The credits will roll on film critic Elvis Mitchell’s first foray into academia today as students hand in their final papers for Visual and Environmental Studies (VES) 173x, “History of American Film Criticism.”

But next spring, Elvis returns.

Mitchell, who recently left his post as one of three film critics at The New York Times, will teach one course each in the VES department and the Department of African and African American Studies in spring 2005, as he did this term. In addition to VES 173x, he taught Afro-American Studies 183, “The African-American Experience in Film: 1930-1970,” this year, serving as a visiting lecturer in both departments.

Chair of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures Eric Rentschler, who has been a key player in the recent development of Harvard’s film studies program, said Mitchell would teach a new VES course, tentatively titled “Film and Sound,” focusing on the role of music and other sound elements in cinema.

Terri H. Oliver, the undergraduate and graduate coordinator in the Department of African and African American Studies, said Mitchell would teach Af-Am 183 again next spring.

Mitchell did not respond to repeated requests for comment this week.

Rentschler said he had offered Mitchell the VES position over dinner last Thursday on behalf of VES Chair Marjorie Garber, who is the Kenan professor of English.

Assistant Professor of VES and of English J.D. Connor ’92, who was also present at the dinner, said Mitchell had immediately reacted positively to the offer, made at posh Square restaurant Rialto.

“I don’t think you ask Elvis Mitchell to come back over Bartley’s,” Connor quipped. Connor, who was recently named VES’ assistant director of undergraduate studies for film studies, is also a Crimson editor.

Lawrence D. Bobo, acting chair of the Af-Am department, confirmed that Mitchell is expected back in that department next year.

Connor said the decision to consider inviting Mitchell back was made by members of Harvard’s film studies and VES faculty in the last two weeks.

Since the Committee on Undergraduate Education’s end-of-term course evaluations were not yet available, advance evaluation forms were distributed to students in VES 173x. Connor called the results “overwhelmingly positive.”

“People were very appreciative,” Rentschler said.

Contacted yesterday, students lauded Mitchell’s accessibility and ability to bring Hollywood professionals to the class.

“He seems to know film from the inside out,” Sarah M. Sclarsic ’06 wrote in an e-mail. “He’s got a unique perspective on film and an almost poetic style of commentary that is certainly something aspiring critics in the class can learn from.”