Blockbusters, wannabes, film education

By: Scott Dennis

Posted: 10/6/08

It seems like everybody and their pet hedgehog has seen "The Dark Knight," which probably isn't too far from the truth. Having grossed close to one billion dollars thus far, things are looking good for the Batman. Elsewhere in Movieland (located north of Ego Park and east of Addiction World), Pixar's "Wall-E" has been moving steadily closer to the five hundred million dollar mark, where it will receive the traditional basket of congratulatory jelly beans.

As for Gotham's favorite traumatized crime fighter, it's not every year a film grosses a billion dollars. Movie studios have taken notice and - as they've done since the beginning of cinema - have been trying to make their developing films (including a reboot of "Superman") more Dark Knight-like.

Fans of the Man of Steel can (according to fictional reports) look forward to seeing their hero don his black cape for the first time, then watch as he attempts to protect a dark and gritty Metropolis from the mad machinations of Lex Luthor, a perpetually smiling businessman who goes by the nickname "The Suit." Warner Bros. has high hopes.

The popularity of films like "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E" is reflected in the popularity of Oregon State's film classes. If OSU's Intro to Film Studies class is any indication, film classes are extremely popular nowadays. Wiegand 115 has been packed like a ten-year-old's toy chest - filled with students interested in cinema, or those just eager to watch movies for an hour.

The rise of YouTube has exposed and inspired a lot of aspiring filmmakers. College student films comprise a good deal of YouTube submissions, and students - those serious about their craft, that is - would probably like to improve their skills with a OSU course. The best class for learning about filmmaking on campus is, of course, Filmmaking Fundamentals. But since that particular class doesn't exist here yet, the next logical choice is Intro to Film Studies - a class that, as previously stated, is extremely popular.

With the success of the few film classes at OSU, it would only be reasonable to add a few more to the curriculum. Students have shown an immense interest in cinema, so why not? And while we're at it, let's add an animation class or two. Animated features don't get much attention in OSU's film studies classes, despite their importance in the history of cinema. More than that, there are doubtless many students interested in the art of animation itself, many of whom would like to learn more about the making of an animated film.

Quite a few students in the Intro to Film Studies classes are interested in entering the film industry, which - considering the state of the economy - isn't a bad idea. A recent SNL Kagan study found that Hollywood is pretty resilient in rough times. Consider, for example, that Hollywood's "Golden Age" took place during the Great Depression.

Oregon State needn't attempt to emulate famed art school CalArts, whose list of alumi reads like a register of Academy Awards nominees (i.e. Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Tim Burton, etc). It would be prudent, however, to strengthen and expand OSU's film curriculum. With a better program, the university could produce filmmakers capable of making films like "Wall-E" or "The Dark Knight." Heck, they might even be able to make the "Superman" reboot sound less cringe-inducing. Maybe.