Black Dynamite: Explosively Ridiculous

The titular Black Dynamite, bringing a Kung Fu beat down on a local gang

As contradictory as it sounds, it’s difficult to make a film bad on purpose for the sake of parody. On top of needing to be cheesy and ironically bad, such a film needs to be genuinely well-made and well-written to boot. Films such as Airplane! (1981), This is Spinal Tap (1984), and Hot Fuzz (2007) are prime examples of a movie that’s made hokey and awkward on purpose. Similar to these films, Scott Sanders’ Black Dynamite (2009) is a parody of both action movies and the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, which is not only completely self-aware in its ridiculousness, but has the quality to back it up.

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Wicked Variety for Spring 2018 Courses

This spring semester, Panthers will be able to take a variety of film courses to fulfill the Film Studies certificate offered by the university.

Courses familiar to FIU students will be available, including Intro to Acting in Film/TV (TPP 3265), Communication in Film (COM 3417), and Philosophy of Film (PHI 4884). Dr. Elizabeth Scarbrough’s increasingly popular Philosophy of Film course will be especially interesting this semester, as prominent film philosopher Noel Carroll will be making an appearance at FIU from the CUNY Graduate Center. Dr. Strycharski will also repeat his course in Writing about Film (ENC 4355), a great class for anyone interesting in professional and public writing and often a gateway to film studies internships.

There will be a variety of courses teaching national and global interests in cinema through various cultures. Such courses include Asia Through Films (ASN 3200), French Cinema (FRE 4391), German Language and Culture Through Film (GER 3993), and Tradition and Modernity in Latin American Cinema (SPW 4397).

For fans of history and politics, courses such as Politics on Film (POS 3258) and Holocaust Cinema (FIL 3838) offer specialized observations on this area of film.

Finally, several offerings from the Studies in Film course (ENG 4132) offer unique focus on topics in the world of film. For example, Professor Michael Gillespie’s offering (section U02-C Regular) is centered on Film Noir Cinema, looking at early influences such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, through its inception in America through films like Double Indemnity, and its later evolutions through films like Chinatown and No Country for Old Men. Other sections cover topics such as Film Humor and Comedy (Andrew Strycharski), Wes Anderson films (Dan Bently-Baker), and the art of Cinematography (Igor Shteyrenberg).

You can find a full list of course offerings for the Spring 2018 Semester here. As always, if you’re taking a class with at least 50% focus on film, you can contact Dr. Strycharski with a syllabus from the class for credit approval.

The Art of Cinematography to be taught by Igor Shteyrenberg

Experience the dazzling story of cinematography while discovering the masterpieces of world cinema through the lenses of the world’s
greatest cinematographers. From black and white to Technicolor,
glittering Hollywood musicals to film noir, art films to blockbusters,
all the way through to the new emerging forms of digital filmmaking,
this class will examine movies in a new and unforgettable light!

We are delighted to announce that Igor Shteyrenberg will be teaching this course for the film studies program this spring semester. Mr Shteyrenberg, a graduate of the world-renowned USC film school, directs the Miami Jewish Film Festival and the Popcorn Frights Film Festival. He brings a wealth of experience and industry connections to the FIU classroom. If you are based at the MMC campus and have yet to enjoy the beautiful, beachy atmosphere of the BBC, this is your chance. Just hop on the Golden Panther Express Shuttle, running every half hour.

Course Number and Section: ENG 4121 (B51-C)

Note: Although “Strycharski” is currently listed as the instructor for this class on the online course schedule, it will indeed be taught by Mr. Shteyrenberg.