Students enjoy film course

Some students spend their summer vacations watching movies with friends.

Students enrolled in BCA 520J are doing the same thing – and getting college credit for it.

Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts faculty member Jeffrey Smith is teaching a one-credit summer class that will look closely at the works of writer and director Kevin Smith.

“We’ll be learning about Kevin Smith himself, and analyzing his films in terms of discovering what it is about Smith that comes out in his films, and how much of an effect that has on the stories,” Smith said.

“BCA 520J: The Films of Kevin Smith,” which runs from Monday through Thursday this week, studies the motifs, themes and styles of Kevin Smith’s movies “Clerks,” “Dogma,” “Jersey Girl” and “Clerks II.”

Shelby Township sophomore Michael Miserendino said he was excited to be able to take a class dedicated to Kevin Smith’s work.

“I’m just pumped to be taking the class in the first place,” he said. “Kevin Smith has been my favorite filmmaker for a long time and its pretty cool that there is a class offered.”

Jeffrey Smith said students are attracted to film courses by either the films being shown, the director of the films or both.

“Once (students) get into the courses, however, they find they enjoy learning a new way to appreciate the films they already like,” he said.

Holt senior Amanda Dykhuis said she is a fan of Kevin Smith and wants to get greater insight into his movies.

“I love Kevin Smith movies, he’s my favorite director,” she said. “I just want to learn a little more about Kevin Smith and the kind of work he does.”

There are a number of special film classes that are being offered this summer by the Department of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts.

Lansing sophomore Jose Velasquez said he is interested in learning more about movies so he can analyze and contrast other movies.

“This summer I am also enrolled in BCA 520A,” he said. “It’s a class about devil pacts in the movies.”

Jeffrey Smith said the only other director course being offered this summer is BCA associate professor Kevin Corbett’s “Terry Gilliam Films” which runs from June 4 through June 7.

Smith to CMU?

There have been rumors that Kevin Smith would be making a surprise visit to CMU to speak in Jeffrey Smith’s class this week.

Jeffrey Smith said that while news about the class was post as front page news on Kevin Smith’s website for a number of weeks, he has heard nothing about a possible visit.

“If he does show up, it will likely be a huge surprise for everyone involved — especially me,” Jeffrey Smith said.

“…It should be noted that Harvey Weinstein has forged fruitful relationships, perhaps even harmonious ones despite his reputation for shouting matches, with several directors. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma) Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, Cold Mountain) and Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat) all came back to work with him.”

Currently they are showing the clip of the interview with Rachel the intern on their Howard TV on demand channel. When they reference him they even show a quick picture of him on screen, the producer Gary (Bababooey) incorrectly refers to him as Silent Jay (which I find hilarious) which then brought out a couple people singing the “Smoking weed” song and Howard says “That guy is a genius”.

Atheists. And then there are the people — yes, they exist — who don’t get “Star Wars,” don’t like “Star Wars,” don’t think Luke Skywalker is fit to kiss Frodo’s big hairy toe. One such heretic showed up in Kevin Smith’s film “Clerks II” defending “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.” “There’s only one return,” sneers the film’s hero. “And that’s ‘Return of the Jedi.’ “