Most university courses go for 12 weeks or so, which is approximately the duration of a standard semester. However film critic David Stratton’s epic course at The University of Sydney, titled A History of World Cinema, goes for a little longer. Like, 10 years.
Enrollments are now open for the latest iteration of the course, which begins this month. Those eager beaver film students keen to be taught by the beloved cinephile, however, will need to get a move on as the course – which began in 2009 – is coming into its last leg.
The section that commences this month is a deep dive into cinema made from 1966-1967. Here is the official description taken from the university website:
“Now in its tenth year, this course attempts to examine the chronology of world cinema while placing cinema’s achievements in the context of world events, both political and social. During the period to be covered, the strict US Production Code that oversaw the censorship of films screened in the USA was drastically revised, ushering in an era of greater freedom for filmmakers, whilst at the same time challenging censorship in conservative countries like Australia.
“The consolidation of colour TV in the US also brought about the almost total switch to colour films – from black and white – in many countries. During this period the first of a new generation of young, movie-literate, directors began to emerge. Meanwhile, cinema in Europe continued to flourish, especially in the Communist countries of Eastern Europe. The course will cover as much ground as possible with a great many clips from the most interesting and important films of the two years and with a feature film screened in full at each session.”
Classes run from September 20 to December 6. There are 12 sessions (36 hours in total) and admission costs $325 including GST. Visit here for more information.
