HISP 345

Spring Semester 2004

 

  

 

The Discreet Charm 
of the Buñuels         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Transnational Cinema

and the Surrealist Legacy

 

An Interdisciplinary Film Course Taught by

Juan Luis Buñuel, Ana Cara, Sebastiaan Faber, Narciso Hidalgo, Jennie Hirsh, Patrick O’Connor, Antoine Philippe, Geoff Pingree, and Janice Zinser


SPAN 345

The Discreet Charm of the Buñuels:

Transnational Cinema and the Surrealist Legacy

 

 

Instructor in charge

Sebastiaan Faber (Hispanic Studies)

404 Peters, x58189

sebastiaan.faber@oberlin.edu

Office hours: Monday and Thursday, 11am-12pm

 

Guest instructors

This class will be taught by an interdisciplinary group of Oberlin faculty from Cinema Studies, Hispanic Studies, French, and Art History. The instructor in charge of the class is Prof. Faber, who will also be responsible for all of the grading.

 

Course description

This course offers an overview and analysis of the cinematic work of Spanish director Luis Buñuel (1900-1983) and his French son, director and Oberlin alumnus (’57) Juan Luis Buñuel (1934-), in the context of transnational or exilic cinema and the legacy of the surrealist movement.

 

Class meeting times (both in Science Center A155):

·        Tuesday 7-10: intro, screening, and short discussion

·        Thursday 1:30-2:45 lecture/discussion

 

Course web site & communication

On Blackboard: <bb.oberlin.edu>, Span345. See this page, among other things, for announcements, external web links, reserve items, ERES items, filmographies and bibliographies. Email and Blackboard will be the preferred medium for announcements, questions, and assignments; students are expected to check their mail every day.

 

Course format

On Tuesday nights (7-10pm) there will normally be a film screening preceded by a half-hour lecture and followed by a short class discussion. The Thursday afternoon session is meant for further lecture (if necessary) and discussion. Readings will be assigned for both sessions; most days, a typewritten reponse paper will be due based on the screening, screening notes, the readings, and questions assigned beforehand.

 

Juan Luis Buñuel visit and Buñuel Colloquium (April 8-10)

In the week after Spring break, Juan Luis Buñuel will be visiting campus to speak about his own and his father’s work, and to screen some of his own films. He will talk to the class on Thursday April 8th; and there will be screenings and/or a lecture by Mr Buñuel on Thursday and Friday night. On the afternoon of Saturday April 10th there will be a colloquium with two additional invited speakers. Students enrolled in the class are expected to attend all of these events.

 

Discussion groups

All students will be assigned a discussion group that is expected to meet at least once a week, starting in the second week of classes, at a time and place of your convenience (ruled by the Honor Code).

 

Response papers and note taking

For most classes you will be assigned a number of questions on which to base a response paper, to be typewritten and handed in. In those reponse papers that refer to one of the screenings, it is essential that you include concrete references to the films. To be able to do this, it is highly recommended that you take notes during the screening and keep a personal “screening diary”. (If needed, pens with a small flash lights that enable you to write in the dark are available for sale at the bookstore.)

 

Other course requirements:

·        Attendance at all screenings and discussion sessions

·        Participation in assigned discussion groups

·        Attendance at all of the events scheduled for April 8-10: J.L. Buñuel’s visit to the class (during regular class meeting time); his talks and screenings (scheduled for Thursday night and Friday afternoon/night); and a colloquium on Saturday April 10.

·        Response papers

·        A 5-page midterm paper and a 10-page final paper. For the final paper you will need to see, and include references to, at least two other films by one of the Buñuels that have not been screened as part of the course.

 

Readings and Reserve

·        The following four titles are required and available at the book store:

 

q       Buñuel, Luis. My Last Sigh. U of Minnesota Press, 2003. ISBN 0816643873.

q       Buñuel, Luis. Unspeakable Betrayal: Selected Writings of Luis Buñuel. U of California P, 2002. ISBN 0520234235..

q       Evans, Peter William. The Films of Luis Buñuel: Subjectivity and Desire. Oxford UP, 1995. ISBN 0198159064..

q       Edwards, Gwynne. The Discreet Art of Luis Bunuel: A Reading of His Films. Marion Boyars, 1991. ISBN 0714528323.

 

·        Additional readings, both obligatory and optional, will be made available through ERES, which can be accessed through Blackboard or at <eres.cc.oberlin.edu>.

·        A number of additional books, as well as most of Luis Buñuel’s films, will be placed on reserve.

 

Filmographies and bibliographies

Evans includes an extensive bibliography at the end of his book; additional bibliographies are available on Blackboard and Eres. See External Links on Blackboard, also for interviews, online exhibits, and many other interesting materials.