90103 - STORIA E TECNICA DEL CINEMA

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide a basic knowledge of the history of cinema, chiefly for a degree in cultural heritage. It includes a historical part concerning the most significant authors, the evolution of techniques, languages, and the dissemination of social imaginaries linked to the cinematographic industry. Another part of the course will be dedicated to the widespread social and cultural practices related to the cinematographic apparatus, such as the phenomena of home movies, or the documentation cinema. A final part will concern the issues related to the preservation and possible digitization of the cinematographic materials, as well as to the topics of cataloguing, managing and access to historical cinematographic heritage.

Course contents

The course aim to provide some critical analysis tools of the history of cinema. The course will explore some tools to analyze and understand audiovisual language (framing, editing, photography, sound) with particular attention to documentary and amateur cinema, and its links with other visual languages, in particular with photography.

The first part of the course will be dedicated to an introduction of the history of cinema and its languages: the main phases of its historical development will therefore be outlined with particular attention to the origins of the medium, to classic Hollywood cinema, to the avant-garde, to documentary and amateur cinema, to auteur cinema, with movie examples ranging from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. In this phase, reference will also be made to the analysis of the film image also in relation to the wider visual culture.

After this historical and linguistic introduction, the second part of the course will be dedicated to the monographic theme "Cinema and History" which will include a series of lessons and readings that the teacher will distribute during the course.

Finally, will address issues related to cinema as a cultural heritage, the conservation of film archives and their enhancement, with particular reference to the theme of their cataloging and digitization.

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students are required the preparation of following texts:

1. The cinema history manual indicated in point A of the bibliography.

2. The texts relating to the conservation and cataloging of audiovisual materials indicated in point B of the bibliography.

3. The study of the notes taken in class and the papers and PDF presentations distributed by the professor during the course on both the institutional and monographic parts.

For non-attending students the following are required:

1) The preparation of the cinema history manual relating to the institutional part of the course indicated in point A of the bibliography;

2) The preparation of texts relating to the conservation and cataloging of the audiovisual materials indicated in point B of the bibliography.

3) The preparation of a volume chosen from those indicated in point C of the bibliography and relating to the monographic part of the course.

Basic bibliography for the exam

A) Cinema history manual:

-K. Thompson, D. Bordwell; Jeff Smith, Storia del cinema. Un'introduzione, Milano, Mc Graw Hill, 2022 (or previous editions). Only chapters 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 21; 22 should be prepared.

* By contacting the teacher before the exam, it is possible to agree on an alternative manual.

B) Works on the conservation and cataloging of film and audiovisuals

A. Giannarelli, O. Martini, E. Segna (a cura di), Il documento audiovisivo: tecniche e metodi per la catalogazione. Con le Regole Fiaf di catalogazione per gli archivi di film, Fondazione Archivio Audiovisivo del Movimento Operaio e Democratico – Assessorato alle politiche della cultura del turismo e dello spettacolo – Centro Audiovisivo Regione Lazio, Roma 1995. [only pp. 11-21; pp. 29-48 e pp. 55-70].

C) Works relating to the monographic part of the course

C) Gian Piero Brunetta, L'Italia sullo schermo. Come il cinema ha raccontato l'identità nazionale, Roma, Carocci, 2020;

Giovanni De Luna, Cinema Italia. I film che hanno fatto gli italiani, Torino, Utet, 2021

Filmography for all students

At the beginning of the course the teacher will also provide a list of films whose viewing will be considered fundamental for the purposes of preparing for the exam.

In this regard, the student can consult the following volume only as an aid to watching films: G. Manzoli, G. Avezzù, C. Bisoni, M. Fadda, P. Noto, S. Pesce, 50 passi nella storia del cinema, Cue Press, Bologna 2018 (also available in an interactive digital version on the publishing house website at the following link: https://www.cuepress.com/).

Teaching methods

The course includes lectures and the viewing, analysis and discussion of films or fragments of them during the lessons. Please remember that independently students' viewing of the films in the filmography constitutes an integral and fundamental part of their preparation.

 

 

Assessment methods

Preparation will be assessed on a final oral exam.

The oral test will consist at least of three questions on authors, periods and languages of cinema whose knowledge will have been acquired during the course based on the works in point A of the bibliography. The test will also focus on a discussion of the texts relating to conservative and methodological aspects which highlights the essential problems addressed (works in point B of the bibliography) as well as on issues relating to the monographic part of the course (knowledge of which will have been acquired for the students attending through notes and supplementary materials distributed by the teacher during the course or for non-attending students, from the study of the work at point C of the bibliography).

The candidate must be able to correctly frame the languages, protagonists and events of the development of cinema in their historical-cultural context in relation to contemporary culture.For the part relating to works B it is required to know how to highlight the essential problems addressed in the volumes and the main conservation and methodological issues relating to film archives.

For all students, the final assessment will comply with the following indications in accordance with the University guidelines:

- insufficient grade: gaps in basic knowledge and inability to produce a correct interpretation of the texts and / or of the main theoretical and methodological issues.

- sufficient grade: possession of basic knowledge; mainly correct interpretation, but carried out with imprecision and little autonomy.

- good grade: possession of intermediate level knowledge; fully correct interpretation, but not always precise and autonomous.

- excellent grade: possession of high level knowledge; interpretation of problems not only correct but conducted with autonomy and precision. Excellent oral expression skills.

Teaching tools

Presentation of audio-visual material during classes, filmography.

 

Exam materials and further readings can be found online on UNIBO https://virtuale.unibo.it.

Reading lists and publications are available on Virtuale [https://virtuale.unibo.it/] . They can serve as preparatory materials for the course and can be useful to fill any gaps for those who have never had an approach to the Byzantine Art.

Students who are affected by learning disability (DSA) and in need of special tools to compensate it, are kindly requested to contact the Teacher, in order to be referred to the colleagues in charge and get proper advice and instructions.

Office hours

See the website of Raffaella Biscioni