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From "The Graduate" to "Network": The Age of Vietnam and Watergate on Film

CAU On-campus Summer Programs

Week 4: August 2-8, 2009

From "The Graduate" to "Network": The Age of Vietnam and Watergate on Film

"And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson...." If you can sing the next few lines, chances are good that you saw The Graduate when it opened. But whether or not you lined up for Midnight Cowboy, Five Easy Pieces, Klute, Chinatown, and Network back in the day, this class will be a revelation. Shaped by the events and social license of the 1960s, sobered by war and Watergate, spurred by the end of movie censorship in 1966, Hollywood movies enjoyed a brief golden age from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Tucked between censor-approved, white-bread movies of the 1950s and megabudget, market research-tested video blockbusters of the 1980s and '90s, the films of the 1970s still seem surprisingly honest, open, and intense. Jonathan Kirshner, professor of government at Cornell and CAU's popular film guide, will lead our discussion of greater and some lesser-known films from this period. As they immerse us in the time of JFK's, RFK's, and MLK's assassinations and Nixon's last farewell, we'll explore the potent social and political currents of that period and consider what these filmmakers were trying to accomplish. How does one "read" film to identify and decipher the techniques directors use to communicate ideas visually? How well do they succeed? In hindsight, do the films seem timeless or bound to an age now gone? Whatever your take on the 1960s and '70s, whether you are knowledgeable about films or just a fan, we're sure you will enjoy this week of stimulating viewing and discussion.

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Once you've registered, we'll send you materials on the academic program and other information to help you prepare for CAU. Please include deposits ($50 per person, per class) with your registration. All deposits are applied to the full program charges. See the On-campus Summer Program Fees page for information about program fees and deposit amounts.