VSA4050

Film theory and film criticism: part 2

Leonie Naughton

10 points - 3 hours per week - First semester - Clayton

Objectives By the end of the subject students will be expected to be able to extend the skills acquired in earlier years with specific emphasis on the close examination of written texts; demonstrate an understanding of theories of spectatorship and psychoanalytic theory as they apply to film; engage with the debates surrounding recent feminist theory; demonstrate an ability to present rigorous close analyses of specific film texts. Students will be required to critically engage with written and filmic texts in a clear and confident manner in both written and oral presentation.

Synopsis In this seminar subject students will be required to engage actively with aspects of contemporary film theory. Psychoanalytic theory and contemporary film theory will provide the foundation for examination of the role of spectatorship in the cinema and feminist film theory. Characteristics of the hysterical, the masochistic and the sadistic film text, will be analysed in order to understand further the nature of cinematic pleasure. The 'woman's film' will be examined with reference to recent feminist writings of Silverman, Doane and Gledhill. Although this - like VSA4040 (Film theory and criticism: part 1) - is primarily a reading subject, film will be screened for discussion and analysis. Examples will be drawn from divergent sources: popular, commercial film, European art cinema and alternative and avant-garde practices.

Assessment Essay (3000 words): 40% - Longer essay (4500 words): 50% - Seminar participation: 10%

Preliminary reading

Kuhn A Women's pictures: Feminism and cinema RKP, 1982
Mitchell J E Psychoanalysis and feminism Penguin, 1982

Prescribed texts

Collins J and Radner H Film theory goes to the movies AFI, 1993
Burgin V and others (ed.) Formations of fantasy Methuen, 1986
Lebeau V Lost angels: Psychoanalysis and cinema Routledge, 1994
Silverman K The acoustic mirror: The female voice in psychoanalysis and cinema 1988
Wright E (ed.) Feminism and psychoanalysis: A critical dictionary Oxford, 1992

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