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>From: Frank Burke    Film Studies    Queens University, Can.
>
>Thanks to Tony Williams for his reply to Joey Schwartz re Film Studies in Can-
>ada. This is the second posting on the subject from Mr. Schwartz which I have
>found to be frustratingly inaccurate. Thanks also to Yves Level for pointing
>out the great strength of Quebec/Montreal as a center for film studies.
>
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The charge of so-called inaccuracies in my previous post is very much
over-exagerated.   Why do all our undergraduate students go to the United
States to do their graduate and post-graduate studies (if they can afford
it)?  It is because the level of the total educational experience is
better.  For instance Mr. Burke's school, Queens University, is adequate
for undergraduate studies in Cinema, but I know of no one in the know, that
would go to Queen's to do their graduate of post-graduate work there in
that programme.
 
  As for English Canada, it can't compete with the States.  Montreal is the
only center that can remotely compete at that level.  Also, Toronto is the
leading center for film distribuation in Canada, this is not mere pride, it
is fact.  Even with this "truth", we (University of Toronto, York
University, and Ryerson Unveristy) still do not have the access to as many
films as the American schools do.  If you are trying to do original
research, it is far easier to do it at an American school.  Access to
research, is reason alone to make the decision to go to the States.  As I
also pointed out earlier, the quality of instruction is better in the
States, generally speaking of course.  I am not impressed with the
academics that Mr. Williams presented; these academics are not even in the
same league as Bordwell, Thompson, Michelson, Trinh, Stam, Gomery, Allen,
Musser, Hooks, etc.
 
School and Nationalistic pride are getting in the way of clear thinking
here folks: Cinema Studies is not one of Canada's strength's.  We simply do
not have the human and scholastic resources to compete on par with the best
United States Schools, same as our MBA programmes are not on par with the
best the States can offer.  As I keep pointing out, Quebec, in particular
Montreal, is the only center that can and is on par with American schools.
 
 
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Joey Schwartz, Innis College Media Supervisor
University of Toronto |  Tel. (416) 966-0593
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         "Film is Reality at 24fps!"
            -- Jean-Luc Godard
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