Course code:
What happens to us when we walk into a movie theater? What are our expectations? To what degree are we prepared to be challenged or confronted by something new or different? Of approximately 5000 films produced yearly worldwide, fewer than 5% are given a general U.S. theatrical release. Of these 250, fewer than 30 come from outside the Hollywood system. There are wonderful, unique movies being made every day that most of us will never know exist. This is largely due to entrenched ideas of how to play it commercially “safe,” but also has a great deal to do with a national isolationism which Hollywood films support and perpetuate. What are filmmakers in other countries focusing their attentions on? What stylistic choices are they making? How does one find out about these other films, let alone see them? In this class we will watch movies made within the last twelve years in Austria, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and many other countries—films made by directors the rest of the world acknowledges as masters but who are virtually unknown in the US Critical and theoretical essays from a variety of sources will offer detailed readings on the individual films as well as give a clear picture of how Hollywood functions to silence other voices and the ramifications of these practices on world finance and culture. Among topics covered will be: new media, the digital revolution, the changing face of copyright law, how movies can mask cultural assumptions and reinforce stereotypes or reveal new ways of seeing/perceiving. Evaluation will be based on class participation, weekly response papers, and a final paper/presentation.
Prerequisites:
None.
Always visit the Registrar's Office for the official course catalog and schedules.
