TV and Movies

[Oznell]

Golly, I had no idea that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offered free streaming courses.  What a boon!  You don't have to register, or anything.  Just click on the lecture of your choice.

This one is called "The Film Experience".  This professor, David Thorburn, in a series of lectures, takes the student through the beginning of film, early figures like Chaplin and Keaton, the studio era, the German cinema, a whole separate lecture on Hitchcock, even a separate sub-video on some of Hitchcock's gems like "Shadow of a Doubt",  then he discusses films of the Seventies, and on and ON.

You can pick and choose which videos to watch.  If you have a blind spot (like I do, sadly) when it comes to silent films, you can just skip it entirely and go to "The Musical",  "The Western",   "Italian Neorealism"  or whatever:

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/literature/21l-011-the-film-experience-fall-2013/

The lectures look like standard college course format, with the prof standing in front of a chalk board, for close to an hour, maybe.  So don't expect rockets to go off!  But what fun to be able to pick and choose from genres you like, or take the whole course if you please.  Lecture notes are available as well.

Here's a sample of his lecture on "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Rear Window":

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/literature/21l-011-the-film-experience-fall-2013/lecture-videos-notes/le...

[blackhole99]

I'll have to tell my son about that, he feels education after high school is a scam ,unless you are going into one of the professions. I can't tell you how much he and I have learned to do on our own just from You Tube videos and Pod casts. Too bad our society doesn't value education you don't have to go in debt for.

[Oznell]

Agreed, @blackhole99,  there are so many options for learning now, we don't have to stick to conventional forms any more.

[Oznell]

And here's one I missed before, which sounds so good--  an examination of key directors of the classic age,  Frank Capra and Howard Hawks.  (I can't get over that these courses are just lying around free for the taking!)

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/literature/21l-011-the-film-experience-fall-2013/lecture-videos-notes/le...

[Cakers3]

I love silent films.  I really got into them during college when I dated a film buff of all genres.

  Funny to open the link and see Buster Keaton right away.

@Oznell   Thank you for this info.

[bikerbabe]

Thank you!
I love silents (TCM Silent Sunday nights). Madly in love with Chaplin since college.

[Oznell]

Yeah, @bikerbabe, the young Charlie was so appealing!

[bmorechick]

Thanks for the info! I will definitely check that out.

Two of my three children finished college and are working in their field. My middle child thought college was useless and decided to travel, on his own to learn about what he calls real life.  Fortunately, he waited until he was about 26 to venture out, but I worried and still worry now. He is self supporting, has his own transportation  and finds spots to sleep, shower, eat but I hope one day he will at least get his own place. I do understand it’s not my life, but he’s happy and healthy and I have come to realize college and his lifestyle are definitely not for everyone. So we support him and love him and of course are always here for all of them.  And yes, there are so many ways now to find out information about anything.

I loved learning and enjoyed getting my Masters degree, so I will be excited to view this.

[Oznell]

How well I understand that parental worry for "venturing out" children, @bmorechick .  Here's to him finding his best path!

I can't wait to look into those courses too...

[Desert Lily]

MIT Opencourseware (OCW) has been available for several years. There is a full range of free web-based materials in numerous areas of study including physics, engineering, fine arts, business, etc. Courses can be taken for credit as an option.  It's an exceptional format for enriching our knowledge and lives.