Today, I had my first class at Paris VII. Translated to English, it's called "The Paradox of Comedy in the Cinema." This is what we call an L3 course... have I explained the French university system yet? No? Brilliant.
In France, there is no SAT. All French high school (and IB) students take the Baccalaureate exam at the end of high school. It's cumulative of everything ever, but pass it, and you graduate, pass go, collect $200 (about 4.50 in euros), and show up to Paris VII on the first day. Now, since the college didn't have the SAT to weed people out for them, they have to do it themselves. The 'L1' classes compose the first year of the university's concise, no-dabbling, 3-year program, and it is these classes that serve as the litmus test. Thus, I'm taking second-semester L3's. If I were French, I'd be in scoffing distance of a diploma right now.
SO. My comedy in cinema class was actually more like a Vassar film class than I thought it would be... the professor stood at the front of the lecture hall, mumbled, didn't quite know how to work the technology, showed clips of relevant films, and invited students to give their input. The only differences:
--Roughly 40 students
--It was all in French
--It was 3 hours
--Best I could tell, not much homework... how 'bout that...
I then headed over to Reid Hall for my VWPP film class, which is supposed to be a combination of philosophy and film theory. This was a very surreal experience; we watched The Searchers-- well, not really watched, since the professor picked one part he thought was important (the opening credits?) and stopped at least once per second to point something out. So, here I am at 5 in the afternoon watching (as best I can) the opening credits to an American classic* with running French commentary coming from a guy who looks a little too much like Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. Bright side: he definitely knows his stuff and doesn't seem to be too big on homework, either.
Since this hasn't been my most creative or entertaining entry, I can at least claim it was short. Oh, and since you haven't had your per-entry French lesson...
"Pedestrian"-- you know, those annoying things that get in your way while you drive?-- is "piéton" in French. Boy, is that an ironic explanation on my part...
-Andy
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Footnotes... er, Footnote. Because there's only one. Yes.
* The same one I've now studied three semesters in a row... Though, I have to admit, it did feel a little like home.
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