A&M-Texarkana Professor to Give Joint Presentation

Dr. Drew Morton of Texas A&M-Texarkana will present "The Rosebud Syndrome: Wealth in Film" and a discussion about video graphic production.

Dr. Morton is an assistant professor of Mass Communication and Texas A&M University-Texarkana’s 2015 Scholar of the Year. The presentation will be at noon on Thursday, April 14, in University Center 210.

Sponsored jointly by the university’s "Program for Learning and Community Engagement" (PLACE) and University Honors program, the presentation will take an unusual format as Dr. Morton will screen the latest video in his series of video graphic criticism made specifically for PLACE’s theme of “Economic Opportunity."

“The Rosebud Syndrome: Wealth in American Film,” the six-minute short features a collage of clips drawn from such films as Citizen Kane (1941), The Godfather (1972) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) that strive to illustrate how American films portray financial success, wealth, greed and the American dream. Following the screening, Dr. Morton will lead a wider discussion about the implications of the video and how it intersects with American ideology.

The second part of the hour-long talk will focus on video graphic criticism and its publication. This unique format has brought A&M-Texarkana prestige and accolades. Dr. Morton has given talks across the world – from Colombia to Canada – about the groundbreaking format and has been an artist in residence at several universities.

Dr. Morton is a co-founder and co-editor of [in]Transition, the first openly peer reviewed academic journal devoted to the format. The journal, which is a co-production of NYU Press’ MediaCommons and the Society of Cinema and Media Studies’ (SCMS) Cinema Journal, recently won an Award of Distinction in the 2015 SCMS Anne Friedberg Innovative Scholarship Competition.

PLACE is a faculty-led program designed to create a community of learners comprising A&M-Texarkana students, faculty, staff and the community at large.

“Faculty members annually choose a common theme around which to organize a lecture series and other activities that provide focal points for learning and discussion,” said Dr. Michael Perri, associate professor of History and chair of the PLACE Committee.

PLACE’s goal is to expose its community of learners to a diversity of ideas from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

The Honors Colloquia are a series of scholarly talks and presentations offered throughout the academic year. They provide a venue for Honors students and faculty to present their research. The Honors program also brings speakers to campus from outside the university community.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.