Music and Film Sound MUS 337 - utdirect.utexas.edu
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Music and Film Sound
MUS 337
Unique Number: 23125
Spring 2021
T/Th, 2-3:30pm
Professor: Hannah Lewis
E-mail: hlewis@austin.utexas.edu
Office Hours: Thurs. 12-1:30 via Zoom (please notify me in advance), or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores music and sound in cinema from the early twentieth century to
today. Through an examination of a handful of films covering a range of genres and
styles, we will consider the interaction between music and the moving image, delving into
a variety of theoretical questions about the relationship between sound and image and
music’s role in constructing meaning. In focusing on the soundtrack – which musical
works or styles are quoted, and how these works interact with the film’s narrative – each
film provides a point of departure for the exploration of a broad range of issues related to
music and its sociocultural significance.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
§ Gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the function of music in cinema
through the deep analysis of a handful of significant films
§ Understand and identify important audiovisual analytical concepts and apply
them to new films
§ Understand how films and their music reflect and shape the cultural moment in
which they appeared, particularly when it comes to issues of representation and
identity (race, gender, ethnicity, etc.)
§ Strengthen research and writing skills, and understand how in-depth historical
research can enrich our experience as musicians and/or audience members
WRITING FLAG:
This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students
experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write
regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback
from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity
to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’
work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your
written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical
Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
1DETAILS ON COURSE MEETINGS:
Instructional mode: ONLINE – this course is designed to be 100% online. Students will
be able to complete all required course activities remotely. This course is synchronous but
will also involve asynchronous learning activities where students will be required to
complete coursework on their own. Enrolled students will be notified by the instructor
which assignments will be asynchronous, when those assignments will be available, and
when they will be due.
Please plan to be available every week during the scheduled lecture times (T/Th 2-3:30).
Most weeks there will be one asynchronous lecture on Tuesday and one synchronous
lecture on Thursday; I will give you advance notice if this schedule changes. On
asynchronous lecture days, all work will be due at 5pm, and on synchronous lecture days
work is due before class begins at 2. Please check Canvas frequently, as I will use Canvas
to announce all course details.
When you Zoom into class, please find a quiet place free of distractions, with strong
internet connection. It’s best if you can listen with headphones or good speakers, since we
will often listen closely to music during class. If you anticipate any difficulties with
attending the synchronous portions of the class, or with finding the proper space or tools
necessary for a distraction-free experience, please notify me as soon as possible, and we
can discuss possible solutions.
COURSE MATERIALS:
Reading Assignments:
Readings are available as PDFs under “Files” on Canvas. You must complete the reading
assignments on your own time BEFORE coming to class.
Viewing Assignments:
In order to get the most out of each class and to fully participate in class discussion, you
are required to complete all viewing assignments BEFORE coming to class.
You may complete the assigned viewing in any of the following ways:
§ Stream the film on Swank or Kanopy through the UT Library card catalog
§ Many of the required films are available to stream for rent or purchase on
Amazon or iTunes
§ You are also always welcome to purchase the DVDs
Regardless of how you watch, make sure that your viewing experience is a focused one.
Listen on headphones or good speakers (not laptop speakers), do your best to watch
without interruption, and try to watch on as big a screen as possible.
Additional Materials:
I will use Canvas to post handouts, assignments, and assignment prompts. Please check
the site regularly.
2ASSIGNMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS:
Grade breakdown:
20% Attendance, Participation, and Short Participation Assignments
10% Film Viewing Notes
20% Film Scene Analyses
10% Reading Annotations
10% 2 short essays (750-1000 words each)
30% Final Paper (8-10 pages)
8% for proposal, viewing notes, scene analyses,
outline/bibliography, and peer review
2% for in-class presentation
20% for written paper
A=94-100 B=83-86 C=73-76 F=59 and below
A-=90-93 B-=80-82 C-=70-72
B+=87-89 C+=77-79 D=60-69
Attendance and Participation:
You are expected to attend all classes, complete all reading, viewing, and response papers
assigned before each class, and participate in class discussion. We will work in class on
many of the details pertaining to the written assignments; therefore, it is crucial to your
success in the course that you make attendance a priority.
During our synchronous sessions, I expect participation in small group and larger class
discussions. There will also frequently be small, low-stakes participation assignments on
Canvas, which are graded on a credit/no credit basis.
Film Viewing Notes:
For each film assigned, you will be expected to complete viewing notes, with a brief
description of each scene and what happens in the plot, visuals, sound effects, and music.
I will spot check these assignments for accuracy; they will be graded on a credit/no credit
basis. The notes are due every week on Tuesday by 5:00pm, and no late
assignments will be accepted. More details will be provided in class.
Film Scene Analyses:
Each week, I will ask you to re-watch at least one scene from the assigned film in depth.
For each scene you will be expected to complete a more in-depth description of the scene,
using a template provided. I will read these analyses more carefully for accuracy. The
notes are due every week on Thursday by 2:00pm, and no late assignments will
be accepted. More details will be provided in class.
Reading Annotations:
Throughout the semester, you will annotate 1-2 readings per week. Each annotation
should be 4-5 sentences, clearly and concisely paraphrasing (in your own words) the thesis
3and argument of each reading, the kind(s) of evidence the author uses, and the writing’s
strengths/weaknesses. Annotations are due every week on Thursday by 2:00pm, and
no late assignments will be accepted. Annotations will be graded on a credit/no
credit basis. More details will be provided in class.
Written Assignments:
Two Short Essays (750-1000 words each)
Twice during the semester, you will build on your audiovisual scene analysis to write a
paper, constructed around your own original argument about how sound and music
function in the scene. You may choose which two weeks you write about, but at least one
must be completed before spring break. Each paper is due by Friday at 5pm the
week after we have studied the selected film.
Final Paper (8-10 pages): due Friday 5/7 (5pm)
You will build on your analysis and writing skills to write a final research paper on a film
of your choice. Your paper must engage with extensive primary and secondary literature
on your film. You will be required to hand in a proposal, viewing notes, scene analyses,
outline/bibliography, and peer review, paper outline with a preliminary annotated
bibliography, and to complete a peer review of a complete draft of your paper before the
final paper is due. Additionally, you will present your findings in the last weeks of class.
More details will be provided closer to the deadline.
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance and Participation
§ Even though we will be meeting online via Zoom, I expect you to make
attendance a priority. Please contact me in advance if you have an excused
absence that will prevent you from attending class.
§ Excused absences are any absence for which you have a valid, verifiable excuse: a
significant medical situation (with a doctor’s note) or other family emergency.
o You are also responsible for any content that you miss due to absence,
including assignments or in-class activities.
§ Lateness: Arrive to class on time. If you are late to class three times it will count as
one absence.
§ Late work: No late film viewing notes, scene analyses, participation assignments,
or annotations will be accepted, unless you have an excused absence and notify
me in advance. Late papers will lose one grade point per day (A to A-, etc.), and
will receive a zero after one week past the deadline. If you are struggling to meet
deadlines for any reason, please touch base with me so we can discuss possible
ways to work with you so you can succeed in the course.
Laptops and Technology
§ During class, please carve out a work environment that is free of distractions. Log
into Zoom on a computer rather than your phone, as the quality is much better
that way. Please keep your video on during class. If you have a reason you must
turn your video off, let me know in advance.
4§ We will complete a great deal of class work on Canvas, which works much better
on a computer than on a smaller device. Make sure you have a setup where you
can go between Zoom and Canvas.
Email and Communication Policy
Email is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, you are
responsible for reading your email for university and course-related information and
announcements. You are responsible for keeping the university informed about changes
to your e-mail address. You should check your e-mail regularly and frequently – I
recommend daily – to stay current with university-related communications, some of
which may be time-critical. Email is the primary mode of communication for this course.
It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that their email settings are such that they
can receive official email from the university, and more specifically, through Canvas. I
will do my best to respond to your emails in a timely manner. Please allow a 24-hour
turnaround time for course-related emails, possibly longer on weekends/holidays.
Honor Code
Students are expected to uphold the University of Texas Honor Code:
The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery,
freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of
the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust,
fairness, and respect toward peers and community.
Plagiarism
According to the University of Texas Student Judicial Services, plagiarism occurs if you
represent as your own work any material that was obtained from another source,
regardless how or where you acquired it. For more information on plagiarism, see:
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_plagiarism.php
Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student’s
own work. Guidance on how to properly cite the sources you use in your essays will be
given in class, so that you will be equipped to avoid unintentional plagiarism. ALL
suspected cases of cheating and plagiarism will be reported to Student Judicial Services.
Sharing of Course Materials is Prohibited
No materials used in this class, including, but not limited to, lecture hand-outs, videos,
assessments (quizzes, exams, papers, projects, homework assignments), in-class materials,
review sheets, and additional problem sets, may be shared online or with anyone outside
of the class unless you have my explicit, written permission. Unauthorized sharing of
materials promotes cheating. It is a violation of the University’s Student Honor Code and
an act of academic dishonesty. I am well aware of the sites used for sharing materials, and
any materials found online that are associated with you, or any suspected unauthorized
sharing of materials, will be reported to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the
Office of the Dean of Students. These reports can result in sanctions, including failure in
the course.
5Class Recordings
Class recordings are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and
are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any
form. Violation of this restriction by a student could lead to Student Misconduct
proceedings.
COVID Guidance
To help keep everyone at UT and in our community safe, it is critical that students report
COVID-19 symptoms and testing, regardless of test results, to University Health Services.
Students with Disabilities
If you require special accommodations, you must obtain a letter that documents your
disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Division of Diversity
and Community Engagement (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf
or hard of hearing). Present the letter to me at the beginning of the semester so we can
discuss the accommodations you need. No later than five business days before an exam,
you should remind me of any testing accommodations you will need. For more
information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/.
Class Accessibility and Inclusion
This course is intended for all UT Austin students, including those with mental, physical,
or cognitive disabilities, illness, injuries, impairments, or any other condition that tends to
negatively affect one’s equal access to education. If, at any point in the term, you find
yourself not able to fully access the space, content, and experience of this course, you are
welcome (and not required) to contact me by email or during office hours to discuss your
specific needs. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let me know and I’ll try
make it happen.
This course affirms people of all gender expressions and gender identities. If you prefer to
be called a different name than what is on the class roster, or if you have preferred
pronouns, please let me know. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Religious Holidays
By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days
prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an
examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, you
will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after
the absence.
COVID Caveats: To help keep everyone at UT and in our community safe, it is critical
that students report COVID-19 symptoms and testing, regardless of test
results, to University Health Services, and faculty and staff report to the HealthPoint
Occupational Health Program (OHP) as soon as possible. Please see this link to
understand what needs to be reported. In addition, to help understand what to do if a
fellow student in the class (or the instructor) tests positive for COVID, see this University
Health Services link.
6One More Important Detail
You may occasionally see my cats walk through the video frame during our Zoom
lectures. Their names are Ernie and Phoebe.
ONE LAST NOTE ABOUT COVID:
We are living in unprecedented times, and we are all learning as we go how to make the
most of our educational experiences and interactions in this new learning environment.
Please let me know if any circumstances arise that will make it difficult for you to
complete your work in the course, and I will do my best to work with you to come up
with reasonable accommodations. Likewise, I ask for your patience as I adapt my
teaching for an online environment. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch and let me know
what’s working and what’s not working. In other words, let’s all show each other some
mutual understanding and empathy at the same time as we strive for an intellectually
fulfilling semester!
7SCHEDULE:
[Note: Syllabus and assignments subject to change.
Any updates and changes will be announced in class and on Canvas.]
UNIT 1: ANALYZING FILM MUSIC AND SOUND
WEEK 1 (Tues. 1/19, Thurs. 1/21)
Reading:
§ James Buhler and David Neumeyer, Chapter 2, Hearing the Movies (2nd edition)
Viewing:
§ Various clips (on Canvas)
WEEK 2 (Tues. 1/26, Thurs. 1/28)
Reading:
§ James Buhler and David Neumeyer, Chapter 3, Hearing the Movies (2nd edition)
§ Drew Litowitz, “Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – The Social Network” (Album Review),
Consequence of Sound (October 20, 2010):
https://consequenceofsound.net/2010/10/album-review-trent-reznor-and-atticus-ross-
the-social-network-7/
Viewing:
§ The Social Network (dir. Fincher, 2010)
UNIT 2: CONTESTING SOUND
WEEK 3 (Tues. 2/2, Thurs. 2/4)
Reading:
§ René Clair, “The Art of Sound” (1929)
§ Hannah Lewis, “Théâtre filmé, Opera, and Cinematic Poetry: The Clair/Pagnol Debate,”
in French Musical Culture and the Coming of Sound Cinema (2019)
Viewing:
§ Le Million (dir. Clair, 1931)
WEEK 4 (Tues. 2/9, Thurs. 2/11)
Reading:
§ Charlie Chaplin, “Pantomime and Comedy,” New York Times, January 25, 1931
§ Michel Chion, “Chaplin: Three Steps into Speech,” in Film: A Sound Art (2009)
Viewing:
§ Modern Times (dir. Chaplin, 1936)
UNIT 3: THEMATIC SCORING
WEEK 5 (Tues. 2/16, Thurs. 2/18)
Reading:
§ Max Steiner, “Scoring the Film” (1937)
§ Peter Franklin, “Returning to Casablanca,” in The Cambridge Companion to Film Music, ed.
Cooke and Ford (2016)
Viewing:
§ Casablanca (dir. Curtiz, 1942)
8WEEK 6 (Tues. 2/23, Thurs. 2/25)
Reading:
§ Antony John, “‘The moment that I dreaded and hoped for’: Ambivalence and order in
Bernard Hermann’s score for Vertigo,” Musical Quarterly, 85, no. 3 (2001): 516–544
§ David Schroeder, “Vertigo as Opera,” in Hitchcock’s Ear: Music and the Director’s Art (2012)
§ David Cooper, “Film Form and Musical Form in Bernard Herrmann’s Score to Vertigo,”
The Journal of Film Music 1, no. 2/3 (2010): 21–31
Viewing:
§ Vertigo (dir. Hitchcock, 1958)
UNIT 4: THE FILM MUSICAL
WEEK 7 (Tues. 3/2, Thurs. 3/4)
Reading:
§ Peter Wollen, Chapter 3, Singin’ in the Rain (1992)
§ Carol Clover, “Dancin’ in the Rain,” Critical Inquiry 21, no. 4 (1995): 722–747
§ New York Times review of Singin’ in the Rain
Viewing:
§ Singin’ in the Rain (dir. Donen/Kelly, 1952)
WEEK 8 (Tues. 3/9, Thurs. 3/11)
Reading:
§ Hannah Lewis, “The Virtuosic Camera: Nostalgia, Technology, and the Contemporary
Hollywood Musical,” in The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical (forthcoming)
§ Krin Gabbard, “La La Land Is a Hit, but Is It Good for Jazz?” Dœdalus 148, no. 2 (2019):
92–103
§ Ira Madison III, “La La Land’s White Jazz Narrative,” MTV.com, December 19, 2016
(http://www.mtv.com/news/2965622/la-la-lands-white-jazz-narrative/)
Viewing:
§ La La Land (dir. Chazelle, 2016)
First Short Essay due by Friday 3/12 at 5:00pm.
MARCH 15-20: SPRING BREAK
UNIT 5: REPRESENTING RACE
WEEK 9
Tues. 3/23, Thurs. 3/25
Reading:
§ Victoria Johnson, “Polyphony and Cultural Expression: Interpreting Musical Traditions
in Do the Right Thing,” Film Quarterly 47, no. 2 (1993–4): 18–29
§ Adam Haupt, “Framing Gender, Race, and Hip-Hop in Boyz in the Hood, Do the Right
Thing and Slam,” in The Cambridge Companion to Hip Hop, ed. Justin A. Williams (2015)
§ Guthrie P. Ramsey, “Scoring a Black Nation: Music, Film and Identity in the Age of Hip-
Hop,” in Race Music (2004)
Viewing:
§ Do The Right Thing (dir. Lee, 1989)
9WEEK 10 (Tues. 3/30, Thurs. 4/1)
Reading:
§ Alexandra Reznik, “Music, Pain, and Healing in Moonlight,” Western Journal of Black
Studies, 43, no. 3-4 (2019): 114–121
§ K Goldschmitt, forthcoming essay on Moonlight
Viewing:
§ Moonlight, dir. Jenkins, 2016
Final Paper Proposal due Friday 4/2 (5:00pm).
UNIT 6: THE COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK AND THE AUTEUR
WEEK 11 (Tues. 4/6, Thurs. 4/8)
Reading:
§ Jeff Smith, “O brother, where chart thou? Pop music and the Coen Brothers,” in Popular
Music and the New Auteur, ed. Arved Ashby (2013)
§ Stefano Baschiera, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?: The Coen Brothers and the Musical
Contamination of Genre,” in Contemporary Musical Film, ed. Donnelly and Carroll (2017)
§ Sean Chadwell, “Inventing that ‘Old-Timey’ Style: Southern Authenticity in O Brother,
Where Art Thou?” Journal of Popular Film and Television, 32, no. 1 (2010): 3–9
Viewing:
§ O Brother, Where Art Thou? (dir. Coen/Coen, 2000)
Final Paper Viewing Notes due Friday 4/9 (5:00pm).
WEEK 12 (Tues. 4/13, Thurs. 4/15)
Reading:
§ Amanda McQueen, “‘Bring the noise!’: Sonic intensified continuity in the films of Edgar
Wright,” Music, sound, and the moving image 7, no. 2 (2013): 141–166
§ Chris Willman, “The Soundtrack to ‘Baby Driver’ Is a Music Nerd’s Dream—and
Director Edgar Wright’s,” Variety, June 29, 2017
(https://variety.com/2017/film/news/baby-driver-movie-music-1202482594/)
Viewing:
§ Baby Driver (dir. Wright, 2017)
Final Paper Scene Analysis due Friday 4/16 (5:00pm).
WEEK 13: TBA (Tues. 4/20, Thurs. 4/22)
[Catch up week if we fall behind OR a chance to discuss a new film not already on the syllabus]
Final Paper Outline/Bibliography due by Tuesday 4/20 (5:00pm).
Second Short Essay due by Friday 4/23 at 5:00pm.
UNIT 7: FINAL PROJECTS
WEEK 14: Research Paper Peer Review (Tues. 4/27, Thurs. 4/29)
Paper Draft and Peer review due Tuesday 4/27 (5:00pm).
WEEK 15: Final Presentations and Course Wrap-Up (Tues. 5/4, Thurs. 5/6)
Final Presentations (in class).
Friday, 5/7, 5pm: Research Paper due (on Canvas).
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