ENGH221

Introduces the history of film form. Teaches how to historically situate particular films through analysis. Exposes students to philosophical and theoretical perspectives (including formalist, psychoanalytical, feminist, postcolonial, etc.) that have led to the consolidation of a vocabulary for film studies. Students will have the opportunity to learn the skills and language needed to develop a historically sensitive and theoretically nuanced interpretation of cinematic works. Explores such questions as: How did film emerge as one of the most powerful means of communication and artistic expression in the modern era? To what extent have film directors, cinematic movements, and film industries shaped cultures of film production and reception globally? What is film's relationship to other media and how do we understand its status in the contemporary era?