CTP FILM –SCHEDULE. 2007-8. COML1034
All critical reading from The Film Studies Reader. Joanne Hollows, Peter Hutchings & Mark
Janovich [Arnold 2000] IBSN 0 340 69279 0 and The CTP Film Reader.
7 Jan. 9.00
Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) with short introductory lecture. [PH]
14 Jan
Form, Content and Film Language: Psycho [PH]
Seminar Reading: Robin Wood, ‘Psycho’, from Hitchcock’s Films Revisited. in The
CTP Film Reader.
21 Jan.
Literature and Film: Adapting Text to Image [PH]
Mansfield Park (novel: Jane Austen; film, Rozema, 1999).
Seminar Reading: Imelda Whelehan, ‘Adaptation’. Copy in the CTP Film Reader.
Psychoanalysis & ‘The Gaze’ – [PH]
Seminar Reading: Laura Mulvey – ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’. in The Film
Studies Reader 238- 248 .
Genre and the Politics of Spectatorship: Desire & Stars. [CB]
Seminar Reading:
The Woman’s film. Christine Geraghty
All of the The Star Studies section
‘Film and the Masquerade: theorizing the female spectator.’ Mary Ann Doane.
Both in the The Film Studies Reader.
28 Jan.
4 Feb
11 Feb
No classes.
18 Feb
Genre. The Western. Spectatorship [CB]
25 Feb
Seminar Reading. ‘Authorship and genre.: notes on the western.’ Jim Kitses.
Extract from Genre. Steve Neale.
‘On Not being Lady Macbeth …’. Tamsin Wilson.
‘There’s Something Queer Here’ Alexander Doty, All in The Film Studies Reader
Screening. Johnny Guitar
3 Mar.
11 Mar
Genre: Horror & Fantasy. [CB] [Gender and Race]
Screening. Candyman
Seminar Reading.. ‘Her Body, Himself’ Carol Clover
‘White privilege & looking relations. …’ Jane Gaines.
Both in The Film Studies Reader.
Essay Tutorials.
EASTER BREAK
Consolidations. This section will bring together concepts of adaptation as well as the components of
film language you have learnt in the previous term. There will be compulsory examination questionS
on the material of this term
8 Apr
Genre, The musical [CB]
Jane Feuer. & Martin Sutton in The CTP Film Reader.
Essay Deadline. Header Sheets - 135263 [CB]
135264 [PH]
15 Apr
Screening.Cabaret
Goodbye to Berlin, Christopher Isherwood
22 Apr
Global Cinemas. Chinese cinema. [CB]
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Dai Sigie [Vintage]
29 Apr
Revision Lecture [PH]
ASSESSMENT
Assessment:
You will write one essay [2,500 words]
and one examination [two hours and two questions]
Together these are designed to enable you to engage with the wide range of films and
critical approaches, and to gain both a good knowledge of the material and get credit
for that work.
You cannot duplicate material: if you are focusing on a particular film / critical essay
in your essay then you cannot write on that in the exam [If in doubt ask us.]
The Essay
Deadline: Monday 8 April
General Guidelines
Your essay must draw upon articles in the course readers as well as close readings of
the appropriate texts.
Your essay should engage with the set texts, but you may extend and develop your
arguments with regard to other films and texts in consultation with your
seminar leader.
You are most welcome to ask for advice on your essay, but please talk to your
seminar leader in good time.
You are encouraged to go beyond the set theoretical materials in developing your
approach. There is a good stock of material in the University Library but
there are other sites too! Be careful with web sites. There is a lot of good
material out there - but a lot of rubbish too! Do make sure you evaluate
any web material critically. If in doubt, ask us.
The Examination.
You must answer two questions.
You should display knowledge of both theoretical and cinematic texts, and literary
texts where appropriate.
You cannot duplicate the same material in your essay and the exam.
Essay Questions.
1. ‘Going far beyond highlighting a woman’s to-be looked-at-ness, cinema builds
the way she is to be looked at into the spectacle itself … cinematic codes
create a gaze, a world and an object, thereby producing an illusion cut to the
measure of desire.’ (Laura Mulvey) Discuss this argument with reference to
any one film studied.
2. Analyse one screen adaptation that we have studied in relation to its source
material. You should include discussion of the specific challenges of adapting
this particular source material for the screen, the relationship between the two
versions (is it a direct transposition? a commentary on the original? an analogy
to the original?) and – most importantly - your evaluation of the adaptor’s
choices.
3. How important are ‘stars’ in understanding the film system? You should
address Richard Dyer’s work as well as other relevant critical materials and at
least two of the films we have studied on this course.
4. In what ways does a structuralist approach facilitate both an understanding of
an individual film and the rules of genre? Discuss with reference to at least
one film we have studied on this course.
5. Who is looking? Use theories of spectatorship studied in this course to analyse
any one film studied in terms of gender and/or race.
6. With reference to one or more films studied, discuss how cinematic techniques
(e.g. editing, cinematography, mise-en-scène, sound, lighting) enhance our
understanding of the story. (Don’t forget to specify what you think the “story”
is!)
7. In what ways does a concern with gender ['feminist' or 'queer'] alert us to the
complexities of the cinematic text? Discuss with reference to at least one
critical text and two films we have studied on this course.