Culture   

In his legendary career as a director, Alfred Hitchcock created suspenseful films filled with flawed heroes, charming villains and moral ambiguity. In this four-week online course, we’ll consider some of Hitchcock’s very best films, focusing on two films each week that share a common theme. Students should watch the films on their own; in class, we’ll look at brief film clips and discuss key elements. Join us to explore the mind of a brilliant, complicated man and the surprising, confounding, entertaining world he created on film.

We will watch 10 outstanding movies, noting how each movie’s story was designed and visualized for the screen. We will delve into such topics as the 3-act structure of movie plots, linear and nonlinear narratives, shot sequencing, point of view, character development, dialogue, the placement of plot points, the maticintent, mood, and the contributions of cinematography, production design, film editing, and the musical soundtrack to storytelling. The movies are an international collection. They include: a silent German expressionist masterpiece, a visually stunning tale of World War I heroism, a medieval Swedish legend retold with a modern existentialist slant, the greatest “space opera” ever filmed, a French anthology film about the vagaries of love, a sly Hitchcock thriller, and more! Take this course and gain insights into how movies tell stories.

We will watch 10 outstanding movies, noting how each movie’s story was designed and visualized for the screen. We will delve into such topics as the 3-act structure of movie plots, linear and nonlinear narratives, shot sequencing, point of view, character development, dialogue, the placement of plot points, the maticintent, mood, and the contributions of cinematography, production design, film editing, and the musical soundtrack to storytelling. The movies are an international collection. They include: a silent German expressionist masterpiece, a visually stunning tale of World War I heroism, a medieval Swedish legend retold with a modern existentialist slant, the greatest “space opera” ever filmed, a French anthology film about the vagaries of love, a sly Hitchcock thriller, and more! Take this course and gain insights into how movies tell stories.

Ever gazed upon the amazing Native American ruins of the Desert Southwest? Ever attended an Indian Market and wondered about the beautiful crafts such as painted pottery and turquoise jewelry? If so, this class is for you. Join in the fun as we learn about the Navajo and the Hopi and so many more Southwestern cultures not only from their archaeological past, but also their vibrant, contemporary lives today. This course is envisioned as two parts but can also be taken as stand-alone courses. Fall 2024’s Part 1 will focus mostly on the Puebloans, and Spring 2025’s Part 2 will focus mostly on the Navajos. Our optional parallel read for Part 1 is Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko.

Participate in discussion of a philosophical question chosen weekly by SIG members.

This course will explore the history of Spanish art and some of its most important figures. Artists discussed will include Goya, Zurbaran, Velazquez, El Greco, Gaudi and others who worked during Spain’s Golden Age, the Counter Reformation and the Civil War. Influences on these artists from other countries and styles will add insight into the importance of their place in art history.

The Vienna Secession began in 1897 when Gustave Klimt and others chose to break away from the academic tradition. The Secession happened simultaneously with radical advances in music, architecture, and psychiatry. The movement included design and decorative arts in addition to painting and sculpture. Artists involved in the Secession include Oskar Koskoshka, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffman, and Egon Schiele.