THIT 350i: Blockbusters and Bestsellers: Italian Cinema and Literature of the Twenty-First Century [with Italian Section] Course Syllabus Spring 2016 Instructor: Elgin K. Eckert, Ph.D. Credits: 4 Contact Hours: 60 (45 hours + 15 hours Italian section) Class Meetings: Aula 1: Mo., We. 1:45 pm – 3:30 pm; Italian section class meeting to be announced Cross-listed: Italian Language, Literature, Film, Italian Interdisciplinary Studies, Cultural Studies Prerequisites: Intermediate Italian Proficiency (one year of college level Italian or more) Course Description This hybrid literature/cinema course provides an in-depth examination of some of the last three decade‟s most popular Italian films and novels, systematically exploring various genres such as comedy, drama, mystery, historical and epic. Key topics of Italian history, culture and society will be explored through an analysis of the selected literary and cinematic works. The course will focus on a careful analysis of cinematic and narrative techniques as well as literary and cinematic genre criticism. Course objectives Students in this course will  develop an interdisciplinary understanding of contemporary Italian literature and cinema  acquire a sufficient appreciation of the representation of contemporary Italy in written and cinematic popular culture  be able to discuss key issues of literature and film theory with a certain depth and sophistication  become familiar with basic cinematic techniques  critically analyze different genres of films according to their typologies  be able to relate films to their specific sociological and historical contexts Additional Objectives for the Italian section: Students in the Italian section, in addition to the above objectives will  become confident in discussing topics related to cinematic and narrative texts in Italian  improve their written communication about cinema and literature in Italian  improve their listening comprehension  discuss recent Italian historical, social and political events related to course materials in depth  read excerpts from contemporary novels, one entire short novel and several pieces of fiction and non-fiction in the original Italian Course Schedule: Films: Francesco Albanese Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to the South) Robert Benigni Il mostro Marco Bellocchio Buongiorno, notte (Goodmorning, Night)

Bernardo Bertolucci Io e te (You and Me) Saverio Costanzo The Solitude of Prime Numbers Marco Tullio Giordano La meglio gioventù (The Best of Youth) Marco Tullio Giordano I cento passi (The One Hundred Steps) Alberto Sironi Excursion to Tindari Giuseppe Tornatore Novecento Excellent Cadavers Bibliography: Novels: Niccolò Ammaniti Me and You Alessandro Barrico Novecento Andrea Camilleri Excursion to Tindari Paolo Giordano The Solitude of Prime Numbers A reader containing select articles from academic journals and books, including: Critical Visions in Film Theory: Classical and Contemporary Readings. eds. Timothy Corrigan, Patricia White, and Meta Mazaj New York: Bedford/St. Martin‟s Press, 2011. Corrigan, Timothy, and Patricia White. The Film Experience: An Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004. 222-252. [FE on the syllabus] Dunnage, Jonathan. Twentieth Century Italy: a Social History. London: Pearson, 2002 Italian Section additional biography: Italian Reader. Grading (75% of your final course grade) Grades will be awarded on the basis of a midterm examination, a final in-class examination, two short papers (45 pages), four quizzes based on readings and class preparation and participation. This course will be taught as a lecture course with frequent group discussions and film screenings. Thus students are expected to complete the assigned readings before class and to actively contribute to the class discussion. Preparation and Participation 2 Short Papers 4 Quizzes (on novels and secondary readings) Midterm Final Exam

10% 30% 20 % 20% 20%

Grading Italian Section (25% of your final course grade) Participation and Preparation Riflessioni scritte Midterm Quiz Final Quiz

20% 50% 15% 15%

Letter Grade Range A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF

Numerical Score Equivalent 93% - 100% 90% - 92% 87% -89% 83% - 86% 80% - 82% 77% - 79% 73% - 76% 70% - 72% 67% - 69% 63% - 66% 60% - 62% 59% or less

Student Performance Exceptional Excellent Superior Satisfactory Low Pass Fail (no credit)

EPIC Week 1 Jan 18

Introduction to the course Elements of Cinematography Readings: [FE] “The Elements of Cinematography.” 105-119.

Jan 20

Discussion of Alessandro Barrico‟s Theatrical Monologue Novecento Readings: Alessandro Barrico: Novecento Italian Section Week 1 introduzione alla sezione italiana il vocabolario di base: narrativa e cinema discussione del racconto Novecento di Barrico

Week 2 Jan 25

From Book to Screen: Bertolucci‟s adaptation of Baricco‟s book Screening of Tornatore‟s Novecento Readings: [FE] “Exploring a Material World: Mise-en-Scene.” 70-79

Jan 27

Mise-en Scène: Elements and Significance Screening of Bertolucci Novecento (cont.) Readings: [FE] “Exploring a Material World: Mise-en-Scene.” 80-84 Italian Section Week 2 discussion del film di Tornatore La narrativa: incipit Lettura: 4 incipit letterari Alessandro Barrico Novecento (incipit)

COMEDY Week 3 Feb 1 Movie Genres Slapstick Comedy Roberto Benigni Il mostro Readings: Aristotle [FE]Genre Theory 412-413 Feb 3

Screening of Roberto Benigni Il mostro (cont.) Movie Genres II Comedy Readings: [FE] “Rituals, Conventions, Archetypes, and Formulas” 315-328 Italian Section Week 3 discussion del film di Benigni Roberto Benigni: attore, direttore e studioso di Dante visione di alcuni clip dei film più importanti di Benigni in italiano Lettura: Innamoratevi di Roberto Benignio (monologo dal film La tigre e la neve) Scrittura: La mia commedia preferita

Week 4 Feb 8

Comedy and Social Criticism Movie Genres III Screening of Albanese Benvenuti al Sud Readings: [FE] “Rituals, Conventions, Archetypes, and Formulas” 328-341

Feb 10

Screening of Albanese Benvenuti al Sud (cont.) Readings: [FE] “Rituals, Conventions, Archetypes, and Formulas” 342-351

Italian Section Week 4 discussion del film di Albanese difference fra Nord e Sud in Italia la “questione meriodionale” stereotipi nella società italiana La narrativa: svolgimento e fine

Lettura: Alcuni svolgimenti e finali letterari Scrittura: Stereotipi DRAMA Week 5 Feb 15 Quiz on Giordano’s novel Discussion of Paolo Giordano‟s novel The Solitude of Prime Numbers Narrative elements: author voice and narrative time Readings: Paolo Giordano The Solitude of Prime Numbers Feb 17

Narrative elements: structure Geoffrey Warner‟s Three Models of Adaption Discussion of Paolo Giordano‟s novel The Solitude of Prime Numbers (cont.) Screening of Saverio Costanza‟s adaptation of Paolo Giordano‟s novel Readings: Paolo Giordano The Solitude of Prime Numbers Italian Section Week 5 discussion del film di Costanza discussion del libro brano di Ammaniti Ammaniti Lettura: Niccolò Ammaniti La settimana bianca (da Io e te)

Week 6 Feb 22 Quiz on Ammaniti’s Novel Niccolò Ammaniti‟s novel Io e te Readings: Niccolò Ammaniti Io e te Feb 24

Bernardo Bertolucci‟s cinematic adaptation of Ammaniti‟s novel Io e te Screening of Bernardo Bertolucci‟s Io e te Film Production Readings: [FE] “How Films are Made” 21-59 Italian Section Week 6 discussion del libro di Ammaniti discussione del film di Bertolucci Lettura:

Niccolò Ammaniti Olivia (da Io e te) Scrittura: Riflessioni sul libro e film Io e te Week 7: Feb 29, Mar 2 Midterm Review and Midterm Italian Section Week 7 Quiz in italiano Semester Break: Mar 4-13

HISTORY /FICTION Week 8 Mar 14

Introduction to Contemporary Italian History Student Protests of the late 1960‟s and 1970‟s Franco Basaglia: Law 180 on Mental Health the Florence Flood Discussion and screening of Marco Tullio Giordana‟s La meglio gioventù Readings: Jones, Tobias. The Man Who Closed the Asylums: Franco Basaglia and the Revolution in Mental Health Care

Mar 16

Discussion and screening of Marco Tullio Giordana‟s La meglio gioventù (cont.) Pier Paolo Pasolini Readings: Pasolini, Pier Paolo. From a Poem to Young Communist Students. (Il PCI ai giovani) Italian Section Week 8 prime considerazioni sul film di Giordana considerazioni sui movimenti giovanili del Novecento Lettura: Le prime forme di dissenso giovanile negli Stati Uniti degli anni Cinquanta

Week 9 Mar 21

Elements of Narrative Film Discussion and screening of Marco Tullio Giordana‟s La meglio gioventù (cont.) Readings: [FE] “The Elements of Narrative Film.” 222-232.

Mar 23 1970‟s and 80‟s: Terrorism in Italy Discussion and screening of Marco Tullio Giordana‟s La meglio gioventù (cont.) Readings: Forgacs, David. “Our Friends from Turin” in Sight & Sound v. ns14 no. 7 (July 2004) p. 28-30 [FE] “The Elements of Narrative Film.” 233-252.

Italian Section Week 9 discussione del film di Giordana considerazioni sul Sessantotto in Europa ed in Italia Lettura: Il Sessantotto in Europa Il Sessantotto in Italia Scrittura: Ribellare oggi Week 10 Mar 28 Pasquetta, School Closed Mar 30

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino The Mafia in Italy Italy in the 21st Century Discussion and screening of Marco Tullio Giordana‟s La meglio gioventù (cont.) Readings: Cupolo, Marco. “Other youths: Italian cultural changes through Pasolini, Giordana, Petraglia and Rulli” in Studies in European Cinema Volume 6 Numbers 2&3, pp. 127-140. Italian Section Week 10 discussione del film di Giordana considerazioni sul Settantasette e gli anni Ottanta e Novanta in Italia Lettura: Il movimento del Settantasette Gli anni Ottanta e Novanta

HISTORY / FICTIONAL DOCUMENTARY Week 11 Apr 4

Quiz on John Dickie Reading A short History of the Mafia Screening of Marco Tullio Giordano‟s I cento passi Readings: Representing the Real: Documentary Films 255-270 John Dickie. “Death of a „Leftist Fanatic‟” in Cosa nostra. New York: Palgrave, 2004.

Apr 6

The Mafia and Anti-Mafia Activism: Peppino Impastato Screening of Marco Tullio Giordano‟s I cento passi (cont.)

Readings: Small, Pauline. “Giordana‟s I cento passi: renegotiating the Mafia codes” in New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film vol. 3(1), pp. 41-54. Italian Section Week 9 Peppino Impastato Mafia e Anti Mafia discussione del racconto di Camilleri Lettura: Andrea Camilleri Il giudice Surra cap. 1 Scrittura: Un eroe

HISTORY / DOCUMENTARY Week 12 Apr 11

Mafia and Anti-Mafia: Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino The use of non-fictional and non-narrative images and forms Reading: [FE] Representing the Real: Documentary Films 270-280 John Dunnage Terrorism

Apr 13

Screening of the documenray Excellent Cadavers Reading: Giovanni Falcone: The Magistrate who Sacrificed his Life fighting against Mafia Italian Section Week 12 discussione del film di Giordana discussione del racconto di Camilleri Lettura: Andrea Camilleri Il giudice Surra cap. 2-3

MYSTERY Week 13 Apr 18

Quiz on Camilleri novel Bestselling Italian Crime Author Andrea Camilleri Discussion of Excursion to Tindari Reading: Andrea Camilleri Excursion to Tindari

Apr 20

Screening of Alberto Sirone‟s TV adaption of Excursion to Tindari

Italian Section Week 13 discussione del racconto di Camilleri Lettura: Andrea Camilleri Il giudice Surra cap. 4-5 Scrittura: Riflessioni su Il giudice Surra di Andrea Camilleri

April 25-28 – week of final exams and special academic events, appointments will be announced later in the term Italian Section Finals Week Quiz in italiano