Continuing Education

136 West 21st Street

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the evolution and impact of film criticism in society. By delving into the origins of criticism and its influence on societal perceptions and the historical significance of films, students will dissect how critics' assessments have molded cinematic discourse. We'll examine the works of renowned critics such as André Bazin, Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert and A.O. Scott, and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, alongside screenings of seminal films like The Best Years of Our Lives, A Man Escaped, Nashville and Blue Velvet. Additionally, students will investigate user-based reviewing platforms and reflect on the evolving role of the critic in shaping our experiences as film enthusiasts. By the end of the course, students can also expect to be familiar with the basic language of film analysis and composition (editing, mise-en-scène, lighting); a range of scholarship and epistemology specific to film criticism; and the broad social, institutional and historical developments of the medium over the last 120 years. Everyone from the filmmaker to the casual moviegoer is welcome; no background in film is required.
Note: This course is held on campus at SVA.