Amazon’s Wicki entry:

In his intriguing course "Dostoevsky and Cinema" professor Gerald Pirog  

         investigates what happens when a text in one medium (language) is transformed 

      into another medium (film). "Shades of Day" is one of the mostly non-Russian 

            films he has selected for his course. "Shades of Day" is the modern day adaptation

        of Dostoevsky’s classic novella "White Nights", taking place in Los Angeles and 

                 continuing a multilayered romantic tradition deeply imbedded in the Western culture. 

THE ORIGINAL WEBSITE'S PAGE OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
CORRESPONDING TO COURSE "DOSTOEVSKY AND CINEMA" HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED.
WE WERE LUCKY TO SAVE A COPY - PLEASE REVIEW IT HEREIN BELOW
 

 

 

 

 

 

860:320

 

Dostoevsky and World Cinema

Professor Gerald Pirog     

Spring

 

 

 


Camilla Bergstrom and Phillipe Bergeron in Sumin's Shades of Day  

SHADES OF DAY



Nick Nolte and James Coburn in Schrader's Affliction (1997)

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Course Description

Prof. Gerald Pirog

gpirog@rci.rutgers.edu

732-932-7604

 

Home

Syllabus

Shades of Day -Notes

 

 

 

 

 




This course will examine two types of films that are connected to Dostoevsky's fiction: Cinematic "adaptations" of the novels or novellas, and films that have been influenced by his writings. I have chosen mostly non-Russian films for several reasons. Many western adaptations are more interesting than the typical Soviet versions. Dostoevsly was always a problem for Soviet critics and this is reflected, as we will see in Kulidzhanov's Crime and Punishment, in filmic versions. A second logistic reason is that most Russian versions do not come with subtitles.

Specifically we will study the following films:

Cinematic adaptations:

1.     Crime and Punishment (Chenal, Von Sternberg, Kulidzhanov)

2.     The Idiot(Kurosawa, Bortko)

3.     Notes from Underground (Walkow)

4.     A Gentle Creature (Bresson)

5.     The Gambler (Makk)

6.     White Nights (Bresson, Visconti)

Films influenced by Dostoevsky's writings:

1.     New York Stories (Scorsese , Life Lessons, The Gambler)

2.     Affliction (Schrader, Brothers Karamazov)

3.     Partner (Bertolucci, The Double)

4.     Shades of Day (Sumin, White Nights)

The course is as much a course on cinema as on literature. We will be concerned with formal cinematic issues: camera angles, depth of field, arrangement in space, lighting, music, etc. You should give close attention to the way a film LOOKS as well as how it treats Dostoevsky's work. We will be considering what happens when a text in one medium--language--is transformed into another medium--film.

Each Tuesday we will screen a film. Thursdays will be devoted to discussion. You should read all the works we are discussing in advance of the screening.

Reading assignments will be available online at e-reserve or directly from the course's website. If you have not read the works that are related to the films, you should include that as part of the reading assignment. See Links page for texts.

Course Requirements:

1.     Attendance: You are required to be present at every class. Two absences are automatically excused but you are still required to do the readings and view the films. Any more than two absences for what ever reason may affect your grade. (20% of grade)

2.     Readings are to be done by the day they are assigned. If you have not yet read the relevant work by Dostoevsky, you are required to read it by the relevant film date.

3.     Participation: You will get extra consideration in the day of final reckoning if you have contributed to discussions in class. I understand that some students just can't speak up in a strange group. I will try to create an atmosphere where discussion is encouraged and facilitated. It is the life of the class. (10% of grade)

4.     Writing: You will be required to send me an e-mail "journal" entry each week by Friday 6:00 PM. A short (250-350 words) response to the films and the readings is required each week. It will comprise 20% of your grade.

5.     Two short (5-6 page) essays on topics to be announced early in the semester. (25% each)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home

Course Description  

Shades of Day -Notes

 

 

 


Syllabus

Prof. Gerald Pirog

gpirog@rci.rutgers.edu

732-932-7604

 

 

 

 

 

Academic Calendar

Tuesday January 17

Introduction                                                                                 

Work by Dostoevsky

Thursday 1/19    

Readings: Visconti (item #11 on e-reserve)

 

Tuesday 1/24

Visconti, Le Notti Bianche (1957)

White Nights

Thursday 1/26

 

 

Tuesday 1/31

Bresson, Quatre nuit d'un r�veur (1972)

White Nights

Thursday 2/2

Cunneen: Chapter 10: The Education of a Romantic (Item #10 on e-reserve)

 

Tuesday 2/7

Sumin, Shades of Day (2006)

White Nights

Thursday 2/9

 

 

Tuesday 2/14

   Bresson, Une Femme Douce (1969)

A Gentle Creature

Thursday 2/16

 

 

Tuesday 2/21

       Walkow, Notes From Underground (1995)

Notes from Underground

Thursday 2/23

 

 

Tuesday 2/28

   Kulidzhanov, Prestuplenie i nakazanie (1965)

Crime and Punishment

Thursday 3/2

Readings: Crime-Canby (item # 3 on e-reserve)

 

Tuesday 3/7

   Chenal, Crime et Ch�timent (1935)

Crime and Punishment

Thursday 3/9

 

 

 

Spring Recess 3/11-3/19

 

Tuesday 3/21

      Von Sternberg, Crime and Punishment (1936)

Crime and Punishment

Thursday 3/23

 

 

Tuesday 3/28

     Kurasawa, The Idiot (1951)

The Idiot

Thursday 3/30

Readings: Idiot-Kurosawa-Richie (item # 5 on e-reserve)

 

Tuesday 4/4

  Makk, The Gambler (1998)

Scorsese, "Life Lessons" In New York Stories (1987)

The Gambler

Thursday 4/6

Redadings: Life Lessons-Nyce (item # 9 on e-reserve)

 

Tuesday 4/11

   Bertolucci Partner

The Double

Thursday 4/13

 

 

Tuesday 4/18

   Schrader, Affliction, (1998)

The Brothers Karamazov

Thursday 4/20

Readings: Schrader

 

Tuesday 4/25

 

 

Thursday 4/27

Last Class

 

Monday 5/1

Classes end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Film Notes

Prof. Gerald Pirog

gpirog@rci.rutgers.edu

732-932-7604

 


Home

Syllabus

Course Description

 

 

 

 

 

Shades of Day

Drama/Fiction Feature

The film introduces us to the enchanting Linda, whose life is centered around a planned reunion with her former lover Paul. Her plans change in remarkable ways as she encounters an extraordinary cast of characters including a new lover and a pornography producer who is pursued by the Mafia.  

Running Time

Language

Director

Screenwriter

102 m

English

Vitaly Sumin

Vitaly Sumin

Production company

VMP FILMS
Glendale , CA 91202
United States

Contact Name

Vitaly Sumin

Web Address

http://www.shadesofday.com

Producer

VM Productions

Cinematographer

Gus Blaudziunas

Music

Cengiz Yaltkaya

Editor

Eric Chase & Vitaly Sumin

Production Design

Matt Hill

 

 

Cast

Camilla Bergstrom
Alexander Smith
Brian Paul Stuart
Philippe Bergeron
Joseph Cardinale

Film Format

Super 16

Film Format Ratio

 16x9

Film Sound

Dolby SR

Film Video Type

Broadcast version

 

 

Director Bio and Credits

Film School attended

University Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris, France - cinema

 

                                       Amazon’s Wicki entry:

In his intriguing course "Dostoevsky and Cinema" professor Gerald Pirog  

investigates what happens when a text in one medium (language) is transformed 

 into another medium (film). "Shades of Day" is one of the mostly non-Russian 

 films he has selected for his course. "Shades of Day" is the modern day adaptation

 of Dostoevsky’s classic novella "White Nights", taking place in Los Angles and 

 continuing a multilayered romantic tradition deeply imbedded in the Western culture.