Introduction to Russian and Soviet Cinema
REES 233Z
Winter 2025
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
FILM 333Z, RULE 233Z, RUSS 233Z, WLIT 255Z |
| Course Cluster and Certificates: Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory Certificate |
This course provides an introduction to the history and poetics of imperial Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet Russian cinema. From the avant-garde experimentation of Lev Kuleshov, Sergei Eisenstein, and Dziga Vertov to the masterpieces of Andrei Tarkovsky, Sergei Parajanov, and Kira Muratova, the course will explore the development of film from the Soviet and post-Soviet periods as artistic medium and as national tradition. The discussion and comparative analyses of different forms and genres, including silent cinema, propaganda films, blockbusters, and auteur cinema, will be situated within the cultural, political, and aesthetic contexts of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and contemporary Russia and Ukraine. Students will learn the key works, names, events, and concepts of the Russian and Soviet cinematic traditions. They will develop skills in analyzing and interpreting films and will acquire the basic critical terminology of film and media studies. They will also learn how film form and aesthetics are conditioned by technology, ideology, economics, theory, tradition, and culture. The overarching goal is to see how cinema in Russia and the Soviet Union has created and contested narratives of history and identity, how cinema has served the interests of the state, and how it has defied them. No knowledge of Russian is expected or required. All films have English subtitles. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA REES |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSCT)(FILM)(REES-MN)(REES-Lang/Lit/C) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
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Examinations and Assignments:
short daily responses, two essays |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is scheduled to be held in person. All Winter Session students should expect some readings and assignments to be due during winter break, prior to the beginning of Winter Session class meetings. Syllabi for Winter Session courses will be posted to https://www.wesleyan.edu/wintersession/courses.html as soon as they are available. |
| Instructor(s): Utkin,Roman Times: .MTWRF. 10:00AM-12:00PM; .MTWRF. 02:00PM-04:00PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 5 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 2 | FR: 2 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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