FILM 181 - Chaplin and Keaton

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

This freshman seminar investigates the art of silent film comedy through a close examination of the films of Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Film critics today rank their films among the finest motion pictures ever produced. Both Chaplin and Keaton were clearly the authors of their movies, as they controlled all major conceptual and technical elements. In addition to viewing and discussing many of the short and feature- length films produced by Chaplin and Keaton, students read critical essays analyzing and interpreting these films, as well as theoretical works dealing with the nature of comedy. Students compose and revise weekly brief essays (two to four pages) and deliver a short oral presentation. As a final project, students complete a longer analytical paper (around ten pages) that explores specific visual comic elements in one of the feature-length films created by Charles Chaplin or Buster Keaton. Mr. Steerman.

Two 75-minute periods, plus outside screenings.

Open only to freshmen; satisfies college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.