The Backpacker's Guide to World Cinema

This course identifies the formal, stylistic and thematic concerns that are shared, despite their apparent diversity, by a cross section of contemporary films. Students will analyse a selection of notable films from around the world that revise, resist or reject the standard practices or themes of mainstream cinema.

15 points

TAFS102

The Oscar for Best Picture: The Envelope Please!

This course will trace the trajectory of the Academy Awards: from 1930s screwball comedies and backstage musicals to celebrated wartime classics; from 1950s Minnelli musicals to 1980s post-Vietnam war films. It will provide a concentrated, thumbnail history of American Cinema, which challenges students to consider and question the formal criteria (cinematography, acting, sound, editing) upon which critical judgement is based. It will introduce students to the canonical classics of American Cinema, inviting them to explore diverse film genres and even the occasional Academy extravaganza.

15 points