Film & Media Studies 355 - Spectral Cinema

(Offered as ENGL 382 and FAMS 355) From its very beginnings, the moving image has shared a close affinity with the uncanny — the strange, mysterious, or unfamiliar. Whether in its ability to preserve the images of people and places long since passed, its disorienting illusion of live-ness, or its fantastic depictions of impossible worlds, cinema has long elicited shock, amazement, and unease in its spectators. The affective responses conjured by tales of the supernatural are not limited to dread and terror; just as frequently, ghostly narratives elicit grief, loneliness, nostalgia, and fantasy – even pleasure. Cinema is not just an ideal format for the telling of supernatural tales – it is and has always been a haunted medium. This class explores supernatural media through the historical and affective intersection between cinema, technology, modern belief, and spectatorship. Students will engage with a range of international films and critical works drawn from literature, art history, film studies, cultural studies, and critical theory. 

Limited to 30 students. Spring semester. Professor Brennan.

How to handle overenrollment: FAMS and English majors will be prioritized, as will juniors and seniors, but my hope is that it will serve students across the campus.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: The course will be lecture and discussion based, with particular emphasis on weekly readings and screenings. Students will maintain a Moodle discussion board and complete several short papers over the course of the semester.