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Independent Course of Study: Science Fiction Film
This class focuses on a key science fiction trope: the sign of the alien, an otherwise trivial element of popular culture that nonetheless carries a number of troubling ideologies: xenophobia, racism, misogyny, etc. Indeed, signs of aliens are inter-generic, drawing upon multiple film genres, and multifunctional. They can be found in many forms and places: globular clusters in rocks, words in literature, tales on the radio, and signs in motion pictures. This course assumes that signs of aliens tell us more about ourselves – and about the complexity of genre – than they do about life beyond our planet. Thus, we will not debate the truth or falsity of extraterrestrial life. We will not focus strictly on science fiction film. Instead, we will employ semiotics and cultural studies to uncover the social significance of alienation as an aesthetic expression and value system in the context of immigration, religion, race, gender and sexuality. In this way, Signs of Aliens contributes to an understanding of human diversity and division.
By the end of this course, students will have developed:Specific knowledge of a range of national cinemas, movements, genres and formsKnowledge of the major theoretical debates and discourses in Cinema StudiesAn ability to confidently use and understand a range of conceptual and theoretical terms of the disciplineA growing ability to test and question ideas and interpretations offered in classAn ability to produce a detailed, coherent and persuasive argument in the form of an academic essayIncreasing confidence in interpretation, analysis and assessment of a range of films
30 points in CINE at 200-level, orequivalent preparation with the approval of the Programme Coordinator.
For further information see Humanities Head of Department
Recommended Reading: Cook, Pam; The cinema book; 3rd ed; BFI, 2007.Course readings will still be accessible through LEARN.(Image: "Gort Robot Model" by Mr.TinDC. Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.)
Film list for 2017: • A Trip to the Moon (Georges Méliès, France, 1903)• Nosferatu (F.W. Murnau, Germany, 1922)• The Da Vinci Code (Ron Howard, 2006) • The Brother from Another Planet (John Sayles, 1984) • Starman (John Carpenter, 1984) • Contact (Robert Zemeckis, 1997)• The Day the Earth Stood Still (Robert Wise, 1951)• Communion (Philippe Mora, 1989) • Star Wars: Episode 1 (George Lucas, 1999)• Star Trek êpisodes• Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979) • The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicolas Roeg, 1976) • Born In East L.A. (Cheech Marin, 1987)
Domestic fee $1,464.00
International fee $5,950.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .