We will examine basic theories of film and their relationship to the practice of “close analysis.” How do film theorists discuss the experience of film, spectatorship, apparatus, and production in a variety of theoretical contexts and explore major film theories such as those of formalism, realism, auteurism, star/celebrity culture, gender, psychoanalysis, genre, race, cultural and media studies? Theories are meant to provide students with a vocabulary for close analysis of film and will stress the many ways of seeing and experiencing film. Our primary responsibility will be finding ways to speak and write about film and its significance as a complex aesthetic and social sign. Films discussed in class iinclude works by Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Coen Brothers, Christopher Nolan, Ryan Coogler, Kathryn Bigelow, Lana and Lily Wachowski, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Benny and Josh Safdie, Peter Jackson, and Alejandro Iñárritu.

This course satisfies the 'Genres or Theory' requirement for English majors.

This course satisfies the GENRE requirement for English Literature majors. 

This course counts towards the DH Component requirement for English: TBD majors. 

This course may satisfy the 'One English Course in Writing Linguistics, Critical Theory, Film or Literature' requirement for English Teaching majors. 

This course satisfies the 'One additional 500/600/700 level' (non-Journalism course) requirement for English/Journalism majors. 

This course satisfies an upper-level ENGL course requirement for English/Law 3+3 majors.