Thursday, February 2, 2012
Czech life in Cinema by Yuko
Through films, I will explore how people in Czech have made their living over the history. More specifically, I would like to use films as visual elements which illustrate Czech everyday life and see how they have dealt with totalitarian and post-totalitarian society. I will watch several Czech films produced in contemporary era besides the ones created in and after the communist era to compare how the way that films present Czech society has changed. In writing about Czech life in cinema, I would like to more focus on what cultural norms work at a particular context from anthropological perspective. This writing can be a formal, academic writing, but I intend to include my personal experience and my insights. I visited Prague last winter, but at that time, I did not know anything about Czech history. So I think this is a chance to reflect my trip and reconsider the meanings of what I saw in Prague, or what I experienced.
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There is a lot of great Czech film from the last half century, some of it easier to access (for non-Czech speakers) than others. I have a few films, and perhaps Hana could help you with others. Your historical-anthropological question is very appropriate to the materials you've chosen, so you should have some good opportunities. I may be wrong, but I think there is a gap in Czech movie production (for the most part) from 1968 to 1990, except for films that were acceptable to the government. There are a few of these, but not so many. There are lots from the sixties films and many from the past 20 years. Your next step will be to figure out what films are available and which ones you want to use. Great idea though!
ReplyDeleteHere's some additional material from Yuko:
ReplyDeleteAs I posted on the blog before, I will explore how Czech people have dealt with post-totalitarian system through films.
My writing will be essay style, so I will use Microsoft Word as I do for other classes.
My schedule
by 2/12(by this weekend)
I will choose the films I will watch(Bill, please let me know which films you have, and if I can borrow ones.)
Movies we watch in class could be good materials for my essay too.
within 3 weeks from now
I will watch about 3-5 movies produced in sixties, and analyze how they reflect the then Czech life.
The books we read for the class(Havel and The Miracle Game) can be used to well understand and describe Czech political system, history and people's life,
and compare what is written in the books with what is illustrated in films.
From about 2 weeks before the spring break
I will start writing essay based on my findings.
I will be able to write about 10 pages by the spring break.
My essay will discuss how Czech life in post-totalitarian era is changing, so I will see the difference after I watch contemporary(past 20 years) Czech films after the spring break.
After the Spring break
I will watch contemporary Czech films, and more focus on the differences between Czech life in post-totalitarian era and the present.
Evaluation
Since I am not native English speaker, I would like you not to pay too much attention to mechanics (although I will definitely make someone check my paper before submitting it to you).
I appreciate your idea that grading should not too be objective.
If you think that the ideas I will suppose is enough clear and thoughtful, and also if you can see my efforts, please give me A grade for the paper.
If not, it must be natural that I get the grade lower than A.
Thanks for very comprehensive schedule: I'll bring in whatever films I have, including the ones we're watching for the class, and refer you to some others. Maybe Hana also has some films? You could focus on one film-maker (like Jiri Menzel, who did the first film we saw and many more) or Milos Forman (who did the one we're watching now and many more). There are some more contemporary film-makers also whose work is available here.
DeleteI'm good with the evaluation scheme too!