lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390
INTRODUCTION TO FILM SOUND (048:053)
Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature
The University of Iowa, Spring 2012, 3 s.h. Screening:
M 3:3036:00P, 203 BCSB
Discussion: MWF 9:30310:20P, 205 BCSB Instructor: Jon Crylen
Course Supervisor: Rick Altman
Office: W239 AJB (33502844) Office: 257 BCSB
Office Hours: MW 10:30312:00 or by appt.
Office Hours: T 2:0034:00, W 2:0033:00 or by appt.
Email: jonathan0crylen@uiowa.edu
Email: rick0altman@uiowa.edu DEO: Steve Duck
Office Hours: T 1:3032:20 (151 BCSB), W 2:0033:00 (E210 AJB), Th 3:0034:30 (164 EPB) or by appt. Phone: 33500579
Email: steve0duck@uiowa.edu
Course Description and Objectives
This course surveys the history and theory of film sound, challenging the popular assumption that
cinema is a primarily visual art. The course9s central themes include sound technology and
aesthetics, the voice and sound effects, film music, and sound9s relationship to different modes of
filmmaking. Additionally, as film sound has never developed in a vacuum, we will spend time
listening comparatively across media4to radio, television, sound art, and video games as well as
films. Typically, we will spend Wednesdays discussing the movies, and Mondays and Fridays on a
mix of assigned readings and listening activities geared toward the week9s themes. The goal of this
class is to prepare students to conduct competent audiovisual analyses of a wide range of films.
Required Text (available at Prairie Lights, 15 S. Dubuque Street)
Michel Chion, Audiovision: Sound on Screen, trans. Claudia Gorbman (New York: Columbia University Press, 1994)
Other readings will be available on ICON (see reserve at the main library9s south circulation desk. Grading
Your grade will be based on participation, two exams, and two papers: 20% Participation
20% Midterm paper 20% Final paper
20% Midterm exam 20% Final exam
Grades will be distributed as follows: A+: 100 B+: 87389 C+: 77379 D+: 67369 F: <60 A: 93399 B: 83386 C: 73376 D: 63366 lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390 A2: 90392 B2: 80382 C2: 70372 D2: 60362
Course Website: The syllabus and assignments can be accessed on ICON. As soon as you are
registered for this class, you will be able to access the site. Go to https://icon.uiowa.edu and log in
to ICON with your Hawk ID and password. You will find a link to the class site. Follow it, and you
should find course packet materials under the
Papers: You will be required to write two argumentative papers of 638 pages each, engaging a
question or problem raised by film sound. For the first paper, I will provide prompts. For the
second, you will be responsible for generating your own topic and argument. You must meet with
me no later than Week 13, outside of class, to discuss your topic.
Exams: You will be required to take a midterm and final exam. The former will cover films, readings,
and lecture material from the first half of the course; the latter material from the course9s second
half. Expect the exams to be a mix of multiple choice or matching, short answer, and essay questions.
Participation/attendance: Regular attendance at both screenings and class meetings is mandatory.
Each student gets three unexcused, nonemergency (e.g., severe illness, death, rapture) absences;
every absence thereafter will count against the final grade. Vocal and insightful in0class
contributions are required. You should arrive routinely well prepared, having done each day9s
readings and any written assignments. Finally, you must bring the assigned readings4including
ICON printouts4to each session, as they will structure discussion. Every failure to do so will result in a zero for the day. COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1 (1/1631/20): Introduction: What Is Film Sound? M: No class (MLK Day) W: Introduction F: Rick Altman,
Week 2 (1/2331/27): Sound Space
M: Rick Altman, Screening: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Rouben Mamoulian, USA, 1931, 71 min.)
W: Discussion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
F: Listening activity: clips from Once upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, Italy/USA/Spain, 1968)
The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, USA, 1998)
Week 3 (1/3032/3): Sound in Classical Film Theory
M: S. M. Eisenstein, V. I. Pudovkin, and G. V. Alexandrov, V. I. Pudovkin, lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390
Jean Epstein, Béla Bálazs, Douglas Kahn,
Screening: Enthusiasm (Dziga Vertov, Soviet Union, 1931, 67 min.)
Romance Sentimentale (Grigori Alexandrov and Sergei M. Eisenstein, France, 1930, 20 min.)
Le tempestaire (Jean Epstein, France, 1947, 22 min.) W: Discussion of films
F: Listening activity: (Pierre Schaeffer, 1948); clip from The New World (Terrence Malick, USA, 2005)
Week 4 (2/632/10): The Voice in Cinema I
M: Rick Altman, Michel Chion, <The Acousmêtre= (ICON)
Screening: The Invisible Man (James Whale, USA, 1933, 71 min.)
W: Discussion of The Invisible Man
F: Listening activity: clips from The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, USA, 1936), The Testament of
Dr. Mabuse (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1933), and Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, USA, 1960)
Week 5 (2/1332/17): The Voice in Cinema II
M: Kaja Silverman, Sarah Kozloff, Screening: Singin9 in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, USA, 1952)
W: Discussion of Singin9 in the Rain
F: Listening of activity: Alone: Life Wastes Andy Hardy (Martin Arnold, Austria, 1998, 15 min.)
Week 6 (2/2032/24): Sound Design
M: Randy Thom, Walter Murch, Screening: Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, USA, 1979, 153 min.)
W: Discussion of Apocalypse Now
F: James Lastra, History of the Senses= (ICON)
Week 7 (2/2733/2): Digital Sound
M: Michel Chion, Mark Kerins, David Lynch, Screening: Mulholland Dr. (David Lynch, USA, 2001, 146 min.)
W: Discussion of Mulholland Dr.
F: Discussion of Mulholland Dr. (cont9d) lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390
Week 8 (3/533/9): Classical Film Music
M: Claudia Gorbman, Kathryn Kalinak, FIRST PAPER DUE IN CLASS
Screening: The Informer (John Ford, USA, 1935, 91 min.)
W: Discussion of The Informer F: MIDTERM EXAM SPRING BREAK (3/1233/16)
Week 9 (3/1833/23): Music and History
M: Caryl Flinn, Screening: Stroszek (Werner Herzog, West Germany, 19777)
W: Discussion of Stroszek
F: Listening activity: clips from The BRD Trilogy (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany, 19793 1982)
Week 10 (3/2633/30): Popular Music and Film
M: Rick Altman, Jeff Smith, Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, USA, 1990, 146 min.)
W: Discussion of Goodfellas
F: Listening activity: clips from Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson, USA, 1997) and Marie
Antoinette (Sofia Coppola, USA/France/Japan, 2006)
Week 11 (4/234/6): Sound and Genre
M: Robert Spadoni, William Whittington, Alien: Audio Biomechanics= (ICON)
Screening: Alien (Ridley Scott, USA, 1979, 117 min.) W: Discussion of Alien
F: Listening activity: clips from Man on Fire (Tony Scott, USA, 2004) and Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, UK/France/USA, 2007)
Week 12 (4/934/13): Sound and Animation
M: Scott Curtis, Daniel Goldmark, Willie: Reconsidering Music and the Animated Cartoon of the 1920s= (ICON)
Screening: Pinocchio (Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske, USA, 1940, 88 min.)
Miscellaneous cartoons (TBA)
W: Discussion of Pinocchio and misc. cartoons F:
Listening activity: Foley art demos lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390
Week 13 (4/1634/20): Film Sound and Radio
M: Mercury Theatre9s War of the Worlds broadcast (1938) (in class)
Screening: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, USA, 1941, 119 min.) W:
Discussion of Citizen Kane and War of the Worlds
F: Rick Altman, Citizen Kane and the Radio Aesthetic= (ICON)
Clip from The Fountain of Youth (Welles, USA, 1956)
Week 14 (4/2334/27): Film Sound and Television M: Rick Altman, Michel Chion,
Screening: Zidane (Douglas Gordon and Phillipe Parreno, France/Iceland, 2006, 90 min.)
W: Discussion of Zidane
F: Listening activity: clips from Monday Night Raw (19933) and the 2012 NBA and NHL playoffs
Week 15 (4/3035/4): Film Sound and Game Sound
M: Karen Collins, Audio= (ICON)
Screening: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Edgar Wright, USA/UK/Canada, 2010, 112 min.) W:
Discussion of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World F: Course wrap0up
FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS FINAL EXAM: TBA
COURSE AND CLAS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Administrative Home
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the administrative home of this course and governs
matters such as the add/drop deadlines, the second-grade-only option, and other related issues.
Different colleges may have different policies. Questions may be addressed to 120 Schaeffer
Hall, or see the CLAS Academic Policies Handbook. Electronic Communication
University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to
their University of Iowa e-mail address (@uiowa.edu). Faculty and students should use this
account for correspondences. (Operations Manual, III.15.2. Scroll down to k.11.)
Accommodations for Disabilities
A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability
Services and then meet privately with the course instructor to make particular arrangements. See
www.uiowa.edu/~sds/ for more information. lOMoAR cPSD| 46560390 Academic Honesty
All CLAS students have, in essence, agreed to the College's Code of Academic Honesty: "I
pledge to do my own academic work and to excel to the best of my abilities, upholding the
IOWA Challenge. I promise not to lie about my academic work, to cheat, or to steal the words or
ideas of others; nor will I help fellow students to violate the Code of Academic Honesty." Any
student committing academic misconduct is reported to the College and placed on disciplinary
probation or may be suspended or expelled (CLAS Academic Policies Handbook).
CLAS Final Examination Policies
The date and time of every final examination is announced during the fifth week of the semester;
each CLAS student will receive an email from the Registrar stating the dates and times of the
student's final exams. Final exams are offered only during the official final examination period.
No exams of any kind are allowed during the last week of classes. All students should plan on
being at the UI through the final examination period.
Making a Suggestion or a Complaint
Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit with the instructor (and the course
supervisor), and then with the departmental DEO. Complaints must be made within six months
of the incident (CLAS Academic Policies Handbook).
Understanding Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well-being of
students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community have a responsibility to uphold
this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual
harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual
Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full University policy.
Reacting Safely to Severe Weather
In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the
classroom if necessary. The class will continue if possible when the event is over. For more
information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Public Safety web site.