3.2
Quality3.4
Difficulty100%
Would Retake88
Reviews100%
Would Retake
88
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
29
4
14
3
19
2
8
1
18
What Students Say
“After taking his class officially I sat in on it almost every quarter after that”
FILMHIST - 5.0 rating“Worst professor I've ever had, lost two of my assignments and decided to fail me”
VA180B - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.37 avg changeRatings by Course
HARDLOOK
5.0
(1)VIS86
5.0
(1)VIS
5.0
(2)FILM
5.0
(1)LOTS
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
VA180B
5.0
VIS86
5.0
VIS171
5.0
FILM101
5.0
VA154
4.0
Reviews (88)
Worst professor I've ever had, lost two of my assignments and decided to fail me. Won grade appeal, but such a hassle.
a guy living in his own world. doesn't know what kind of impacts his words have over the students. very careless.
he truly thinks he's Jesus Christ incarnated. somebody kick him out of this department please
in love with himself. all he does is talk about his greatness.
Rather abstract lecture style, but once one becomes adjusted, there are many fruits to be gained.
A very inspiring class, he has a insightful look into the reality that avails so many, I think He is one of the best I've ever had, If you enjoy philosophy and defining our own ignorance, this is the class for you.
awsome class. bark is worse than bite. learn to toughen up and you'll learn more here than you'd expect.
No Comments
i dunno about this class. he does go very off topic, if there ever was a topic to begin with. the class isn't that hard, not much work at all. but he does like independent films, and some of them were good.
Inconsiderate, fat lazy ****. He really proves that the French shouldn't work with movies. His lectures are horrible, are off topic, and just plain suck. You leave this class feeling like you wasted your time. He needs to be fired.
Often looses his temper, and is rather pompous. He does have some interesting insight however. Most either love him or hate him.
He is most likely the best film professor in the country. If these other people take their head out of their ass they'd probably learn something. JP Gorin changed my life, and that's a fact.
infuses philosophy, sociology, and anthropology into his lectures. always willing to help and discuss with students. best teacher i've ever had.
He IS the best teacher in the country. If I wasn't going to lawschool, I'd make movies because of him.
hes not as great as these ppl say he is--not insightful, not influential. he doesnt know how to teach. the credit is given to the TA's
Frankly, he thinks he's the best teacher on earth, and said that it should be a privilege for us to have him. Funny thing was, he was completely serious when he said that. I have to take him again next year, not particularly looking forward to that time.
No Comments
The most arrogant professor at UCSD. Lectures were as fun as getting a root canal. Know your TA, period. This professor showed no concern for student learning. Said we all "Had our heads up our asses and don't know **** about film"
He yelled at me because i left in the middle of class. He has no business to force me to stay. Shows what kind of lecturer he is. If you're the kind of person that likes to leave early or go to the bathroom, don't take him, he'll embarass you and yell.
If you go to UCSD and don't take a class with JP, you are wasting your money!
JP is the coolest. Watching strange films + getting cussed at by a French dude = awesome class. He does want you to do well: “If I could give you an A, this would rejoice my soul.”
It has been over 6 years since I last has the priviledge of taking a class with JP. I honestly can say his classes were a highlight of my time @ UCSD. Until you "get" him, he may seem rude, mean, etc. Once you do, you realize what a great teacher, filmmaker,& man he is. Take ALL his classes!
the best of the best of the best. take him if the word passion interests you. don't if the word fxxx bugs you
i definitely didnt love him as much as a lot of other people did, i probably would have been more into him if i were a film major. he's a smart man and is not afraid to say it and he does want his students to do well. overall, not bad
By far the best professor at UCSD. He is both smart and easy to talk to. J.P. Rules!
12 page papers. 'nuff said.
No Comments
hes a moron. students seem to wet their pants over him like he is a saint. he definitely knows some good stuff but it gets ruined by his incompetence. classes of his are easy and he does show some sweet films (also a lot of****ty ones that he will talk abotu for hours) take it for the tas and films
JP's definitely one of the most interesting professors I've ever had. He knows what he's talking about, even though the information he delivers is slightly disorganized. I'm pretty sure he does lectures off the top of his head. but I definitely think he's a professor that's worth taking.
Usually is a very moody, angry person as he lectures. Degrades his students. His lectures cover random material that he tells in a very arrogant way, which is quite annoying. He also enjoys speaking in odd metaphors that only he can understand completely. Apparently some people like him, but for me he’s probably the worst teacher I’ve ever had.
I think you should go to his class and not think about your grade. Think about why you like movies and get over yourselves. Hes beyond good. try to listen for a minute without getting bent out of shape.
No Comments
Best Professor I ever had at UCSD. You get the very good of J.P. with the not so good. Maybe all the rumors are true. The good and bad ones.
Best Professor I ever had at UCSD. You get the very good of J.P. with the not so good. Maybe all the rumors are true. The good and bad ones.
i loved his lectures for the rambling, cursing, and attitude that came with the insight. people need to stop whining and take it as it comes -- he might be full of himself but at least he's not full of himself and DULL like david antin.
i loved his lectures for the rambling, cursing, and attitude that came with the insight. people need to stop whining and take it as it comes -- he might be full of himself but at least he's not full of himself and DULL like david antin.
No Comments
No Comments
Eccentric Frnch man with lots of attitude, but knows his****.
this man can change the way you look at film. he is pretentious and abusive. both with good reason. if you are going to take his class, be someone that has a real interest in film, be halfway intelegent, and put effort into it. he spends a lot of time ranting about times gone, and if you have some sort of social conscienciousness he might beat you over the head with it a bit. at the very least he will point you in the right direction with your film viewing
No Comments
Always exciting. Vocabulary is difficult. He's so passionate about the material that he doesn't teach it. He preaches it. Very interesting ideas. Lectures- watch a movie. Sections- quizzes are impossible. Also a paper. He's teaching because he wants to.
I seriously fared for my life during his lectures which, when he wasn't yelling, were so passionate that it took major dissection afterward to understand. He's an interesting guy but you've gotta be able to take him as he comes.
Ridiculously unprofessional and pompous. His class consists of lecturing on random material that is not practical, telling everyone their projects are worthless, changing what he wants every time you meet for class, not giving constructive criticism, and picking on students whose projects he doesn't personally like. Don't take this class with him.
rants a LOT when during lectures. the quizzes are fricking impossible. get a good TA or u are screwed
classes were long to be able to watch old movies. JP is kind of hard to take notes on becuase of his accent and he jumps around when he talks. need to get a good TA. the tests are hard and they try to trick you on the questions. they are mutliple choices and tru/false ones that kill you.
JP has the tendency to ramble on about nothing, and he somehow manages to find the most boring films in existence- and makes you endure them.
Great Professor!
An unbelievably unprofessional and horrible instructor. Asking a question outside of class, esp. by email, earns you curses and belittling. He didn't show up for the final exam. He curses at students and rants on immaterial topics during lectures. That and his accent make his lectures hard to follow. If you can help it, don't take his class.
Passionate lectures. Sometimes class is a little long but the professor can be entertaining. Difficult to find, unusual films shown in class. Having a great TA will help to grasp material tremendously. Essays must be meticulously prepared and are a lot of work to get an A. But no hw and no mandatory reading material. In all, rewarding experince.
Best Professor Ever!!!!!!!!!!!
CU paid a large sum of money in order to host a summer class with the illustrious J.P. Gorin, however they were unable to procure a lecture hall large enough to hold his arrogance. He has worked with Godard and procured an extensive knowledge of film, yet he trounces any hope for a dialectic between student and professor.
Ok, so I took his class when he visited the CU campus during the summer session. Boy, was I in for a surprise, passionate to the extreme, a verbose and well read man who will absolutely shoot you down if you are wrong. All you have to do is ****ing play his game; the other games are less interesting anyways. Education and ideology is a everything.
Great professor... extremely passionate and very entertaining. He may seem mean and intimidating at first, but talk to him in his office hours and your perception of movies will change.
THE BEST !!!
JP is the man. After taking his class officially I sat in on it almost every quarter after that.
he's brilliant and knows it. if you take good notes and work hard on the essays you'll get an A. if you say something stupid, he'll call you on it. his lectures will change the way you look at movies forever. intimidating but really cares about teaching. take him if you have the chance.
Prof. Gorin is extremely intelligent regarding film analysis and I learned a lot To get an A in his class you have to work REALLY hard on your essays I took my dad to attend one of his lectures and he thought that Gorin was a sadistic narcissist! I dont want to take a class with him again This class alone will fill you in on what makes a good movie
I hate this class. I can't understand what he says because of his heavy french accent. He swears SO MUCH, it's VERY unprofessional. The total grade for the class is from two assignments: 40% midterm, 60% final. I would NEVER recommend this class to anybody, and the only reason I took History of Film because it was a media major requirement.
JP has the most character of any teacher I have ever had. Don't worry about the grade you get in this class. You wont learn history the same way the books teach, you analyze films according to a "relative dominant model" which he made up so you cant find books/sites on it. He is a warm and nice old man who is rightfully nicknamed "Totoro"
This guy is one c0cky guy. If you disagree with him, be prepared to fail. He is extremely close-minded. Great course, but terrible prof.
This man is a self-proclaimed hot shot--but that's okay, because he is a living piece of film history. I am not a film buff, but it wasn't really difficult to stay awake in his lectures. We watched movies most of the time. For my section, I had to write a paper to pass the class.
Very bright... in a metaphysical way. Remarkably self-enamored. Learned a great deal. He could accomplish even more with less attitude.
He will tell you the absolute truth about your work and point out all of its horrific flaws. He will yell and curse at you for hours on end. He will question the plausibility of you as a "filmmaker." And from all those things, you will learn more about film than anywhere else in UCSD.
attitude comes with the territory. French
Most amazing professor ever.
This dude is amazing. I am not a film major or anything but I totally dig him...heck, I don't even have a TV! He is an extremely great professor.
I was scared to take his classes after reading a lot of the comments written here, but honestly the BEST BEST professor at UCSD I've ever had. He's a little harsh, but it's for your benefit. I learned more in this class than any other class at UCSD. He's a living legend, experience his experiences and take the class!
His arrogance alone is a reason why you should avoid him. Grading is unfair. Take this only if you are serious about film and need it.
He's arrogant, opinionated, and he shows us the strangest movies. Still, he's very intelligent (he said he got 2 PhD's by the time he was 20), so at least his arrogance is justified. He speaks in extremely abstract terms, which I found kind of difficult. He is the only professor that would dare showing a class In the Realm of the Senses.
Tough love. He's fed up with our generation's lazy concept of art, so he lashes out at his students to bring them back to "reality". But he needs to realize that he had flaws at our age too, and that not all students are lost causes. Modern Film isn't going to be fixed by yelling. He's not a nice person, but he's got the ideas.So work from there...
I ended up dropping the class because I could not stand the abuse. I did not spend my hard earned money be yelled at for three hours twice a week. He says insightful things and shows great movies, yes, but heaven forbid you have a question, opinion, or a desire to participate. Then he will insult your intelligence and even your sexuality.
I DREAD this class... every day, even when I don't have another class with Gorin for a whole week. I'm almost positive that the only reason he gets away with talking to students that way is because he is tenured and doesn't care. He basically stands there, drinking his Starbucks, and calls the class stupid and blind for THREE HOURS! LAME!
Sadly Gorin is the only professor worth listening to at UCSD. Passionate guy. Lectures actually make you think. Shows the best films. Ironically the most progressive film professor at this school go figure. His essays are actually HELPFUL!! I SHIT YOU NOT!! Doesn't make you read other peoples' ideas but rather he makes you develop your own.
This class was miserable, and I didn't learn a thing from J.P. He makes it very difficult to take notes and doesn't allow laptops. The TAs do most of the teaching, assigning, and grading, so your grade is based entirely on what they think of your work. If you have a good TA it helps.
I respect JP for his passion, storytelling. He wants us students to think beyond the constraints of institutionalized thinking. VIS153: Western Genre, analyzing a film not psychologically, but through film techniques, the spatial relationships, etc. Intellectually challenging class, helpful TAs (who did their best to translate JP's ramblings).
I had JP in early 1980's. He was controversial and popular as an inspired and irreverent instructor and lambasted students then, prior to tenure.His were THE most attended classes BECAUSE of his "candor". He inspired searching and seeing more.If you dont get him you think in a box. He and Manny Farber were the most influential in my education.
You'll either love or hate him, not much middle ground here. I hated this class at first because of its lack of structure and its hard to decipher whether this guys cussing at you or saying something genius. But i loved it by the end because he is actually saying something genius about films thats always unconventional.
JP is the best teacher I have come across at UCSD. He is passionate about films and through I may not agree with everything he says, or understand every point he makes, he is fantastic because he makes you think. He makes you step outside of the box and actually try to think about film in different ways than you are used to.
There aren't words enough to describe how great JP is. If you listen, respect him and most of all TRY in class, you will learn more than you ever thought you could about film, art and life. I didn't have to be enrolled to attend his lectures and I'm not the only one. If you know what's good for you, and even if you don't, take his class to learn.
Rating him at this point is useless, he is retiring in the summer, but one of the best professors I've had at UCSD. Knows his stuff and even if it is a little hard to understand him, the TA's are a great resource. Definitely put in the work for his class and the grade will take care of itself.
Unless you are a visual arts major and need to take this class, DONT! I took it as my fine arts expecting it to be a fun, easy class where we just watch movies. This is semi true because we are watching movies the majority of the time but they are some of the weirdest movies Ive ever seen. And everything the teacher says makes no sense.
I really did NOT like this class. JP is knowledgeable and passionate about films, but he constantly insults "our generation" for being stupid and expects students to somehow magically understand everything. I've had upper divs easier than this class. No final, but a 12 pg paper analysis. Says it's graded on effort, but I beg to differ.
Extremely boring 3 hour lectures that are filled with mumbling.He never has a point. He shows French or Japanese movies only.All the movies were oppressive towards women.The midterm is a 6pg paper(single spaced) and final(12pgs double spaced). The teacher is unprofessional."Realm of the senses" is something that you can expect to see in this class.
Simply the best
JP Gorin is a seminal thinker in the history of film. It is a PRIVILEGE to have studied iwith him in the 1970s. Mind changing.
Wow, it's been 11 years since I had the honor of attending his classes (though fortunate enough to catch him at the PFA lecture series on Pasolini... Wow, again. It was hard work, filled with perpetual passion; the defining moment of my college days, the exact, rare niche that I'd always waited, and hoped for. One particular memory: a pigeon flew.
J.P. Gorin adores film media and that is contagious. He is both a maker & a critic so his lectures include first-person experiences and that makes a key difference in bringing the material alive. Yes, he has strong opinions, but he does not expect students to "parrot" him. Usually has extraordinary T.A.s
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
100%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.37 avg changeRatings by Course
HARDLOOK
5.0
(1)VIS86
5.0
(1)VIS
5.0
(2)FILM
5.0
(1)LOTS
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
VA180B
5.0
VIS86
5.0
VIS171
5.0
FILM101
5.0
VA154
4.0