The film is a 20th-century art form, but one that has been overshadowed as art by its value as a form of entertainment. Although made up of many elements, the film is primarily a visual medium. To understand the “language” of the film is to become “visually literate.” Through the examination of a variety of films from different countries, from different time periods, in different styles and genres, and through various readings on film history and aesthetics, the student will become familiar with the elements of the film and be asked to take a critical stance from which to approach this modern art form.