USC Dornsife News

Monkey King to become China's Mickey Mouse?

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:49:00 -0500

International filmmakers and development leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities for entertainment attractions in China during the UCLA-USC Media and Culture in Contemporary China conference. Keynote speaker Zhang Jizhong shared his plan for a theme park in China called Monkey King.

Time Flies

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:03:00 -0500

Time, which explains why times moves forward and never back. Shown here is Salvador Dali's 1931 melting clock painting, The Persistence of Memory. Image © 2007 Salvador Dalí, Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York." title="In USC's inaugural science-themed filmmaking competition, USC Dornsife's Kevin Le and USC School of Cinematic Arts' Edward Saavedra, sophomores, took top prize for their short movie, Time, which explains why times moves forward and never back. Shown here is Salvador Dali's 1931 melting clock painting, The Persistence of Memory. Image © 2007 Salvador Dalí, Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York." /> USC Dornsife's Kevin Le and USC School of Cinematic Arts' Edward Saavedra, both sophomores, took the top prize in the inaugural science-themed filmmaking competition for their short movie Time. USC Dornsife students also won an honorable mention.

Behind Those Violet Eyes

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 10:43:00 -0500

Cleopatra was a critical flop, but starred Elizabeth Taylor as the most powerful woman in the ancient world. USC Dornsife's M. G. Lord discusses Cleopatra in her new book, The Accidental Feminist: How Elizabeth Taylor Raised Our Consciousness and We Were Too Distracted by Her Beauty to Notice out Feb. 7." title="Cleopatra was a critical flop, but starred Elizabeth Taylor as the most powerful woman in the ancient world. USC Dornsife's M. G. Lord discusses Cleopatra in her new book, The Accidental Feminist: How Elizabeth Taylor Raised Our Consciousness and We Were Too Distracted by Her Beauty to Notice out Feb. 7." /> Thinking of Elizabeth Taylor what comes to mind? Those eyes? Diamonds? The eight marriages? A new book by cultural critic M. G. Lord of USC Dornsife describes how the late actress’ feminist impact has been hidden in plain sight.

A Fantastical Take on Reality

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:33:00 -0500

Godzilla, created by Japanese film director Ishirō Honda in 1954, represents the United States and Japan’s fears about the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Image credit: 1954 © Toho Co., Ltd." title="In the Fall special topics course "The Fantastic in Modern East Asian Literature and Film," USC undergraduates and graduate students learned the film Godzilla, created by Japanese film director Ishirō Honda in 1954, represents the United States and Japan’s fears about the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Image credit: 1954 © Toho Co., Ltd." /> USC students explored the subtle messages of the fantastic genre this Fall in a new class led by USC Dornsife’s Geraldine Fiss, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.

A Director to Look 'Up' To

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:14:00 -0500

British Academy award winner Michael Apted discusses how to use real-life survival stories in film during USC Shoah Foundation Institute's Student Voices Master Class.

It Happened One Night (in the Lab)

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:13:00 -0500

It Happened One Night?" title="In USC’s first filmmaking competition centered on the sciences, Clifford Johnson and Anna Krylov of USC Dornsife envision entries on any kind of film genre imaginable. What if Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert were scientists in the classic romantic comedy It Happened One Night?" /> Physicist Clifford Johnson and chemist Anna Krylov of USC Dornsife launch USC’s first filmmaking competition focusing on science themes.

Reel Life

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:47:00 -0500

Students in the Masters in Visual Anthropology program in USC Dornsife have spent the past year crafting ethnographic documentaries chronicling topics such as surf tourism in Latin America and the cultural preservation of Los Angeles’ Garifuna community. This past Friday, the films made their debut on the big screen.

Master of Liberal Studies Students Selected for Annual Symposium

Fri, 27 May 2011 14:28:00 -0500

Just-graduated USC Dornsife students will present their research at a summer symposium with colleagues and alumni in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Remembering Their Stories

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:58:00 -0500

The Last Days. The USC Shoah Foundation Institute has partnered with Comcast to release this documentary film and nine others in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Photo by Geoffrey Clifford." title="Holocaust survivor Renée Firestone in the film The Last Days. The USC Shoah Foundation Institute has partnered with Comcast to release this documentary film and nine others in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Photo by Geoffrey Clifford." /> The USC Shoah Foundation Institute has partnered with Comcast to release 10 documentary films in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Master of Liberal Studies Students Present at Annual Symposium

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:22:00 -0500

USC College Master of Liberal Studies students presented their research at the Fourth Annual Graduate Liberal Studies Symposium jointly sponsored by eight universities worldwide.

Crossing Genres

Thu, 20 May 2010 10:56:00 -0500

The Repossession Mambo, which was recently transformed into the feature film Repo Men, starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker." title="USC College alumnus Eric Garcia co-wrote the screenplay based on his novel The Repossession Mambo, which was recently transformed into the feature film Repo Men, starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker." /> Author, screenwriter and USC College alumnus Eric Garcia follows his imagination wherever it leads.

USC College Alumnus Wins Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:45:00 -0500

Taylor Hackford takes home USC Alumni Association's most prestigious honor, while outgoing USC President Steven Sample and his wife Kathryn were also honored at the ceremony.

The Science of Language (Na'vi, That Is)

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:25:00 -0500

Avatar. Photo by Max S. Gerber" title="USC College alumnus Paul Frommer created a language for the film Avatar. Photo by Max S. Gerber" /> From harmony (meoauniaea) to brainworm (eltungawng), Paul Frommer Ph.D. ’81 creates a brand new language for the film Avatar.

A World All Their Own

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Avatar director James Cameron on the set of the film. Photo credit Mark Fellman, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation." title="Avatar director James Cameron on the set of the film. Photo credit Mark Fellman, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation." /> In the film Avatar, director James Cameron creates a futuristic tribal culture complete with its own language, rituals and religion.

Taking a Vow to be Heard

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 10:26:00 -0500

Inheritance. Photo credit Don Holtz." title="Monika Hertwig, daughter of Nazi Amon Goeth, stands near the villa at the Plaszow Concentration Camp, where her parents lived during WWII. Goeth was camp commandant and personally tortured and killed countless Jews. Hertwig and her meeting with Helen Jonas, who survived Goeth's wrath, is chronicled in the documentary, Inheritance. Photo credit Don Holtz." /> During a USC Shoah Foundation Institute event, filmmakers discuss the value of genocide survivor testimony.

Still Trying to Do the Right Thing

Fri, 1 Dec 2006 22:55:00 -0500

In conversation with USC College’s Robin Kelley, filmmaker Spike Lee tackled a wide range of issues — from the portrayal of American-Americans in popular culture to Hurricane Katrina and the importance of following your dream.

A Great Filmmaker and a Complex Man

Sun, 1 Jan 2006 20:43:00 -0500

USC College professors provide perspectives on Elia Kazan, known for more than his critically acclaimed films. The discussion was held at the downtown Los Angeles Public Library. By Pamela J. Johnson January 2006 Quick. Elia...

It’s a Contender

Sun, 1 Jan 2006 20:42:00 -0500

University Professor Leo Braudy’s new book, On the Waterfront, explores the impact of the classic film and the story behind its making. By Pamela J. Johnson January 2006 Leo Braudy was a teenager when an unlikely golden...