A survey of the international development of film from the early and silent periods to the present. The course examines films and filmmakers from various nations, periods, movements, and genres, including German Expressionism, Soviet Montage, French New Wave, American Independent Cinema, film noir, documentary, avant-garde, and music video. Special attention will be given to the Classical Hollywood system as well as methods of close formal analysis based on the critical and technical vocabulary of the field. Topics will explore the narrative and ideological practices of cinema and how they establish, revise, and subvert filmic conventions. Other topics include film history, economic/commercial aspects of the film industry, and basic film theory. We will also discuss film as both an artistic and popular medium. No additional screenings outside of class time.