FA 276 Gender, Race, and Class in U.S. Cinema

This cinema course is focused on the exploration of representations of gender, race, and class in U.S. Cinema. The course explores the impact of Classical Hollywood Style— the predominate form of storytelling in U.S. Cinema during much of the 20th Century—as it relates to both the creation of cinematic texts and the presentation of race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. Students will be introduced to a cinematic language, the history of cinematic representation, and theoretical discussions of meaning-making, reception, production, and distribution of cinematic texts. Culminating projects will involve the application of cinematic theory in an analysis of the construction of race, gender, sexuality, and class in particular cinematic texts. Weekly campus screenings are required, and clips of films are used in class for close analysis and are an integral part of the course.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

Recommended: placement into WR 115 or higher

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Explain the impact of Classical Hollywood Style on the cinematic traditions in the U.S.
2. Apply a cinematic language in the analysis of cinematic texts
3. Recognize and discuss major trends within and between the filmmaking strategies and traditions of underrepresented groups (e.g., women directors, Black, Latino, Asian-American, and/or Native American filmmakers)
4. Use a theoretical lens in order to analyze representation of gender, race, class, and sexuality in U.S. cinema
5. Be able to discuss the economic, industrial and aesthetic systems that have privileged dominant modes of storytelling