Online course: Neorealism to La Dolce Vita: Postwar Italian Cinema (1946-1960)

A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (May-August, 2023)
PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

This film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, will give a comprehensive overview of one of the most dynamic and influential eras in the history of the movies.

We’ll begin by examining both classic and lesser-known films of the Neorealist movement – the works of Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, and others. We’ll then study the new auteurs of the 1950s (Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni) as well as joyous films in the Commedia all’italiana mode. Finally, we will study a trilogy of masterpieces released in the transformative year of 1960.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) in your own time, and occasionally read a short piece. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for exploration and discovery.

Weekly session: Sundays at 12pm PT/3pm ET (North America)
(8pm UK time/9pm CET)

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$150. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com for further information.

LECTURE PLAN 2023

Weeks 1-5: Neorealism

May 14
Lecture 1. Introduction
PAISAN (1946) – Roberto Rossellini [126min]
UMBERTO D. (1952) – Vittorio De Sica [89min]

May 21
Lecture 2. The Earth, The Sea
LA TERRA TREMA (1948) – Luchino Visconti [165min]
Short film: The Age Of Swordfish (1954) – Vittorio De Seta [11min]

May 28
Lecture 3. Eruptions
STROMBOLI (1950) – Roberto Rossellini [107min]
THE PATH OF HOPE (1950) – Pietro Germi [97min]

June 4
Lecture 4. Fantastic Realism
MIRACLE IN MILAN (1951) – Vittorio De Sica [100min]

June 11
Lecture 5. Alternative Realisms
LOVE IN THE CITY (1953) – Fellini, Antonioni, Lattuada, Lizzani, Maselli, Risi, Zavattini [115min]
Reading: from The Ragazzi (1955) by Pier Paolo Pasolini

ONE WEEK BREAK

Weeks 6-9: New Auteurs and Commedia all’italiana

June 25
Lecture 6. Michelangelo Antonioni
THE STORY OF A LOVE AFFAIR (1950) [98min]  
Short films: Gente del Po (1947) [11min], N.U. (1948) [11min]

July 2
Lecture 7. Federico Fellini
I VITELLONI (1953) [123min]
IL BIDONE (1955) [104mins]

July 9
Lecture 8. The Italian Miracle
TOO BAD SHE’S BAD (1955) – Alessandro Blasetti [95min]
TOTO, PEPPINO, AND THE HUSSY (1956) – Camillo Mastrocinque [103min]

Reading: “The Fanatic” by Alberto Moravia

July 16
Lecture 9. Mario Monicelli and Commedia all’italiana
BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET (1958) [111mins]
Reading: ’Screenwriting With Your Eyes: An Interview with Suso Cecchi d’Amico’

Weeks 10-12: A Trio from 1960

July 23
Lecture 10. Internal Migrations
ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960) – Luchino Visconti [177min]

July 30
Lecture 11. The Legacy of War
TWO WOMEN (1960) – Vittorio De Sica [100min]

August 6
Lecture 12. Paola’s Wave
LA DOLCE VITA (1960) – Federico Fellini [174min]

*

Header source image: The Trevi Fountain, Rome, by Jebulon @ Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain source, modified, 2023.

Online course: Paris Belongs To Them: The French New Wave (1956-66)

A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (April-July, 2023)
PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

In this original film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 14 feature films and 9 shorts from the legendary French New Wave (1956-66).

The course will examine this revolutionary film movement as well as the careers of directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Agnès Varda, Jacques Rivette, Louis Malle, Alain Resnais, Chris Marker and Jean Rouch. The lectures will explore these films in the wider context of French culture, history, and politics.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two). There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for enjoyment and discovery.

Weekly session: Saturdays at 12pm PT/3pm ET (North America)
(8pm UK time/9pm CET)

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$150. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com for further information.

LECTURE PLAN

April 15
Lecture 1. Introduction
THE 400 BLOWS (1959) – François Truffaut [99min]

April 22
Lecture 2. Rising of the Wave
LE COUP DU BERGER (1956) – Jacques Rivette [28mins]
L’OPÉRA-MOUFFE [DIARY OF A PREGNANT WOMAN] (1958) – Agnès Varda [16mins]
LES MISTONS (1957) – François Truffaut [18mins]
MOI, UN NOIR (1957) – Jean Rouch [70mins]

— ONE-WEEK BREAK —

May 6
Lecture 3. Louis Malle
ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (1958) [91mins]
THE LOVERS (1958)
[90mins]

May 13
Lecture 4. Alain Resnais
HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR (1959) [92mins]
NIGHT AND FOG (1956)
[29mins]

May 20
Lecture 5. Jean-Luc Godard
BREATHLESS (1960) [87min]
ALL THE BOYS ARE CALLED PATRICK (1959) [21min]

May 27
Lecture 6. François Truffaut
SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER (1960) [92mins]
ANTOINE AND COLETTE (1962) [32mins]

June 3
Lecture 7. Cinéma Vérité
CHRONICLE OF A SUMMER (1961) – Jean Rouch & Edgar Morin [85mins]

June 10
Lecture 8. Agnès Varda
CLÉO FROM 5 TO 7 (1962) [90mins]
SALUT LES CUBAINS (1963) [30mins]

— ONE-WEEK BREAK —

June 24
Lecture 9. Strange Adventures
ALPHAVILLE (1965) – Jean-Luc Godard [99mins]
LA JETÉE (1962) – Chris Marker [28mins]

July 1
Lecture 10. Seeing The New Wave
LE BONHEUR [HAPPINESS] (1965)Agnès Varda [80mins]
PARIS VU PAR [SIX IN PARIS] (1965) -Rohmer/Godard/Chabrol/Pollet/Rouch/Douchet [92mins]

July 8
Lecture 11. A Film Is Like A Battleground
PIERROT LE FOU (1965) – Jean-Luc Godard [110mins]
PAPARAZZI (1963) – Jacques Rozier [22mins]

July 15
Lecture 12. Jacques Rivette
THE NUN (1966) [135mins]

Header image: Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons [File:1965Paris006.jpg]

Online course: New Light on the Old City: American Neo-Noir (returning March, 2023)

Klute-Dont-Be-AfraidNEW LIGHT ON THE OLD CITY: AMERICAN NEO-NOIR (1966-85)

­­A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (Spring, 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

In this original film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 16 key American films of the early Neo-Noir era (1966-1985) as well as 6 short pieces of noir writing.

The lectures will explore these films through the stories of their production and in the wider context of American society, history, and politics. We’ll also examine the careers of the major directors and writers.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation on the set film and theme and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) and occasionally read a short story. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed purely for enjoyment and discovery. All are welcome.

There are two identical weekly sessions to choose from:

Saturdays at 9am PT / 12pm ET [North America]

or

Tuesdays at 7:30pm UK time/8:30pm CET

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$150. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com for further information.

LECTURE PLAN

March 11 (Sat) or 14 (Tues)
Lecture 1. Experiments in Noir Aesthetics
SECONDS (1966) – John Frankenheimer [107min]

March 18 (Sat) or 21 (Tues)
Lecture 2. The Stark/Westlake Connection
POINT BLANK (1967)
– John Boorman [92min]
THE OUTFIT (1973)
– John Flynn [102min]
Reading: Excerpt from The Hunter (1962) by Richard Stark

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

April 1 (Sat) or 4 (Tues)
Lecture 3. American Paranoia
KLUTE (1971) – Alan J. Pakula [114min]
Reading: Short stories by Patricia Highsmith and Nedra Tyre

April 8 (Sat) or 11 (Tues)
Lecture 4. Dirty Cops and Small Time Crooks
DIRTY HARRY (1971) – Don Siegel [102min]
THE LAST RUN (1971) – Richard Fleischer [95min]

April 15 (Sat) or 18 (Tues)
Lecture 5. Guns in the Street
ACROSS 110th STREET (1972) – Barry Shear [102min]

THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973) – Peter Yates [103min]
Reading: Excerpt from Mikey and Nicky screenplay by Elaine May

April 22 (Sat) or 25 (Tues)
Lecture 6. The Private Eye Revisited I.
NIGHT MOVES (1975) – Arthur Penn [100min]

Reading: Excerpt from The Last Good Kiss (1978) by James Crumley  

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

May 6 (Sat) or 9 (Tues)
Lecture 7. The Private Eye Revisited II.
THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) – Robert Altman [112min]

May 13 (Sat) or 16 (Tues)
Lecture 8. The Private Eye Revisited III.
CHINATOWN (1974) – Roman Polanski [131min]

May 20 (Sat) or 23 (Tues)
Lecture 9. Is it Safe?
MARATHON MAN (1976) – John Schlesinger [125min]

May 27 (Sat) or 30 (Tues)
Lecture 10. The Late Show
THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE (1978 version) – John Cassavetes [108min]
Reading: Excerpt from Cutter and Bone (1976) by Newton Thornburg

June 3 (Sat) or 6 (Tues)
Lecture 11. Tech Noir
BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT (1982/2007) – Ridley Scott [117min]

June 10 (Sat) or 13 (Tues)
Lecture 12. Indie Noir
BLOOD SIMPLE (1984) – Joel Coen [97min]
AFTER HOURS (1985) – Martin Scorsese [97min]

Online Orson Welles course: The Other Side of the Shadow (Returning February 26, 2023)

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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHADOW:
A NEW LOOK AT ORSON WELLES

A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE
(February-May, 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

This original 12-week online film studies course, delivered via the Google Meet platform, is designed for serious Orson Welles fans as well as newcomers. We’re going to have a lot of fun as we dive deeply into the work of one of the 20th century’s greatest filmmakers.

The lectures cover the obvious Welles classics — Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Touch of Evil, and Chimes at Midnight — but will also explore some of the lesser-known films and TV programs, including many works that have appeared posthumously (and many unproduced screenplays that have never been published). I’m also eager to share the discoveries I’ve made in the Orson Welles archives in Turin, Munich, Michigan, and Indiana while researching my book At the End of the Street in the Shadow: Orson Welles and the City (Columbia University Press, 2016) and other publications.

Each week I’ll give an original fifty-minute lecture presentation on a set film and topic and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All students will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) in preparation for the session. Many of the films are easily available on YouTube or other streaming platforms. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for enjoyment and discovery. All are welcome.

Each group will be limited to a maximum of 12 students.

Weekly session: Sundays at 9am PT/12pm ET [North America] (which is 5pm UK time/6pm CET).

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be available to download as a video if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$140 (or £115). Please email me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com to book your place in the course.

LECTURE PLAN

Feb 26
Lecture 1: Introduction – The Myths and the Man
Movie: MAGICIAN: THE ASTONISHING LIFE AND WORK OF ORSON WELLES (documentary, 2014)

A: WELLES’S STYLE AND METHODS

March 5
Lecture 2: Orson and Film Noir
Movie: THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1947)

March 12
Lecture 3: Inventing Independent Film
Movies: FILMING OTHELLO (1978); ORSON WELLES: ONE-MAN BAND (documentary, 1995)

March 19
Lecture 4: The Essay Film
Movie: F FOR FAKE (1973); IT’S ALL TRUE: BASED ON AN UNFINISHED FILM BY ORSON WELLES (documentary, 1993)

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

April 2
Lecture 5: Return to Hollywood
Movie: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (1970-76/2018)

B: WELLES’S WORLD

April 9
Lecture 6: Orson’s 19th Century: Dinesen, Conrad, Melville, and Stevenson
Movie: THE IMMORTAL STORY (1968); Screenplay reading: THE DREAMERS (c. 1979)

April 16
Lecture 7: Orson Across Europe
Movie: MR. ARKADIN (1955); Radio show: THE DEAD CANDIDATE [The Adventures of Harry Lime] (1952)

April 23
Lecture 8: Orson’s Spain
Movies: AROUND THE WORLD WITH ORSON WELLES: PAYS BASQUE I (TV episode, 1955); IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE: TEMPO DI FLAMENCO (TV episode, 1964)

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

C: WELLES AND LITERATURE

May 7
Lecture 9: Adaptation
Movie: THE TRIAL (1962)

May 14
Lecture 10: Shakespeare
Movie: CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (1965)

D: WELLES AND AMERICA

May 21
Lecture 11: Power in the Streets
Movie: TOUCH OF EVIL (1958)

May 28
Lecture 12: The Post-Lincoln Republic
Movie: THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942) and CITIZEN KANE (1941)

*

PAST STUDENT COMMENTS
 
“The Orson Welles online course The Other Side of the Shadow by Matthew Asprey Gear offers an inspiring overview of the work, inspiration, and drives of a world-class filmmaker whose relevance is often reduced to a few early-career masterpieces. I can only recommend it!”
– Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and Director, European Film Academy
 
“Matthew is an excellent researcher and lecturer. He put Welles and his films into a fascinating historical context that has greatly enhanced my viewing experience.”
Charles
 
“The class was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the lesser known details of Welles’s career and to discourse over his films with like-minded enthusiasts!” 
Tyler, Chicago
 
“Matthew is very generous in sharing the fruits of the deep archival research he has done on Orson Welles. His expertise about his subject is plain to see and his thorough command of knowledge about Welles reaches well beyond the man’s work as a filmmaker to the many other media he worked in (theatre, television, radio, etc.). Matthew’s lectures are deeply informative and visually interesting. He is particularly good at drawing hidden thematic and historical connections between seemingly disparate projects in Welles’s work, helping to reveal the kernels of new ways to think about Welles as an artist. He is a great facilitator of the conversation portion of the class, helping to keep the conversation lively and guiding us toward stimulating subjects.”
Jesse
 
“Matthew Asprey Gear’s 12-week course was an opportunity to have an expert guide lead me through both familiar and obscure corners of Welles’s work. The format was an inviting way for both Welles neophytes and old Wellesians to join in a learning community and explore the unendingly fascinating films and life of a great artist.”
Josh, Texas
 
“It’s Terrific! Matthew Asprey Gear brings a wealth of Orson Welles research from firsthand sources and illuminates even the most ardent Welles fans. Come for the informative deep-dive lectures and stay for the lively discussions about Welles’ s many noses, wigs, cheap sets, and bad accents — and of course, the undeniable genius present in most of his films.”
Christian, Fort Lauderdale
 
“I highly recommend Matthew’s online Orson Welles course, for both beginners and seasoned Wellesians. The course brings new perspectives and insights to Welles’ extraordinary career.”
Ronan, Galway
 
“There was a sense of discovery even for someone who’s been interested in Orson Welles for more than a decade. A carefully planned structure made the course very intriguing.” 
Petri, Finland
 
“If you are an old Welles fan it is certainly a great opportunity to review and discuss his work and expand your knowledge on unrealized projects, screenplays, literary influences and the diverse facets of his life and work. If you are new to Orson Welles… lucky you! You will be in the right place to have a great overview of his extraordinary work that is certainly not limited to Citizen Kane. In both cases, fun and enjoyment are guaranteed!”

Elliot, Switzerland

“It was like knocking at the door where Orson is sleeping and wake him up with sweets and going down in the garden with the dog for a walk each Monday. Sometimes we talk sometimes we just walk, and it’s great the same.”
Emiliano, Rome
 
“Incomplete projects and hired-gun work in Welles’ filmography have usually worked against his reputation. But Welles scholars and aficionados, Matthew Asprey Gear among them, find in those inexhaustible plans, projects, and versions-of-projects, an artistic strength. If the truism is true that artworks are never completed, only abandoned, then Welles more than most artists gives us a rare chance to engage living projects as something more than a passive viewer. At least this is true of “The Magnificent Ambersons” or “Mr. Arkadin” or “Other Side of the Wind” – and of course Welles has just as many “traditionally completed” films as “Kane”, “Chimes at Midnight”, “The Trial”, etc. (Somewhere in between lay “F For Fake”, a finished film definitively about incompletion and fragmented points of view!) In any case, Matthew Asprey Gear’s class offers a robust survey of the completed and the uncompleted in Welles’ oeuvre, using the former to better understand the latter; and offering details from the archives at Michigan and Indiana and Munich one normally wouldn’t be able to come by (for instance, the weekly “unproduced screenplay of the week” feature). Highly recommended!”
Marc, San Francisco
 

My votes for the 2022 Sight & Sound poll

It was an honour to be invited to vote in the 2022 Sight & Sound poll. Here are my votes.

CITIZEN KANE (1941)

TOUCH OF EVIL (1958)

SHOAH (1985)

CHINATOWN (1974)

WHERE IS THE FRIEND’S HOUSE (1987)

LA DOLCE VITA (1960)

CASABLANCA (1942)

CÉLINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974)

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

CRÍA CUERVOS (1976)

Comment: An attempt to find a balance between movies which seem a perfect realisation of their type (Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia), those which transcend their type (Chinatown), and experimental movies which exhilaratingly reinvent the form (Citizen Kane, Céline and Julie Go Boating).

Here are the results: The Greatest Films of All Time

Online course: World War II Cinema: A Chronicle of the War on Film (now starting January 22)

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WORLD WAR II CINEMA:
A CHRONICLE OF THE WAR ON FILM

­­A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (January – April 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

In this original 12-week online film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 20 World War II films made between 1942 and 2016. Arranged as an international chronicle, these films collectively tell the story of the war from 1930s fascism to the surrender of Japan.

The course will simultaneously move through the history of World War II and explore questions provoked by the war film as a genre. We’ll watch a broad variety of war films – adventure stories, harrowing dramas, comedies, an animated film – by some of the world’s greatest directors. Its appropriately global approach will examine films from the USA, the UK, Italy, Japan, Poland, France, Hungary, and the Soviet Union.

The class is limited to a maximum of 12 participants. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) in your own time. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for exploration and discovery.

Weekly session: Sundays at 12pm PT/3pm ET (North America)
(8pm UK time/9pm CET)

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$140. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com for further information.

LECTURE PLAN

January 15  January 22  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 1. Introduction: World War II and Cinema
[Fascist Europe, 1938]

INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (USA, 1989) – Steven Spielberg [128min]
THE CONFORMIST (Italy, 1970) – Bernardo Bertolucci [108min]

January 22  January 29  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 2. The British War Movie
[England, 1939-42]

HOPE AND GLORY (UK, 1987) – John Boorman [113min]

January 29  February 5  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 3. Here and There, Now and Then
[Poland, 1939-42
]
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (USA, 1942) – Ernst Lubitsch [99min]
A GENERATION (Poland, 1955) – Andrzej Wajda [87min]

February 5  February 12  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 4. Hollywood’s War Effort
[North Africa, 1941-42]
CASABLANCA (USA, 1942) – Michael Curtiz [102min]
SAHARA (USA, 1943) – Zoltan Korda [97mins]

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

February 12  February 26  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 5. Hollywood After the War
[The Pacific War, 1941-43]
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (USA, 1953) – Fred Zinnemann [118min]
RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP (USA, 1958) – Robert Wise [93min]

February 26  March 5  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 6. The 1990s Revival
[The Pacific War, 1942-43
]
THE THIN RED LINE (USA, 1998) – Terrence Malick [146min]

March 5  March 12  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 7. French Reckoning
[Occupied France, 1942
44]
MR. KLEIN (France, 1976) – Joseph Losey [123min]
AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS (France, 1987) – Louis Malle [104mins]

March 12  March 19  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 8. The Soviet War Film
[The Eastern Front, 1943
]
IVAN’S CHILDHOOD (USSR, 1962) – Andrei Tarkovsky [95min]
COME AND SEE (USSR, 1985) –  Elem Klimov [146min]

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

March 19  April 2  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 9. The War as Epic
[The War in Europe, 1943-45
]
PATTON (USA, 1970) – Franklin J. Schaffner [170min]

April 2  April 9  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 10. The Holocaust on Film
[Auschwitz, 1944]
SON OF SAUL (Hungary, 2016) – László Nemes [107mins]

April 9  April 16  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 11. Human Drama
[The Pacific War and Japan, 1944-45
]
HEAVEN KNOWS, MR. ALLISON (USA, 1957) – John Huston [106min]
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (Japan, 1988) – Isao Takahata [89min]

April 16  April 23  [Rescheduled]
Lecture 12. Elegy
[Burma, 1945
]
THE PURPLE PLAIN (UK, 1954) – Robert Parrish [100min]
THE BURMESE HARP (Japan, 1956) – Kon Ichikawa [116min]

*

Online course: A Chronicle of the Frontier: The Western as Myth and History (returning Dec 3)

Chronicle of the Frontier

A CHRONICLE OF THE FRONTIER:

THE WESTERN AS MYTH AND HISTORY

­­A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (December 2022 – March 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

In this original 12-week online film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 19 Western features (and one short film) made between 1903 and 2010. Arranged as a chronicle of American history, these films collectively depict – and mythologize – a century and a half of frontier life, from the Creek War of 1813 to the lingering West of the 1960s.

The course will examine the history behind the myths, how these movies were made, and the aesthetics of the Western film. It will not only cover the American Western but also Westerns produced by Italy, Germany, and Mexico. We’ll also study the careers of legendary directors such as John Ford, Clint Eastwood, Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher. It is designed as both an overview for curious newcomers and a fresh look for long-time fans of this great and often controversial American genre.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) and occasionally read a short article. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for enjoyment and discovery. All are welcome.

Weekly session: Saturdays at 12pm PT/3pm ET (North America)
(8pm UK time/9pm CET)

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$140. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com for further information.

LECTURE PLAN

December 3
Lecture 1. Introduction: The Western as Myth and History
COMANCHE STATION (1960) – Budd Boetticher [73min]
A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964) – Sergio Leone [99min]
Short: The Great Train Robbery (1903) – Edwin S. Porter [13min]

December 10
Lecture 2. The Wild Frontier (1813-1845)
DAVY CROCKETT: KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER (1955) – Norman Foster [92min]
MEEK’S CUTOFF (2010) – Kelly Reichardt [104min]

December 17
Lecture 3. The Chisholm Trail (1851-1865)
RED RIVER (1948) – Howard Hawks [133min]
Reading: Excerpt from Roughing It by Mark Twain

* HOLIDAY BREAK *

January 14  January 21 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 4. The American Civil War and its Aftermath (1860s)
THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976) – Clint Eastwood [135min]
 

January 21  January 28 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 5. The Franco-Mexican War (1860s)
VERA CRUZ (1954) – Robert Aldrich [94min]

January 28  February 4 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 6. The Apache Wars (1870s-1886)
FORT APACHE (1948) – John Ford [125min]
WINNETOU – 2. TEIL [LAST OF THE RENEGADES] (1964) – Harald Rienl [94min]
Reading: Excerpt from Story of his Life by Geronimo

February 4  February 11 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 7. Dodge City and Tombstone (1876-1882)
WINCHESTER ’73 (1950) – Anthony Mann [97min]
MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946) – John Ford [97min]

* ONE WEEK BREAK *

February 11  February 25 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 8. Outlaws (1880-85)
ONE-EYED JACKS (1961) – Marlon Brando [141min]
Reading: Excerpt from The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid by Pat Garrett

February 25  March 4 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 9. The Johnson County War (1889-1893)
SHANE (1953) – George Stevens [118min]
Reading: Excerpt from The Virginian by Owen Wister 

March 4  March 11 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 10. The Ice Frontier (1898-1900)
THE GREAT SILENCE (1968) – Sergio Corbucci [105min]
THE SPOILERS (1942) – Ray Enright [87min]

March 11  March 18 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 11. The Mexican Revolution and After (1910s-1920s)
LA CUCARACHA [THE SOLDIERS OF PANCHO VILLA] (1959) – Ismael Rodríguez [97min]
THE THREE AMIGOS (1986) – John Landis [103min]
Reading: Excerpt from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B. Traven

March 18 March 25 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 12. The Lingering Frontier (1920s-1962)
COMES A HORSEMAN (1978) – Alan J. Pakula [116min]
LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1962) – David Miller [107min]
Reading: Excerpt from Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett

Online course: Dark City Confidential: A New Look at Classic Noir (1941-59)

DARK CITY CONFIDENTIAL:

A NEW LOOK AT CLASSIC NOIR (1941-59)

­­A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE (November 2022 – February 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

In this original 12-week online film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 17 key films of the classic Film Noir era (1941-1959) as well as 7 classic pieces of noir fiction. The lectures will explore these films through the stories of their production and in the wider context of American society, history, and politics. We’ll also examine the careers of the major directors and writers.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation on a set film and theme and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two), and occasionally read a short story. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for enjoyment and discovery. All are welcome.

There are two identical weekly sessions to choose from:

Saturdays at 5pm UK time/6pm CET [which is 9am PT / 12pm ET in North America]

or

Tuesdays at 7:30pm UK time/8:30pm CET [which is 11.30am PT / 2.30pm ET in North America]

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$140. Enrollments are open. Contact me at matthewaspreygear@gmail.com .

LECTURE PLAN

November 5 (Sat) or 8 (Tues)
Lecture 1. The Shamus
THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) – John Huston [1hr41]
Reading: ‘Fly Paper’ by Dashiell Hammett

November 12 (Sat) or 15 (Tues)
Lecture 2. Knight Moves
MURDER MY SWEET (1944) – Edward Dmytryk [1hr35]
Reading: ‘I’ll Be Waiting’ by Raymond Chandler

November 19 (Sat) or 22 (Tues)
Lecture 3. The Sewn-Up City
THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS (1946) – Lewis Milestone [1hr56]
Reading: ‘The Homecoming’ by Dorothy B. Hughes

November 26 (Sat) or 29 (Tues)
Lecture 4. A Way To Lose
OUT OF THE PAST (1947) – Jacques Tourneur [1hr37]
DETOUR (1945) – Edgar G. Ulmer [1hr08]
Reading: from The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

December 3 (Sat) or 6 (Tues)
Lecture 5. Eyes on the City
THE NAKED CITY (1948) – Jules Dassin [1hr36]
HE WALKED BY NIGHT (1948) – Alfred L. Werker/Anthony Mann [1hr19]

December 10 (Sat) or 13 (Tues)
Lecture 6. The Big Carnival
ACE IN THE HOLE (1951) – Billy Wilder [1hr51]
Reading: ‘Forever After’ by Jim Thompson

December 17 (Sat) or 20 (Tues)
Lecture 7. Murder Most Foul
IN A LONELY PLACE (1950) – Nicholas Ray [1hr34]
THE BIG HEAT (1953) – Fritz Lang [1hr30]

** HOLIDAY BREAK **

January 14 (Sat) or 17 (Tues)  January 21 (Sat) or 24 (Tues) [Rescheduled]
Lecture 8. Ida Lupino’s B-Noir
THE HITCH-HIKER (1953) – Ida Lupino [1hr11]
PRIVATE HELL 36 (1954) – Don Siegel [1hr20]

January 21 (Sat) or 24 (Tues)  January 28 (Sat) or 31 (Tues) [Rescheduled]
Lecture 9. Fighting a Swamp with a Teaspoon
THE BIG COMBO (1955) – Joseph E. Lewis [1hr46]
Reading: ‘Some Lucky License’ by Charles Willeford

January 28 (Sat) or 31 (Tues)  February 4 (Sat) or 7 (Tues) [Rescheduled]
Lecture 10. This Dirty Town
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957) – Alexander MacKendrick [1hr36]

February 4 (Sat) or 7 (Tues)  February 11 (Sat) or 14 (Tues) [Rescheduled]
Lecture 11. On the Border
TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) – Orson Welles [1998: 1hr51]
Reading: from A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes

February 11 (Sat) or 14 (Tues)  February 18 (Sat) or 21 (Tues) [Rescheduled]
Lecture 12. Samuel Fuller
HOUSE OF BAMBOO (1955) – Samuel Fuller [1hr42]

THE CRIMSON KIMONO (1959) – Samuel Fuller [1hr22]

Online course: American Cinema in the 70s: A New Look at New Hollywood

1970-Five-Easy-Pieces-02

AMERICAN CINEMA IN THE 70s:
A NEW LOOK AT NEW HOLLYWOOD

A 12-WEEK ONLINE FILM STUDIES COURSE
(October 2022 – January 2023)

PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ASPREY GEAR

The 1970s is one of the richest periods in American film history. In this original 12-week online film studies course, to be delivered via the Google Meet platform, we’ll study 16 key films of the New Hollywood era from such essential directors as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Elaine May, Peter Bogdanovich, Arthur Penn, Sidney Poitier, John Huston, Orson Welles, George Lucas, and William Friedkin.

The lectures will explore these films through the stories of their production and in the wider context of American society, history, and politics. We’ll examine the transformation of traditional genres such as the western and the detective film, and the tremendous changes in the film industry before the rise of the blockbuster era. We’ll also examine the careers of the major directors and writers.

Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students. Each week I’ll give an original lecture presentation on a set film and theme and then lead an in-depth group discussion. All participants will have a chance to contribute. The only weekly homework will be to watch a film (or two) in preparation for the session. There will be no final exam or essay. This course is designed for enjoyment and discovery. All are welcome.

Weekly session: Sundays at 9am PT/12pm ET [North America] (which is 5pm UK time/6pm CET).

(NB. The lecture portion of the session will be recorded and available for download if you are unable to attend a live session and need to catch up.)

Price per student: US$140. Email matthewaspreygear@gmail.com to enroll.

LECTURE PLAN

October 16
Lecture 1: The Dawn of New Hollywood
Movie: FIVE EASY PIECES (Bob Rafelson, 1970)

October 23
Lecture 2: The Revisionist Western
Movie: BUCK AND THE PREACHER (Sidney Poitier, 1972) & LAWMAN (Michael Winner, 1971)

** ONE WEEK BREAK **

November 6
Lecture 3: Nixon at the Movies
Movie: THE CONVERSATION (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)

November 13
Lecture 4: Nostalgia and Forgetting
Movies: WHAT’S UP, DOC? (Peter Bogdanovich, 1972) & FAT CITY (John Huston, 1972) 

November 20
Lecture 5: Men and Women on the Road
Movies: SCARECROW (Jerry Schatzberg, 1973) & ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE (Martin Scorsese, 1974)

November 27
Lecture 6: New Hollywood and its Discontents
Movie: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND (Orson Welles, 1970-6/2018)

December 4
Lecture 7: Winning Streaks
Movie: CALIFORNIA SPLIT (Robert Altman, 1974) & MIKEY AND NICKY (Elaine May, 1976)

December 11
Lecture 8: Crimes on the Edge of America
Movie: NIGHT MOVES (Arthur Penn, 1975)

December 18
Lecture 9: Crimes on the Edge of the Galaxy
Movie: STAR WARS (George Lucas, 1977)

** HOLIDAY BREAK **

January 15  January 22 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 10: The Wages of Fear
Movie: SORCERER (William Friedkin, 1977)

January 22  January 29 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 11: Napalm in the Morning
Movie: HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER’S APOCALYPSE (Fax Bahr/George Hickenlooper/Eleanor Coppola, 1991)

January 29 February 5 [Rescheduled]
Lecture 12: Permanent Vietnam
Movie: CUTTER’S WAY (Ivan Passer, 1981)

PAST STUDENT COMMENTS

“I truly enjoyed Matthew Asprey Gear’s American Cinema in the 70’s course on New Hollywood.  Matthew’s thoughtful film selections and insightful lectures provided new perspectives on a set of American films that I knew and loved as well as introducing me to new films that are now favorites.  His guided discussions about the films also allowed students to express ideas and hone their understanding of the films in an open and supportive forum. I highly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in learning more about film history and this era of Hollywood.”

– Doug

“Matthew’s 70s cinema course is a great way to enjoy some of the deeper cuts from the decade that gave us New Hollywood. It was fascinating to consider these films in the wider American context of the time. Above all, it was a lot of fun!”

– Ronan

“Matthew’s 70s Hollywood course revealed New Hollywood as an authentic film movement, not just a time when a lot of good movies happened to be made, and opened up my eyes to the idea that a body of films from this era contained a common approach or feeling, even if that approach wasn’t planned. Matthew includes a lot of interesting research and revealing facts in his lectures. He brings cross-disciplinary knowledge to these lectures, for instance exploring the films’ relationships to literature and discussing musical soundtracks in a way that reveals great musical knowledge.”

– Jesse

“The 70s course was informative and fun. The classes were a mix of well researched short lectures and lively discussions. The discussion ranged from the directors, writers and actors to the context of contemporary events. The movies all stand alone as compelling projects as well as weave together to illustrate a larger story of the period. I recommend the class for pure enjoyment but also as the framework to continue exploring on your own.”

– Derek