COMM 355 : Understanding Film

A study of film, including its history and the major theories used to understand what is still a very young medium. The course provides an overview of the key ideas in understanding film, while also exploring the major movements in their social and cultural contexts that shaped filmmaking's development. Starting with some of the earliest films, the course progresses through the medium's evaluation, arriving at a deeper understanding of contemporary cinema. Along the way, we will take note of influential directors and their techniques that contributed to the making of a powerful global art form that still refuses to be defined.