Same As It Ever Was...
This will be a quick blog, but for old time's sake, I'll allow for a moment of nostalgia. I have made my first trip to the infamous "room" in Memorial Library - all the more fitting, it's a Tuesday, a frequent pilgrimage time from last semester - only today, I am already done with classes and looking forward to getting a lot of reading done and sprawling out here for the afternoon to do so. Eric and I stopped at the "Sun Room Cafe" - Madison's most sophistico chic brunch joint and I feel energerized, full of coffee and Mexican Corn Chowder and ready to settle in. I haven't really discussed my classes this semester, but here's the break-down:
French Cinema - This class is good for me... I know an embarrassingly little about French cinema / early cinema / the new wave, so I will walk away knowing more than I already do. Two major downsides - the lectures are disorganized & the screenings conflict with another class (so I have to be on my honor to watch them at another time). There is a steep reading list and already, I am slotted for a presentation next Wednesday on Richard Abel's oh-so-thick book "The Cine Goes to Town: French Cinema 1896-1914." So, if you are hearing less from me until Wednesday, blame the Frenchies.
Classical Film Theory - this is my perfect Bordwell class this semester. He retires this semester and he's not only a giant in the field, he's a phenomenon, brilliant, and inspiring teacher. If only Monday night could come more often than once a week! No complaints here. Lots of reading, but the payoffs are big. This week I'll be wrestling with Rudolf Arnheim's
Film As Art. Expect to hear more about this, I wager that I'll be wanting to talk about it.
Film / Video Production & Screenwriting - This is a doosey of an undertaking. Two lectures a week, two-two hour labs, and production projects (shooting & editing) on the weekends. The class is very technical and I am trying to memorize my film speeds / lens numbers / and how to operate a very heavy Bolex. This is another of those things that will be very good from me... and already I feel like I have better things to say about Jonas Mekas (a life-long user of the Bolex). There's a lot to learn - but it's vocational - I'll walk away with concrete skills here, which will be a nice change from the loftier lessons I have a tendancy to acquire.
Teaching - I've remarked a little on teaching - and since it takes up more time than a single class, it's worth mentioning. The students are better with the concepts / doing the readings & discussing them. Yet, we did a speaking exercise yesterday and they seem to be worse speakers... it's too early to tell, but the CA 100 train chugs along. It has its moments, for better and for worse.
Anyway... time to be scholarly & quite and put the page to the mind.
posted by lmjasinski at 12:29 PM
