Course details

Name: ENFL - 496

Title: SEMINAR IN ASIAN CINEMA

Section: 01

Semester: Fall - 2024

Credits: 3

Description:
China, India and Japan comprise almost 40% of the world’s population. Their histories and cultures are deep and rich, at once ancient and modern, and pervasive in their impact. American filmmakers, from those who emerged in the 1970s (Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas) to several generations since, have been influenced by key Japanese filmmakers and films ranging from family melodramas to action and anime. Star Wars is a remake of a Japanese classic and the famous Rashomon has been imitated by crime dramas, TV sitcoms and even The Simpsons. India’s various regions have created important films in their own local languages, and its mainstream Hindi-language industry, dubbed “Bollywood,” has for decades been the largest in the world, producing some of the most beloved stars and films ever made, for both Indian and diasporic audiences. China and Hong Kong, meanwhile, have yielded an incredibly diverse range of filmmaking practices and notable films, featuring romantic melodramas, political tracts and martial arts films famous around the world. And yet a fuller study and knowledge of Asia has eluded many. The cinema of these lands, with examples from the 1920s to the 2000s, provides a privileged entry into their aesthetics, history, politics and dialogue with the rest of the world, and important discourses and attitudes towards class and caste, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality. We will analyze the meanings of film style and technique, consider the genres unique to these countries, and study the studios and artists who made major, representative films. Requirements include class discussions, film-watching during and outside of class, and reading and writing assignments.

Last updated on 2024-03-20 By Lykidis Alexios (lykidisa)

Schedule: Monday From 2:30 pm To 5:15 pm

Graduation requirements:

• Genre Study (Film)
• International Issues (3a)

Teaching Faculty: Staff English Dept. (staff)

Is course canceled: No