ENG 476B - History of the American Film

(3 units)

Examination of the films of major directors from D.W. Griffith in the Biograph period (1908-1912) to the present. Filmmakers such as Lois Weber, Howard Hawks, Orson Welles, George Cukor, Dorothy Arzner, Frank Capra, Spike Lee, and others.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): ENG 102

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Other

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. analyze the relationship between technological advancements and societal change in American film history, demonstrating how innovations such as sound, color, digital effects, and streaming technologies have influenced cultural discourse.
2. evaluate the representation of race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability in American films across historical periods to assess how film has contributed to or challenged social inequities.
3. compare sound and unsound interpretations of technology’s impact on American film, distinguishing between historically accurate and distorted narratives of progress or innovation in both scholarly and popular discourse.
4. examine how American films reflect and shape public understanding of diversity and equity, with attention to historically marginalized voices by applying film studies’ interdisciplinary methods.

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