2023-24 Academic Catalog

This course traces developments in film technology from the nineteenth century to the present-day information age. Individual units will consider the ways in which technical and aesthetic innovations have further bolstered cinema’s status as a medium of mass entertainment. Particular attention will be given to immersive formats that have inaugurated seismic shifts in cinematic storytelling. Topics will include special effects, CinemaScope, Cinerama, Technicolor, World’s Fairs, theme parks, 3-D cinema, the emergence of the Hollywood blockbuster, IMAX, expanded cinema, digital cinematography, and computer-generated imagery. Requirements include attendance and participation, weekly screenings, readings, and various written assignments.