FILM 233: Cinema and Art

This course will provide an overview of avant-garde film, video, animation and installation, and the relationship of these cinematic forms to Modern and Contemporary art. Students will be introduced to the major styles and themes of alternative and experimental moving image work from the past hundred years. Cinema & Art places emphasis on moving image work that is not usually included in a survey of mainstream cinema or film history. A major concern for the class is first-hand exposure to these original sources, and an examination of the relationship of these works to mainstream cinema and other types of popular culture. Topics covered in the class include the avant-garde and kitsch, Surrealism, experimental film, abstract animation, video art, camp, and video installation. In addition to lectures by visiting artists and viewing films, videos, and installation work, students will produce a short creative work in the style of their choice that responds to the work studied during the quarter.