CG 357: Modern Greek Culture and Film FALL 2015

Instructor: Kelly Polychroniou Office and Tel.: 745 Commonwealth Ave, Rm. 436B, 617-353-2427 Email: kpol@bu.edu Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 9:30-11:00 AM, and by appointment Class meets: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2:00 - 3:00 PM. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces students to Greek cultural, social, historical, political, economic and religious issues through a range of films that have reflected and shaped contemporary Greek society. We will discuss entertainment, education, popular culture, propaganda, and identity- and nation-building practices as reflected in the most influential products of Greek cinema. Students will confront important figures in Greek literature, history, and politics thereby gaining familiarity with Greek identity and culture. All films have English subtitles and readings, lectures, discussions, and written assignments will be in English. Credits: 4 Prerequisites: No prerequisites. COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

By the end of the term, if students attend class regularly, complete the assignments, and participate in class discussions, they will have gained knowledge of: 1. Modern Greek History since World War I 2. Twentieth-Century Greek Music and Composers 3. Modern Greek Politics and Economy 4. Greek Cinema 5. Contemporary Greek Culture and Identity Topics addressed will include Greek independence, sovereignty, and nationalism; relations with Turkey, other Balkan states, and the European community; the civil war and its effects on contemporary Greece; the development of contemporary political parties and political debate; contemporary Greek literature, music and film and their influences the contemporary musical and cinematic world.

OUTCOMES: The successful student will be able to:

• Describe the history of Greek cinema from the 1940s to the present day. • Describe the relationship between historical events and important themes in Greek cinema • Trace the basic political and social history of Modern Greece from the 1920s to the present • Identify and discuss important figures and techniques in Greek cinema

FILMS

Each film assigned will be available for screening in a designated classroom (room TBA) twice in the week before discussion. They will also be available on reserve in the Krasker Film Library and the Geddes Library, thus every student will have multiple opportunities to view assigned films. REQUIRED TEXTS Available at the Bookstore

• Karalis, Vrasidas, A History of Greek Cinema, Continuum, 2012 • Clogg, R., A Concise History of Greece, Cambridge University Press, 2002 • Horton, Andrew, The Films of Theo Angelopoulos, Princeton University Press, 1997 • Kazantzakis, N., Zorba The Greek • Gage, Nicholas, Eleni

OTHER READINGS:

• Papadimitriou, Lydia, Greek Cinema: Texts, Histories, Identities, Intellect, 2011 • Michalczyk, John J, Costa Gavras: Political Fiction Film, Art Alliance Press, 1984 • MacKinnon, Kenne Young, Jeff, Kazan: The Master Director Discusses his Films – Interviews

with Elia Kazan, Newmarket Press, 1999 • Zografou, M. & Pateraki, M., “The ‘Invisible’ Dimension of Zorba’s Dance” (handout).

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Attendance, Preparation and Active Participation: 20% *Oral Report (10 minutes) and Handout (2 pages): 10% **Term Paper (10-12 pages) 20% Midterm exam: 25% Final exam: 25% *Oral Report and Handout: Each student will choose a topic for an oral report of 10 minutes. Each report should be accompanied by a handout or PowerPoint slides, listing the main points students should take away from the presentation and providing a list of sources used to prepare the report. Reports will

begin in the fifth week of the semester and an example report will be provided to you by the second week. Topics must be approved by the instructor and discussed in office hours at least one week before the presentation in class. **Term Paper: Each student will present a Term Paper developed from research in an area related to Greek Cinema and Modern Greek history and culture. The paper may build on the work presented in the Oral Report but cannot simply duplicate that work. Every student must submit a topic for the term paper by the seventh week of the semester. In week nine, each student will submit an outline and list of sources to be used for the paper. Papers should present and develop arguments about relatively focused subject (for example, Melina Mercouri’s political career in Parliament or as Minister of Culture, the Metaxas dictatorship, or the work of a Greek film director or a particular, historically relevant film not covered in class). POLICIES

Absences More than two unexcused absences will lower the grade for class participation. If you miss class, you are responsible for material that was covered in class. Academic Integrity Plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct in this course will result in the report of the case to the Dean’s Office, a failing grade for the course and/or referral of the case to the CAS Academic Conduct Committee, which may impose penalties up to and including expulsion from the University. Please consult the College’s Academic Conduct Code if you have questions about the kinds of actions that constitute plagiarism. The syllabus, course descriptions, and all class lectures are copyright by Kelly Polychroniou. Lectures may not be reproduced in any form or otherwise copied, displayed or distributed without the written permission of the instructor. Please note in particular, that selling or buying lecture notes or summaries is prohibited in this class and may result in disciplinary action under the B.U. Code of Student Responsibilities. The Boston University Academic Conduct Code may be accessed here: http://www.bu.edu/academics/policies/academic-conduct-code/ Students with Disabilities Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability, please contact Lorraine Wolf (lwolf@bu.edu), Director of Disability Services, as early as possible in the term.

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Week 1 Greek Culture and History Since 1900

The creation of the modern Greek nation; an overview of Greek history and cultural developments from the early twentieth century through the first World War, the epochal events of the 1920s, the second World War and subsequent Civil War, the overthrow of democracy in the 1960s, and Greek membership in the European Union.

Reading:

• A Concise History of Greece, by R. Clogg, pp. 1-97

Week 2 History of Greek Cinema

Film: Never on Sunday (1960) Directed by Jules Dassin Greek Cinema made perhaps its greatest impact on the non-Greek world through this film, in which an American tourist and scholar of the classics tries to reform the life of a Greek prostitute living in Piraeus. The film brought together Jules Dassin, a major philhellene and American film director, Melina Mercouri, a prominent Greek actress, singer, activist, politician and a strong advocate for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum to Athens, and Manos Hadjidakis, a leading Greek composer and theorist of Greek Music. Readings:

• V. Karalis, A History of Greek Cinema, pp. 88-137. • Shelley, Peter, Jules Dassin: The Life and Films, McFarland, 2011 • Foundation of Melina Mercouri (http://www.melinamercourifoundation.org.gr/). • Manos Hadjidakis – The official website (http://www.hadjidakis.gr/).

Week 3 Greek Immigration and Film

Film: America America (1963) Directed by Elia Kazan Born in Turkey but of Greek descent, Elia Kazan tells the story of an Anatolian Greek who desires to move to America in the face of local oppression. Readings:

• A History of Greek Cinema, Chapter 3: “Glory and Demise: 1960-1970.” • A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg, pp. 7-46. • Elia Kazan and Jeff Young. Kazan: The Master Director Discusses His Films: Interviews

with Elia Kazan. New York: Newmarket Press, 1999, pages 271-289. • Richard Schickel. Elia Kazan: A Biography. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. • Ronald Takaki, “A Different Mirror: The Making of Multicultural America,” in A

Different Mirror : A History of Multicultural America”

Week 4 Literature and Film: Kazantzakis

Film: Zorba the Greek (1964) Directed by Michael Cacoyannis In this award-winning film based on the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis, perhaps Greece’s most acclaimed novelist in the twentieth century, Greek and British culture clash on the island of Crete. This film also marked the international recognition of the music of Mikis Theodorakis. Readings:

• Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek (excerpts). • Papadimitriou, Lydia, Greek Cinema: Texts, Histories, Identities, Intellect, 2011: Chapter

8: “Dance and Cultural Identity in the Greek Film.” • Zografou, M. & Pateraki, M., “The ‘Invisible’ Dimension of Zorba’s Dance”.

Week 5 Contemporary Politics and Film

Film: Z (1964) Directed by Costa Gavras Based on actual documents from the investigation of the 1963 assassination of Gregoris Lamrakis, a pacifist activist and leader, this film treats issues of revolution, oligarchy, and fascism. Readings:

• A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg, pp. 142-166. • Mellen, Joan, “Fascism in the Contemporary Film”, Film Quarterly, vol. 24, n. 4, 1971. • Papadimitriou, Lydia, Greek Cinema: Texts, Histories, Identities, Intellect, “The Fall of

the Junta.” • Mikis Theodorakis: Resistance songs (available in the Geddes library).

*BEGIN STUDENT REPORTS*

Week 6

Greek Cinema under the Junta

Film: Evdokia (1971) Directed by Alexis Damianos

Damianos’ highly acclaimed and extremely influential film about the marriage of a prostitute and a soldier was made during the period Greece was ruled by an oligarchic junta (1967-1974). Readings:

• A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg, pp. 166-201. • Evdokia: In Greek cinema – Texts, Histories, Identities by Lydia Papadimitriou and

Yannis Tzioumakis (2012) (selections). • “Alexis Damianos” in History of Greek Cinema By Vrasidas Karalis (2012), pp. 121-28,

236-37. *MIDTERM EXAM*

Week 7 Traditional Greek Music in Film

Film: Rembetiko (1983) Directed by Costas Ferris Ferris’ film is based on the biography of rebetiko singer Marika Ninou, famous for her Greek urban folk music, known as rebetiko. It touches on the issues of the Greeks’ expulsion from Turkey and the development of rebetiko music, a tradition that reflects Greek experiences in the early twentieth century. Readings:

• A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg, pp. 91-106, 202-239. • “Rebetiko,” In History of Greek Cinema by V. Karalis, pp. 193-213.

*TERM PAPER TOPICS DUE*

Week 8 Greek Civil War and Film

Film: Eleni (1985) Directed by Peter Yates Greek-American journalist and author Nicholas Gage’s award-winning book Eleni tells the story of his attempt to learn the truth about his mother’s death during the Greek Civil War, exploring issues of Greek political strife in the years after World War II. Readings:

• A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg, pp. 121-141. • Eleni, Nicholas Gage (1983).

Week 9 World War II and Greek Film

Film: Mediterraneo (1991) Directed by Gabriele Salvatores Salvatores’ influential film tells the story of Italian soldiers from the second World War who were marooned on an eastern-Aegean Greek island. Readings:

• Mediterraneo (1991). March 22, 1992. Review/Film Festival; Roundelay Of Love On an Isle In Wartime (http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0CE0D9153DF931A15750C0A964958260).

• V. Karalis, A History of Greek Cinema, pp. 217-238 *TERM PAPER OUTLINE DUE*

Week 10 The Films of Theos Angelopoulos

Film: Ulysses’ Gaze (1995) Directed by Theo Angelopoulos A Greek-American filmmaker travels across the Balkans in an effort to recover the (lost) first reels of film ever taken in Greece. Readings:

• “Theo Angelopoulos, a man against frontiers: Ulysse’s gaze,” International Journal of Psychoanalysis 85 (2004): 1017-1021.

• “A Modern Odyssey: Uncompromising “Ulyssess Gaze” asks unanswerable questions,” Michael Wilmington, in Chicago Tribune, 1997; http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-04-18/entertainment/9704180372_1_cannes-film-festival-angelopoulos-modern-odyssey

• Theo Angelopoulos: http://www.theoangelopoulos.com/ • V. Karalis, A History of Greek Cinema, pp. 239-259

Week 11 Greeks in America and American Film

Film: My big fat Greek wedding (2002) Directed by Joel Zwick This huge box-office hit used humor to raise issues about the Greek-American experience in the United States and subsequently became a Broadway show. The film arguably encouraged the audience to do more than laugh at the clash of cultures depicted. Readings:

• Dan Georgakas,“The Greeks in America,” Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora, 1987 • Bottomley, G., From Another Place: Migration and the Politics of Culture, Cambridge,

1992. • Failla, A. “Nia Vardalos and My Big Fat Greek Wedding” • Gupta, A and Ferguson, J. “Beyond ‘Culture’: Space, Identity, and Politics of Difference,

Cultural Anthropology • Robertson, J. P. and Karagiozis, N. “My Big Fat Greek Fairy Tale: Children’s Uses and

Receptions of Fairy Tale Narratives in Greek-as-a-Second-Language Learning Environment,” Reading Teacher 57: 406-416.

*TERM PAPER DUE*

Week 12 Greece and Turkey in Film

Film: A touch of spice (2003) Directed by Tassos Boulmetis

Set initially in the period (from 1955 to 1978) when ethnic Greeks were expelled from Istanbul, Boulmetis’ film tells the tale of love thwarted by international politics.

Readings:

• V. Karalis, A History of Greek Cinema, pp 239-265 • Papadimitriou, Lydia, Greek Cinema: Texts, Histories, Identities, Intellect, 2011

pp 17-37

Week 13 Greek Culture in the European Diaspora

Film: El Greco (2007) Directed by Yannis Smaragdis

Smaragdis’ film focuses on the life of Domenicos Theotokopoulos, the Renaissance painter known to the world as “El Greco,” who spent most of his career in Spain. Readings:

• Kimmelman, Michael (2003-10-03). "Art Review; El Greco, Bearer of Many Gifts". The New York Times.

• Harrison, Helen A (2005-03-20). "Art Review; Getting in Touch With That Inner El Greco". New York Times.

• “El Greco: Homage to Crete and a critique of the Church,” in the Film Prospector (critique): http://thefilmprospector.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/el-greco-homage-to-crete-and-a-critique-of-the-church/

•  Papadimitriou, Lydia, Greek Cinema: Texts, Histories, Identities, Intellect, 2011 Greek Cinema Without Greece: Investigating Alternative Formations Gary Needham

• A History of Greek Cinema, V. Karalis pp282-285

Week 14

Greek Film Today

Film: Alps (2011) Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos "A truly original work and a masterpiece of contemporary existentialism, confirming Lanthimos as Europe’s most pertinent hope in…arthouse cinema." – Christoph Huber, Cinema Scope

Readings:

• The Dark Side Of Normal: Yorgos Lanthimos Interviewed (2013): In “The Quietus” by Rob White).

• Yorgos Lanthimos (official webpage): http://www.lanthimos.com/ • A History of Greek Cinema, V. Karalis (finish) • A Concise History of Greece, R. Clogg (finish)

*FINAL EXAM*