The American Cinema telecourse, an introductory course in American film and culture, brings Hollywood into clearer analytical focus. An art form, an industry, and a system of representation and communication, American film is a complicated and profoundly influential element of American culture. The course will explore how Hollywood films work technically, artistically, and culturally to reinforce and challenge America's self-image.

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

• Gain a working knowledge of American film history, from the silent era to the present day;
• Develop your ability to recognize and use basic technical and critical vocabulary for cinema;
• Understand how technology of cinema relates to film art;
• Understand the place of Hollywood film in American popular culture;
• Gain a basic understanding of the economics of the film industry;
• Understand the role of genre in American film history, and recognize how some of the most popular genres express American cultural ideas;
• Develop a more sophisticated concept of "realism" as it relates to motion pictures; Question your role as a passive spectator, and increase your ability to watch films actively and critically.

The required textbook for this course is:

• Belton, John. American Cinema/American Culture. 2nd Ed. McGraw-Hill, 2005.
• Sikov, Ed. Study Guide to Accompany American Cinema/American Culture. 2nd Ed. McGraw-Hill, 2005

  For information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/

Additional Materials

This course includes video programs. See TV Schedule for broadcasting details.

The course grading criteria are listed below:

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : jriggin@nvcc.edu
Campus Telephone (also voice mail): (703) 323-3357
ELI Telephone: (703) 323-3347

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.