MUSI

 2301:  MUSIC  IN  FILM  

Spring  2014  
 
Instructor:    Dr.  Jack  Unzicker  
 
Office  Number:  Fine  Arts  Building,  Room  254  
 
Office  Telephone  Number:  817.272.1103  
 
Email  Address:  unzicker@uta.edu  
 
  Students  are  required  to  use  their  official  UT  Arlington  e-­‐mail  address  for  all  
  university-­‐related  business.  
 
Faculty  Profile:  https://www.uta.edu/mentis/profile/?unzicker  
 
Office  Hours:    By  appointment.    To  schedule  an  appointment,  email  unzicker@uta.edu  and  include  
your  available  times.  
   
Section  Information:  MUSI  2301.001  
 
Time  and  Place  of  Class  Meetings:  8:00-­‐8:50am  Mondays,  Wednesdays,  and  Fridays,  Fine  Arts  
Building,  Room  258  
 
Course  Prerequisites:    No  prerequisites    
 
Description  of  Course  Content:  A  study  of  the  history,  compositional  styles  and  impact  of  music  in  
films  during  the  20th  century.    
 
Course  Description:    The  class  traces  the  history  and  development  of  film  music  through  reading,  
lecture  and  film  viewing.  The  class  studies  the  process  of  film  scoring  and  how  music  and  its  
relationship  to  film  have  changed  over  the  last  century.  Class  includes  discussion  and  evaluation  of  
different  compositional  styles  and  learning  to  listen  analytically  and  critically  to  film  scores  while  
viewing  movies.    
 
Student  Learning  Outcomes:    At  the  completion  of  this  course,  students  will:    
 
• Be  able  to  identify  major  composers  of  film  music  from  the  20th  Century  -­‐  present.    
• Be  able  to  identify  the  characteristics  and  tendencies  of  film  music  from  each  decade  of  the  20th  
Century  -­‐  present.    
• Be  able  to  identify  the  role  that  music  plays  in  keys  scenes  in  selected  representative  films  from  
the  20th  Century  -­‐  present.    
 
Required  Textbooks  and  Other  Course  Materials:      
 
Hickman,  Roger.  Reel  Music:  Exploring  100  Years  of  Film  Music.  New  York:  Norton  and  Company,  
2006.    
 
Blackboard:    https://elearn.uta.edu/  
 
Students  are  responsible  for  viewing  the  films  to  be  studied  in  this  course.    The  films  will  be  available  
at  the  reserve  desk  of  the  Fine  Arts  and  Architecture  Library.    Many  of  the  films  are  also  available  for  
rental  and  viewing  through  popular  services,  such  as  Netflix,  Blockbuster,  Amazon  Video,  Google  
Play,  YouTube,  etc.  
 

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Descriptions  of  major  assignments  and  examinations:      
 
10  Quizzes.    Assigned  readings  in  the  Hickman  textbook  and  assigned  film  viewings  will  be  
accompanied  by  an  online,  timed  quiz.    Each  quiz  will  consist  of  a  collection  of  randomized  questions  
focusing  on  important  factual  and  interpretive  detail  in  the  readings  and  viewings.  After  completing  
the  assignments,  students  will  have  a  brief  timed  period  to  complete  the  quiz  available  on  
Blackboard.    https://elearn.uta.edu/  
 
Each  quiz  may  be  taken  only  once.    Results  of  the  quizzes  will  be  available  on  Blackboard  following  
the  deadline.  
 
Although  the  instructor  encourages  the  viewing  of  films  in  groups,  the  quizzes  and  exams  must  be  
completed  individually,  in  accordance  with  the  UT  Arlington  Honor  Code.  
 
3  Exams  and  Final  Exam.    Exams  will  include  questions  about  the  assigned  films,  readings,  and  
lectures.    Exams  will  also  contain  a  listening  and  identification  component.    Listening  excerpts  will  be  
chosen  from  among  the  assigned  films.    You  may  be  asked  a  couple  of  multiple-­‐choice  questions  
about  the  piece  which  are  drawn  from  information  in  the  textbook  Viewer  Guides  and  lectures,  such  
as  composer,  release  date,  and  genre.  
 
Attendance:  Regular  and  punctual  class  attendance  is  mandatory.    
A  student’s  grade  will  not  be  penalized  for  three  absences,  the  equivalent  to  “sick  days.”    The  fourth,  
fifth,  and  sixth  absences  will  each  lower  the  student’s  final  grade  by  10%,  in  addition  to  any  missed  
assignments,  quizzes,  and  exams.  Students  that  miss  seven  or  more  classes  may  receive  a  failing  
final  grade.  What  constitutes  an  excused  absence  is  at  the  discretion  of  the  instructor,  in  compliance  
with  the  University’s  policies.  An  example  of  an  excused  absence  is  a  medical  emergency,  
hospitalization,  University  travel,  or  an  absence  excused  by  the  Dean.    Examples  of  unexcused  
absences  are  a  typical  “sick  day,”  car  trouble,  non-­‐University  travel,  etc.    Students  are  responsible  for  
being  aware  of  their  attendance  standing.  
 
Students  who  are  late  to  class  are  responsible  for  reporting  their  presence  to  the  instructor  after  the  
class  is  dismissed.  
 
In  the  case  of  University  Authorized  Absences,  the  student  must  contact  the  instructor,  in  writing,  
at  least  one  week  in  advance  of  the  excused  absence  and  arrange  with  the  instructor  a  scheduled  time  
in  which  to  complete  any  examinations  that  occur  during  the  scheduled  absence.  Instructors  will  
provide  those  students  an  opportunity  to  complete  the  work  the  work  early  or  otherwise  adjust  the  
grading  to  ensure  that  the  student  is  not  penalized  for  the  absence.  Failure  to  notify  the  instructor  or  
failure  to  comply  with  the  arrangements  to  complete  the  examination  will  void  the  excused  absence.  
 
Grading:    Your  course  grade  will  be  calculated  from  combination  or  your  quiz  and  exam  scores,  
weighted  as  follows:  
 
Semester  Total:    400  points  
 
Quizzes:    80  points.    10  quizzes,  10  points  each.    Quizzes  will  cover  assigned  readings,  film  viewings,  
vocabulary,  and  composers.    Your  two  lowest  quiz  grades  will  be  dropped.  
 
Exams:    200  points.    3  exams,  100  points  each.    Exams  will  cover  assigned  readings,  film  viewings,  
vocabulary,  and/or  listening  and  identification  of  scores,  films,  and  composers.    Your  one  lowest  
exam  grade  will  be  dropped.  
 
Final  Exam:    120  points.    Friday,  May  9,  2014,  8:00am-­‐10:30pm,  FA  258  
 

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Students  are  expected  to  keep  track  of  their  performance  throughout  the  semester  by  checking  their  
scores  on  Blackboard  and  seek  guidance  from  available  sources  (including  the  instructor)  if  their  
performance  drops  below  satisfactory  levels.      
 
Expectations  for  Out-­‐of-­‐Class  Study:    Beyond  the  time  required  to  attend  each  class  meeting,  
students  enrolled  in  this  course  should  expect  to  spend  at  least  an  additional  nine  hours  per  week  of  
their  own  time  in  course-­‐related  activities,  including  reading  required  materials,  viewing  films,  
completing  quizzes,  preparing  for  exams,  etc.    
 
Electronics:  Computers  may  be  used  in  class  for  note  taking  only.    Phone  usage  is  not  permitted  
during  class,  except  in  extraordinary  circumstances  that  should  be  discussed  with  the  instructor  
prior  to  class.    Other  uses  of  computers  and  phones  during  class  are  disruptive.    Disruptive  students  
will  be  dismissed  from  class  and  will  be  marked  absent  (See  Attendance  Policy  above).  
 
Course  content  issues:    This  course  will  observe  the  university’s  guidelines  for  avoiding  sexual  
harassment.  However,  because  the  arts  often  imitate  and  represent  human  living  and  because  
sexuality,  politics,  religion,  and  personal  ethics  are  all  part  of  life,  some  materials  in  this  course  may  
deal  with  sexual,  political,  religious,  or  ethical  behaviors,  situations,  or  language.  People  offended  by  
such  subjects  may  want  to  reconsider  taking  this  course.  
 
Tentative  Course  Schedule.  Film  and  Composer  List.    See  Blackboard  for  updates.  
 
Week  1:    1.13-­‐1.17  
Review  of  Syllabus    
Intro  to  Film  Music/Vocabulary  for  Music  in  Film    
Friday,  1.17:    NO  CLASS.    UT-­‐Pan  Am  
 
Week  2:    1.20-­‐1.24  
Monday,  1.20:    NO  CLASS,  Dr.  MLK,  Jr.  Holiday  
Intro  to  Film  Music/Vocabulary  for  Music  in  Film    
King  Kong  (Steiner)  (1933)  (first  full-­‐length  film  score)    
 
Week  3:    1.27-­‐1.31  
King  Kong  (Steiner)  (1933)  (first  full-­‐length  film  score)    
Robin  Hood  (Korngold)  (1938)  (leitmotif)    
 
Week  4:    2.3-­‐2.7  
Of  Mice  and  Men  (Copland)  (1939)  (reaction  against  leitmotif)    
Casablanca  (Steiner)  (1942)  (use  of  diegetic  vs.  non-­‐diegetic  music,  score  based  on  pre-­‐written  song)  
 
Week  5:    2.10-­‐2.14  
EXAM  I  
Wednesday,  2.12:    NO  CLASS.  TMEA  
Friday,  2.14:    NO  CLASS.  TMEA  
 
Week  6:    2.17-­‐2.21  
Laura  (Raksin)  (1944)  (mono-­‐thematic)    
The  Lost  Weekend  (Rosza)  (1945)  (Theremin)    
High  Noon  (Tiomkin)  (1952)  (score  based  on  hit  song  –  changed  direction  of  future  scoring)    
 
Week  7:    2.24-­‐2.28  
On  The  Waterfront  (L.  Bernstein)  (1954)  (great  music  –  poor  scoring)    
Psycho  (Herrmann)  (1960)  (string-­‐only  score)    
To  Kill  a  Mockingbird  (Newman)  (1962)  
 

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Week  8:    3.3-­‐3.7  
EXAM  II    
Wednesday,  3.5,  NO  CLASS.    ASTA  
Friday,  3.7,  NO  CLASS.  ASTA  
 
Spring  Break:    3.10-­‐3.14  
 
Week  9:    3.17-­‐3.21  
The  Magnificent  Seven  (1960)  (E.  Bernstein)  
The  Graduate  (Grusin,  Simon  and  Garfunkel)  (1967)    
2001:  A  Space  Odyssey  (1968)  (compare  original  rejected  score  by  Alex  North  vs.  temp  track  score  
chosen  by  Kubrick)  
 
Week  10:    3.24-­‐3.28  
2001:  A  Space  Odyssey  (1968)  (compare  original  rejected  score  by  Alex  North  vs.  temp  track  score  
chosen  by  Kubrick)  
The  Planet  of  the  Apes  (Goldsmith)  (1968)    
Chinatown  (Goldsmith)  (1974)  (modern  techniques  –  atonality,  pointillism)    
 
Week  11:    3.31-­‐4.4  
Chinatown  (Goldsmith)  (1974)  (modern  techniques  –  atonality,  pointillism)    
Jaws  (Williams)  (1975)  (expressionism)  
Star  Wars  (1977)  (Williams)  (reemergence  of  the  romantic  score)    
 
Week  12:    4.7-­‐4.11  
Star  Wars  (1977)  (Williams)  (reemergence  of  the  romantic  score)    
Witness  (Jarre)  (1985)  (synthesized  score)    
EXAM  III    
 
Week  13:    4.14-­‐4.18  
The  Matrix  (Davis)  (1999)  (post-­‐modernism,  excellent  music  only/composer  commentary  track)    
Requiem  for  a  Dream  (Mansell)  (2000)  (with  Kronos  Quartet)    
 
Week  14:    4.21-­‐4.25  
Wall-­‐E  (Newman)  (2008)  
Inception  (Zimmer)  (2010)  
 
Week  15:    4.27-­‐5.2  
The  Social  Network  (Reznor/Ross)  (2010)  
The  Artist  (Bource)  (2011)  
 
Final  Exam:  Friday,  May  9,  2014,  8:00am-­‐10:30am,  FA  258  
 
NOTICE:    The  instructor  reserves  the  right  to  alter  this  syllabus  to  suit  the  individual  needs  of  this  
class  and  to  comply  with  any  University  policy  changes.  The  instructor  will  post  a  notification  of  any  
changes  to  the  Blackboard  homepage.  
 
   

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COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY  GENERAL  POLICIES  
 
Grade  Grievances:  Any  appeal  of  a  grade  in  this  course  must  follow  the  procedures  and  deadlines  
for  grade-­‐related  grievances  as  published  in  the  current  undergraduate  /  graduate  catalog.    
 
Drop  Policy:  Students  may  drop  or  swap  (adding  and  dropping  a  class  concurrently)  classes  through  
self-­‐service  in  MyMav  from  the  beginning  of  the  registration  period  through  the  late  registration  
period.  After  the  late  registration  period,  students  must  see  their  academic  advisor  to  drop  a  class  or  
withdraw.  Undeclared  students  must  see  an  advisor  in  the  University  Advising  Center.  Drops  can  
continue  through  a  point  two-­‐thirds  of  the  way  through  the  term  or  session.  It  is  the  student's  
responsibility  to  officially  withdraw  if  they  do  not  plan  to  attend  after  registering.  Students  will  not  
be  automatically  dropped  for  non-­‐attendance.  Repayment  of  certain  types  of  financial  aid  
administered  through  the  University  may  be  required  as  the  result  of  dropping  classes  or  
withdrawing.  For  more  information,  contact  the  Office  of  Financial  Aid  and  Scholarships  
(http://wweb.uta.edu/ses/fao).  
 
Americans  with  Disabilities  Act:  The  University  of  Texas  at  Arlington  is  on  record  as  being  
committed  to  both  the  spirit  and  letter  of  all  federal  equal  opportunity  legislation,  including  the  
Americans  with  Disabilities  Act  (ADA).  All  instructors  at  UT  Arlington  are  required  by  law  to  provide  
"reasonable  accommodations"  to  students  with  disabilities,  so  as  not  to  discriminate  on  the  basis  of  
that  disability.  Any  student  requiring  an  accommodation  for  this  course  must  provide  the  instructor  
with  official  documentation  in  the  form  of  a  letter  certified  by  the  staff  in  the  Office  for  Students  with  
Disabilities,  University  Hall  102.  Only  those  students  who  have  officially  documented  a  need  for  an  
accommodation  will  have  their  request  honored.  Information  regarding  diagnostic  criteria  and  
policies  for  obtaining  disability-­‐based  academic  accommodations  can  be  found  at  
www.uta.edu/disability  or  by  calling  the  Office  for  Students  with  Disabilities  at  (817)  272-­‐3364.  
 
Academic  Integrity:  All  students  enrolled  in  this  course  are  expected  to  adhere  to  the  UT  Arlington  
Honor  Code:  
 
I  pledge,  on  my  honor,  to  uphold  UT  Arlington’s  tradition  of  academic  integrity,  a  tradition  that  values  
hard  work  and  honest  effort  in  the  pursuit  of  academic  excellence.    
I  promise  that  I  will  submit  only  work  that  I  personally  create  or  contribute  to  group  collaborations,  and  
I   will   appropriately   reference   any   work   from   other   sources.   I   will   follow   the   highest   standards   of  
integrity  and  uphold  the  spirit  of  the  Honor  Code.  
 
Instructors  may  employ  the  Honor  Code  as  they  see  fit  in  their  courses,  including  (but  not  limited  to)  
having  students  acknowledge  the  honor  code  as  part  of  an  examination  or  requiring  students  to  
incorporate  the  honor  code  into  any  work  submitted.  Per  UT  System  Regents’  Rule  50101,  §2.2,  
suspected  violations  of  university’s  standards  for  academic  integrity  (including  the  Honor  Code)  will  
be  referred  to  the  Office  of  Student  Conduct.  Violators  will  be  disciplined  in  accordance  with  
University  policy,  which  may  result  in  the  student’s  suspension  or  expulsion  from  the  University.  
 
Student  Support  Services:  UT  Arlington  provides  a  variety  of  resources  and  programs  designed  to  
help  students  develop  academic  skills,  deal  with  personal  situations,  and  better  understand  concepts  
and  information  related  to  their  courses.  Resources  include  tutoring,  major-­‐based  learning  centers,  
developmental  education,  advising  and  mentoring,  personal  counseling,  and  federally  funded  
programs.  For  individualized  referrals,  students  may  visit  the  reception  desk  at  University  College  
(Ransom  Hall),  call  the  Maverick  Resource  Hotline  at  817-­‐272-­‐6107,  send  a  message  to  
resources@uta.edu,  or  view  the  information  at  www.uta.edu/resources.  
 
Electronic  Communication:    UT  Arlington  has  adopted  MavMail  as  its  official  means  to  
communicate  with  students  about  important  deadlines  and  events,  as  well  as  to  transact  university-­‐
related  business  regarding  financial  aid,  tuition,  grades,  graduation,  etc.  All  students  are  assigned  a  

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MavMail  account  and  are  responsible  for  checking  the  inbox  regularly.  There  is  no  additional  charge  
to  students  for  using  this  account,  which  remains  active  even  after  graduation.  Information  about  
activating  and  using  MavMail  is  available  at  http://www.uta.edu/oit/cs/email/mavmail.php.  
 
Student  Feedback  Survey:    At  the  end  of  each  term,  students  enrolled  in  classes  categorized  as  
lecture,  seminar,  or  laboratory  shall  be  directed  to  complete  a  Student  Feedback  Survey  (SFS).  
Instructions  on  how  to  access  the  SFS  for  this  course  will  be  sent  directly  to  each  student  through  
MavMail  approximately  10  days  before  the  end  of  the  term.  Each  student’s  feedback  enters  the  SFS  
database  anonymously  and  is  aggregated  with  that  of  other  students  enrolled  in  the  course.  UT  
Arlington’s  effort  to  solicit,  gather,  tabulate,  and  publish  student  feedback  is  required  by  state  law;  
students  are  strongly  urged  to  participate.  For  more  information,  visit  http://www.uta.edu/sfs.  
 
Final  Review  Week:  A  period  of  five  class  days  prior  to  the  first  day  of  final  examinations  in  the  long  
sessions  shall  be  designated  as  Final  Review  Week.  The  purpose  of  this  week  is  to  allow  students  
sufficient  time  to  prepare  for  final  examinations.  During  this  week,  there  shall  be  no  scheduled  
activities  such  as  required  field  trips  or  performances;  and  no  instructor  shall  assign  any  themes,  
research  problems  or  exercises  of  similar  scope  that  have  a  completion  date  during  or  following  this  
week  unless  specified  in  the  class  syllabus.  During  Final  Review  Week,  an  instructor  shall  not  give  any  
examinations  constituting  10%  or  more  of  the  final  grade,  except  makeup  tests  and  laboratory  
examinations.  In  addition,  no  instructor  shall  give  any  portion  of  the  final  examination  during  Final  
Review  Week.  During  this  week,  classes  are  held  as  scheduled.  In  addition,  instructors  are  not  
required  to  limit  content  to  topics  that  have  been  previously  covered;  they  may  introduce  new  
concepts  as  appropriate.  
 
Emergency  Exit  Procedures:  Should  we  experience  an  emergency  event  that  requires  us  to  vacate  
the  building,  students  should  exit  the  room  and  move  toward  the  nearest  exit,  which  is  located  by  
exiting  the  classroom  by  the  south  door,  turning  left,  to  the  stairwell  on  the  right.  If  this  exit  is  not  
safe,  exit  the  classroom  and  turn  right,  then  right  again,  exit  through  the  exterior  doors  on  the  left,  
and  take  the  exterior  stairwell.    When  exiting  the  building  during  an  emergency,  one  should  never  
take  an  elevator  but  should  use  the  stairwells.  Faculty  members  and  instructional  staff  will  assist  
students  in  selecting  the  safest  route  for  evacuation  and  will  make  arrangements  to  assist  
handicapped  individuals.