Theater, Film and Media

Fifty years have passed since the release of two pivotal films for American cinema: Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, written by Paul Schrader, and Rocky, directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Sylvester Stallone. These two films gave rise to two characters who have become emblems of two different images of America, of the American nightmare and dream, and of two different ideas about writing and filmmaking. Starting with these two films, and others released in 1976 (the year following the blockbuster turnaround in Hollywood cinema inaugurated by Spielberg's Jaws and continued the following year with Lucas's Star Wars), the course will examine screenplay forms (themes, narrative structures, and character types) during that moment of profound renewal in the history of American cinema: New Hollywood.

Fundamentals of Film History

BIBLIOGRAPHY A.Canadè, A. Nobile, Taxi Driver. Regia di Martin Scorsese. Analisi della sceneggiatura di Paul Schrader, Dino Audino Editore, Roma 2026 [forthcoming] L. Bandirali, E. Terrone, Il sistema sceneggiatura. Scrivere e descrivere i film, Lindau, Torino 2009. G. Glaviano, P. Masciullo, G. Volpi, Rocky. Regia di John G. Avildsen. Analisi della sceneggiatura di Sylvester Stallone, Dino Audino Editore, Roma 2024. Recommended reading G. King, La nuova Hollywood. Dalla rinascita degli anni Sessanta all’era del blockbuster, Einaudi, Torino 2004. G. Muscio, Sceneggiatura e sceneggiatori. Breve storia, Dino Audino Editore, Roma 2024 (in particolare, capitoli VI e VII). C. Vogler, Il viaggio dell’eroe. La struttura del mito ad uso di scrittori di narrativa e di cinema, Dino Audino Editore, Roma 2010. FILMOGRAPHY Taxi Driver (Scorsese, 1976), screenplay: Paul Schrader The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (Cassavetes, 1976), screenplay: John Cassavetes All the President's Men (Pakula, 1976), screenplay: William Goldman Assault on Precinct 13 (Carpenter, 1976), screenplay: John Carpenter Carrie (De Palma, 1976), screenplay: Lawrence D. Cohen Network (Lumet, 1976), screenplay: Paddy Chayefsky Rocky (Avildsen, 1976), screenplay: Sylvester Stallone

The mode of attendance required will be face-to-face

Preparation of a paper in which the screenplay of a film will be analyzed to be agreed with the teacher

The lessons will take place in presence and will include the viewing and analysis of the screenplays of the films included in the filmography