Political Science 305

 

Hollywood and Politics: Hollywood and the Electoral Process

 

“The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously”.

      Hubert H. Humphrey

 

Spring 2005:  Tuesdays 6:40 P.M.-9:30 P.M. – Social Studies 105                 Arizona State University

Office Hours: Tuesday 4:30 P.M.-6:00 P.M. or by appointment                      James L. Nova                                                                

                                                                                                                           Office: Coor 6730

                                                                                                                            Phone: 480-727-7066

                                                                                                                            E-mail: jnova@imap2.asu.edu

 

Course Description

 

This course is designed to cause students to think about how Hollywood and the media in general either inadvertently or with malice aforethought attempt to affect governmental policies, legislation and the electoral process.  We will read and explore five books that have had a major impact or reflect the major impact caused by others on the political process, on politicians and eventually on film. We will also explore various genres of film.  We will analyze the goals of the filmmaker and how Hollywood has tried and continues to try to shape the politics of the day.  We will also discuss whether the use of the word “Hollywood” as a descriptive noun is warranted.  Is there really a thing called “Hollywood” that has a singular unity of thought and a singular political agenda?  If film is illusion, then is “Hollywood’s” view illusory?  If, as Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage…” why is Hollywood only in California?

 

Because there will be many diverse viewpoints and many diverse ways of attempting to affect elections, the electorate and the political process, critical analysis will be more important than rote memory.  We will learn how Hollywood films had their genesis in the likes of Machiavelli and Sun Tzu and how these films used military-like themes and not so subtle political agendas in an attempt to sway public opinion.  The Cold War, political conspiracies, anti-war sentiments and demagoguery through filmmaking will all be explored.  Students will be expected to use their own critical thinking and challenge “accepted doctrine” throughout the course.

 

There is a comparison paper required.  You are asked to compare and contrast the philosophies and conclusions of Machiavelli’s “The Prince” with S.J. Mandelbaum’s “Boss Tweed’s New York” and Woodward and Bernstein’s “All the President’s Men” and how and if Hollywood used any of the principles postulated. The paper should not be less than five (5) nor more than seven (7) pages in length.

 

All papers should be double-spaced using Times New Roman 12-point font with one-inch margins.  All sources must be noted and the proper use of footnotes and attributions must be employed.  All papers must have a cover page with the class, title of the paper and all of your identifying information.  Papers should be stapled in the upper left-hand corner and no binders are to be used.

 

 On rare occasion we may go beyond the 9:30 P.M. on nights when the film being shown is long or if we have a guest speaker.  Or we may start early on some nights.  As much warning as possible will be given if start or end times change.

 

NOTE:  Some films contain objectionable language and violent and/or sexual material.  If you are offended or uncomfortable with such depictions, please reconsider taking this course.

 

Required reading

 

1.                  Sun Tzu.  The Art of War. Oxford Press

2.                  Machiavelli, Niccolo.  The Prince.  Bantam Books

3.                  Mandelbaum, S.J.  Boss Tweed’s New York.  Ivan R. Dee, Inc.

4.                  Bernstein, Carl and Woodward, Bob.  All the President’s Men.  Simon&Schuster

5.         Giglio, Ernest.  Here’s Looking at You:Hollywood, Film and Politics.

          

All cell phones must be set to vibrate or turned off during class.  If a student talks on the phone during class the student will be asked to leave and will be marked absent.  A second offense will result in a grade penalty at the sole discretion of the instructor.

 

Grading

 

Grades will be based on the following allocation:

 

Two Unannounced Quizzes            15%

Comparison Paper                            20%

Term Paper                                       40%

Final Examination                            25%

 

Proper spelling and grammar and good use of the English language will be taken into consideration when assigning a grade.

 

Cheating or plagiarizing will result in failing the assignment and, at the instructor’s discretion, will probably result in failing the course.  The University’s Policy on Academic Honesty will be strictly enforced.

 

The quizzes will be comprised solely of essay questions.  The final examination may contain essay, true/ false and multiple-choice questions and will test material studied during the entire course.

 

Class Schedule

 

January 18 – “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”.  Does naivete ever win out over crass

                       hypocrisy?

 

January 25 – “Citizen Kane”. Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?

                       Reading of Sun Tzu “On War” completed.  

                       Term Paper Requirements distributed in class.

 

February 1 – “Fail Safe”. Did the cold war foster rational paranoia or irrational fear?

                       Reading of Machiavelli’s “The Prince” completed.

 

February 8 – “Seven Days in May”. Is the military better trained and more capable than                                                             

                       Civilian government of running the country in a time of war or perceived           

                       aggression or even terrorism?

                       

February 15 – “The Manchurian Candidate” – original version.  Was the communist

                          infiltration fear real or was Joseph McCarthy the real demagogue?

 

February 22 – “The Manchurian Candidate” – remake.  What is Hollywood trying to say?

 

March 1 – “Election”. Is this an accurate depiction of how the process works or should             

                   Work? 

                    Reading of “Boss Tweed’s New York” completed.

 

March 8 – “Reds”.  What is Hollywood really saying about Russian-style communism?

 

March 22 – “The Quiet American”.  Is this the way Hollywood thinks the rest of the

                      World sees us?

                       Reading of “All the President’s Men” completed.

                       Comparison Paper Due.

 

March 29 – “All the President’s Men”.  Did blind faith and obedience corrupt the system         

                     of checks and balances?

 

April 5 – “Beach Red”.  A war movie or an anti-war movie?

 

April 12 – “Nixon”. Crook or commander?  Domestic diva or Internationalist hero?

 

April 19 – “Bulworth”. Fantasy or Hollywood’s version of reality?

                   Reading of “Here’s Looking at You: Hollywood, Film and                           

                   Politics” completed.

                   Term Paper Due.

 

April 26 – “Wag the Dog”.  Are political campaigns all image or is there really any truth

                    substance?  Whose truth are we to believe?

 

May 3 – “Fahrenheit 9/11”. Is this really a documentary?  What is a documentary and

               what is its purpose?

               Last Class and Final Examination.