grade is calculated in the following way: Midterm Exam 20% Assignment: Film Analysis 20% Final Paper 50% Attendance and Participation 10% Course Plan Week 1: Introduction: Essentially Contested Concepts (9/4) Read: Gallie W. B. (1964) - "Essentially Contested Concepts"pp. 157-191 Connolly William (1993) (3rd edition) The Terms of Political Discourse. Collier David, Fernando Hidalgo and Andra Maciuceanu (2006) Essentially Contested Concepts: Debates and applications. Journal of Political Ideologies
11(3), 211246

Baldwin David (1997) - The concept of security. Review of International Studies, 23:5-26. Kahan Dan (1999) Democracy Shmemocracy. Yale Law School Faculty Scholarship Series. Paper 110. Deleuze, Chapter 1, pp. 1-24. Week 2: The Political (9/11) Films: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- Frank Capra (1939) The Candidate- Michael Ritchie (1972) Bob Roberts- Tim Robbins (1992) Bulworth- Warren Beatty (1998) Man of the Year- Barry Levinson (2006) Election- Alexander Payne (1999) All the King's Men- Steven Zaillian (2006) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Milos Forman (1975) Power- Sidney Lumet (1986) Network- Sidney Lumet (1976) Read: Defoe, Robinson Crusoe Swift, Gulliver Travels Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 1, pp. 1-37; Chapters 5-7, pp. 116-195. Shapiro, Introduction, pp. 1-9. Crowdust, pp. 310-330 (political assassinations, thrillers and politicians), 417-422 (Oliver Stone). Combs, Introduction, pp. 1-25; Part II, pp. 93-96 Light, Chapter 1, pp. 1-18. Sarris, Chapter 1, pp. 9-15. Giglio, Chapter 2, pp. 27-42; Chapter 6, pp. 119-144. Deleuze, Chapter 2, pp. 25-43. Christensen, Chapters 2-3, pp. 27-53; Chapter14, pp. 169-177. Week 3: Power and Influence (9/18) Films: The Name of the Rose- Jean-Jaques Annaud (1986) Dead Poets Society- Peter Weir (1989) The African Queen- John Huston (1951) Good Will Hunting- Gus Van Sant (1997)

Sideways- Alexander Payne (2004) Amadeus- Milos Forman (1984) Finding Forrester- Gus van Sant (2000) A Beautiful Mind- Ron Howard (2001) I Confess- Alfred Hitchcock (1953) Apt Pupil- Bryan Singer (1998) The Devil Wears Prada- David Frankel (2006) Read: Plato, The Cave Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion. Eco, The Name of the Rose. Kafka Franz (1925) The Trial Kafka Franz (1926) The Castle O'Henry, The Last Leaf. Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 2, pp. 38-60. Combs, Chapter 3, pp. 97-114. Davies and Wells, Part 1, pp. 3-40. Light, Chapter 2, pp. 21-53. Week 4: Leadership (9/25) Films: Patton- Franklin Schaffner (1970) Gandhi- Richard Attenborough (1982) Henry V- Kenneth Branagh (1989) Alexander- Oliver stone (2004) Lawrence of Arabia- David Lean (1962) Bridge over River Quai- David Lean (1957) On the Waterfront- Elia Kazan (1954) The Godfather- Francis Coppola (1972) The Man Who Would be King- John Huston (1975) Being There- Hal Ashby (1979) Forrest Gump- Robert Zemeckis (1994) Read: Golding, the Lord of the Flies Sartre, the childhood of a Leader Saint Exupery, the Little Prince Rosenbaum, Chapter 2, pp. 145-153 (Malcolm X), 166-170 (Forrest Gump). Christensen, Chapter 6, pp. 73-84. Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 2, pp. 61-64 Sarris, pp. 24-31 (the Godfather). Davies and Wells, Part 2, pp. 43-74. Week 5: Constructed Reality and Communication (10/2) Films: The Truman Show- Peter Weir (1998) Vanilla Sky- Cameron Crowe (2004) The Shining- Stanley Kubrick (1981) Rear Window- Alfred Hitchcock (1954) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Blow-Out- Michael-Angelo Antonioni (1966) The Fisher King- Terry Gilliam (1990) Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai- Jim Jarmucsh (1999) King Kong- Peter Jackson (2005) Close Encounters of the Third Kind- Steven Spielberg (1977)

E.T- Steven Spielberg (1982) Terminal- Steven Spielberg (2004) Five Easy Pieces- Bob Rafelson (1970) American Beauty- Sam Mendes (1999) Read: Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Van Belle and Mash, Chapters10-11, pp. 243-300. Christensen, Chapter 14, pp. 169-177. Giglio, Chapter 5, pp. 95-118. Parenti, Chapters 1- 4, pp. 1-68; Chapter 12, pp. 197-213. Combs, Part 4, pp. 236-294. Week 6: Alienation, Ideology and Activism (10/9) Films: The Graduate- Mike Nichols (1968) Midnight Cowboy- John Slezinger (1969) The Passenger- MichaelAngelo Antonioni (1975) Last Tango in Paris- Bernardo Bertolucci (1973) Rebel without a Cause- Nicholas Rey (1956) Elephant- Gus van Sant (2003) Sweet Sixteen- Ken Loach (2004) Ramble Fish- Francis Coppola (1983) Born on the 4th of July- Oliver Stone (1987) Naked- Mike Leigh (2003) Broken Flowers- Jim Jarmush (2004 Eyes Wide Shut- Stanley Kubrick (1999) 1900- Bernardo Bertolucci (1976) Reds- Warren Beatty (1981) The Dreamers- Bernardo Bertolucci (2004) Fahrenheit 451- Fracois Truffaut (1966) Pleasantville- George Ross (1998) Iron-Jawed Angels- Katja von Garnier (2004) Norma Rae- Martin Ritt (1979) Boycott- Clark Johnson (2001) Walkout- Edward James Olmos (2006) Read: Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye Kafka, The castle Huxley, Brave New World King, Chapter 1, pp. 11-48. Crowdus, pp. 224-232 (Juvenile delinquencies), 342-346 (rebel hero). Light, Chapter 4, pp. 79-108. Christensen, Chapter 15, pp. 179-187. Combs, Part 1, pp. 27-92. Sarris, pp. 32-36 (Dog Day Afternoon), 37-48 (The Conversation). Week 7: Identity and Belonging (10/16) Films: Zelig- Woody Allen (1983) Mumford- Lawrence Kasdan (1999) Secrets and Lies- Mike Leigh (1996) Don Huan de Marco- Jeremy Leven (1994) Catch me if You Can- Steven Spielberg (2002) Fight Club- David Fincher (1999)

The Believer- Henry Bean (2001) Crash- Paul Haggis (2004) Pledge- Sean Penn (2001) Blade Runner- Ridley Scott (1982) Deconstructing Harry- Woody Allen (1997) Metallic Blues- Danny Verta (2003) Read: Adams, Watership Down Camus, The Plague Parenti, Chapters 5-6, pp. 69-107; Chapter 8, pp. 127-146. Light, Chapter 6, pp. 133-166. Christensen, Chapter 13, pp. 156-167. Shapiro, Chapter 2, pp. 39-81. Week 8: Spotlight: John Sayles (10/23) Film: Matewan (1987) Read: Crowdus, pp. 359-362. Light, Chapter 5, pp. 111-131. Week 9: Midterm Exam (10/30) Week 10: Community and Culture (11/6) Films: Life Boat- Alfred Hitchcock (1944) The Big Chill- Lawrence Kasdan (1983) The Dirty Dozen- Robert Aldrich (1967) They Shoot Horses Too, don't They- Sydney Pollack (1969) The Warriors- Walter Hill (1979) Dogville- Lars von Trier (2003) Chocolat- Lasse Hallstrom (2000) Castaway- Robert Zemeckis (2000) Cabaret- Bob Fosse (1972) The Mission- Ronald Joffe (1986) Apocalypto- Mel Gibson (2006) Whale Rider- Niki Caro (2002) Empire of the Sun- Steven Spielberg (1987) Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence- Nagisa Oshima (1983) Witness- Peter Weir (1985) Brokeback Mountain- Ang Lee (2005) Bonnie and Clyde- Arthur Penn (1967) Lost in Translation- Sofia Coppola (2003) Borat- Larry Charles (2006) Read: Golding, Lord of the Flies Camus, The Plague Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 13, pp. 338-361. Davies and Wells, Part 5, pp. 123-154. Combs, Part 3, pp. 129-235. Week 11: Justice and Moralism (11/13) (Film analysis assignment due) Films: The Godfather- Francis Coppola (1972)

Grapes of Wrath- John Ford (1940) Milk- Gus Van Sant (2008) Bread and Roses- Ken Loach (2000) And Justice for All- Norman Jewison (1979) Civil Action- Steven Zaillian (1998) Verdict- Sidney Lumet (1982) Losing Isaiah- Stephen Gyllenhaal (1995) A Time to Kill- Joel Schumacher (1996) Country of my Skull- John Boorman (2004) Spartacus- Stanley Kubrick (1960) Unforgiven- Clint Eastwood (1992) Gran Torino- Clint Eastwood (2008) Cape Fear- Martin Scorsese (1991) V for Vendetta- James McTeigue (2006) The Brave one- Neil Jordan (2007) Changing Lanes- Roger Mitchell (2002) Seinfeld Read: Kafka, The Trial Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice Orwell, Homage to Catalonia Orwell, Animal Farm Orwell George,1984 Fromme, Escape from Freedom Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 4, pp. 89-115. Week 12: Conflict and Negotiations (11/20) Films: Babel- Alejandro Inarritu (2006) Braveheart- Mel Gibson (1995) Hamlet- Franco Zeffirelli (1990) Dual- Steven Spielberg (1971) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly- Sergio Leone (1966) House of Sand and Fog- Vadim Perelman (2003) Cramer vs. Cramer- Robert Benton (1979) The Squid and the Whale- Noah Baumbach (2005) War of the Roses- Danny de Vito (1989) Dog Day Afternoon- Sidney Lumet (1975) The Negotiator- F. Gary Gray (1998) Hotel Rwanda- Terry George (2004) Gandhi- Richard Attenborough (1982) Pulp Fiction- Quentin Tarantino (1994) Grand Canyon- Lawrence Kasdan (1991) Inside Man- Spike Lee (2006) Civil Action- Steven Zailian (1999) Music of the Heart- Wes Craven (1999) Intolerable Cruelty- Ethan and Joel Coen (2003) A Night at the Opera- Sam wood (1935) A Day at the Races- Sam Wood (1937) Seinfeld Read: Camus, The Rebel

Fromme, Escape from Freedom Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 3, pp. 79-87. Davies and Wells, Part 6, pp. 157-201. Christensen, Chapters 10-11, pp. 125-146. Shapiro, Chapter 3, pp. 82-135. Week 13: Violence (11/27) (last day for final paper topic approval) Films: Clockwork Orange- Stanley Kubrick (1972) Taxi Driver- Martin Scorsese (1976) History of Violence- David Kronenberg (2005) American History XTrainspotting- Doyle (2002) Kill Bill I- Quentin Tarantino (2002) The Field- Jim Sheridan (2000) The Wind that Shakes the Barley- Ken Lauch (2007) Falling Down- (2003) Mad City- Costa Gavras (2004) Do the Right Thing- Spike Lee (1987) Apocalypse Now- Francis Coppola (1974) Bonnie and Clyde- Arthur Penn (1967) Read: Golding, The Lord of the Flies Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth Van Belle and Mash, Chapter 3, pp. 66-78; Chapter 12, pp. 301-337. Crowdus, pp. 447-475 (war movies and Westerns). Parenti, Chapter 7, pp. 109-125; Chapter 9, pp. 148-162. Rosenbaum, Chapter 1, pp. 13-21. Sarris, pp. 116-127 (Violence in movies). Week 14: Spotlight: Ken Loach (12/4) Film: Land and Freedom (1996) Read: Orwell, Homage to Catalonia Week 15: Review session (Final paper due) (12/11)