Edward O'Neill comments: > This is the question of the rationale for using much-appreciated > masterpieces, as opposed to popular cinema with which students would surely > already be familiar. > > Is there a complete antithesis between these approaches, or might a work > like _Film Art_ profitably include examples which students could recognize, > to link them to great films of the past? > > And even if the text itself did not include such examples, would Professor > Bordwell be antagonistic to using well-known contemporary films in this > way--or is that quite against the point of teaching film as an art? How popular do you want to get? The 6th ed. has a frame from THE MATRIX prominently displayed on its cover. There is at least some reference to such "popular" films as ALIEN, ALIENS, BEETLEJUICE, THE BIRDS, BLADE RUNNER, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, etc., etc. Any film text--for an intro. freshman class at least--I think, should be used for its ability to give a structure and a vocabulary to an audience that has little familiarity with that way of watching films. I take it on myself to give the examples--some familiar to students, some not. (And there are an awful lot that aren't--at least in this town--and time ensures that others will pass. At one time, I knew that almost everyone in a class of 200 had seen TOOTSIE already; now, I don't count on more than 50 at most.) FILM ART--like other texts--is perfectly compatible with any number of other films shown in class. (I've used such films as LETHAL WEAPON, DIRTY HARRY, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, etc., etc. for one reason or another.) I do believe that students should learn that there is a cultural world outside of their own experience up to now (Of course, I'm presuming here about certain kinds of students--not all, but a large number.) Don Larsson ----------------------------------------------------------- Donald F. Larsson English Department, AH 230 Minnesota State University Mankato, MN 56001 ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite