Cinema of Fantasy and Imagination

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No prior knowledge required.

Content of Course

1. Introduction to the key terms and concepts used in this course: Realism, Naturalism, Fantastic, Imagination.

2. Dream and the Subconscious - different approaches to the representation of dreams in cinema.

3. The Reinvention of the Body - from Frankenstein to Cronenberg.

4. The Double - Man and His Shadow.

5. Myths and Reality - From re-interpretation of classical myths to the attempts to create modern myths.

6. Imagining the Past - Different approaches to historical films and re-creation of past events.

7. Science Fiction - Utopia and Dystopia in anticipation films.

8. Fairytales for Adults - Miraculous stories with serious themes.

9. Fear - the Perils of the Unknown. Different approaches to Horror films, from supernatural creatures to psychoanalytical interpretations.

10. Reshaping Biographies – How filmmakers re-invent the lives of real heroes for cinema.

Selected filmography:

• A Trip to Jupiter (Segundo de Chomon, 1909)

• Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)

• The Kiss (Jacques Feyder, 1929)

• Dracula (Tod Browning, 1931)

• Ugetsu Monogatari (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953)

• Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)

• Medea (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1969)

• Iphigenia (Michael Cacoyannis, 1977)

• Beauty and the Beast (Juraj Herz, 1978)

• Faust (Aleksandr Sokurov, 2011)

Teaching method(s)

Lecture-based course with film excerpts, analysis and extensive group discussion.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students should be able to:

• Identify different trends and auteurs in contemporary cinema;

• Understand the continuity and disjunctions in the evolution of cinema as an art form;

• Analyse techniques, narrative and stylistic devices used in fantastic cinema;

• Understand and appreciate innovations in the genres studied.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

• Petrie, D. (ed.), 1993. Cinema and the Realms of Enchantment: Lectures, seminars, and essays. London: British Film Institute.

• Butler, D., 2009. Fantasy Cinema: Impossible worlds on screen. London: Wallflower.

• Annan, D., 1984. Cinema of Mystery and Fantasy. London: Lorrimer.

• Walters, James, 2011. Fantasy Film: A critical introduction. Oxford & New York: Berg,

• Fowkes, Katherine A., 2010. The Fantasy Film. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, Slusser, George

• Rabkin, Eric S. (eds.), 1985. Shadows of the Magic Lamp: Fantasy and Science Fiction in Film. Carbondale: S. Illinois University Press

• Nicholls, Peter, 1984. Fantastic Cinema: An Illustrated Survey. London: Ebury Press

Class Handouts

The tutor will provide critical notes for students.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.