The Last Romantics: Powell & Pressburger and the Birth of Modern Cinema (10 credit points)

Content of Course

1. Where Did They Come From?

The origins of Powell and Pressburger in silent cinema of the 20s, including German Expressionism (Metropolis, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and films of Rex Ingram (The Magician).

2. Building the Dream.

The pre-World War II thrillers (The Spy in Black, Contraband) and Arabian Nights fantasy (Thief of Baghdad). Comparison with Alfred Hitchcock (Notorious, North by Northwest) and Hollywood exotica of the 40s (Cobra Woman).

3. A Challenge to Churchill.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp in the context of wartime propaganda. Its mythic roots in Homer’s The Odyssey. Comparison with later Odyssey narratives by Fellini (La Dolce Vita) Antonioni (Blow Up) and Kubrick (Eyes Wide Shut).

4. Love After Death.

Romantic fantasies of ‘love after death’ – A Canterbury Tale, I Know Where I’m Going and A Matter of Life and Death. Comparison with parallel genres in Hollywood (A Portrait of Jennie) and France (Orphée).

5. Eros and Exoticism.

Black Narcissus – post-colonial cinema and Christian iconography. Influence on Jean Renoir (The River) and Marguerite Duras (India Song); Ken Russell (The Devils) and Pedro Almodovar (Dark Habits).

6. Lords of the Dance.

The Red Shoes and the cinema of dance. Influence on Carlos Saura (Tango), Francis Ford Coppola (One from the Heart) and Jacques Demy (Young Girls of Rochefort).

7. Compromising Positions.

Compromises with commercial genre cinema – film noir (The Small Back Room) and Gothic melodrama (Gone to Earth). Influence on Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver) and Neil Jordan (Company of Wolves).

8. Phantoms of the Opera.

The 50s musical fantasias (Tales of Hoffmann, Oh…Rosalinda! and Honeymoon). Influence on Kenneth Anger and ‘underground film’ (Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome), Derek Jarman (The Tempest) and Matthew Barney (Cremaster 5).

9. Death in the Camera’s Eye.

Commercial suicide (Peeping Tom) and the cinema of ultra-violence. Influence on Mario Bava (Blood and Black Lace) Dario Argento (Suspiria) and Michael Haneke (Funny Games).

10. From Ruin to Rediscovery.

An overview of the cinematic legacy of Powell and Pressburger, from the 60s to today. Heirs include Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Neil Jordan, Ken Russell and Tim Burton.

11. Unseen assessment and credit essay workshop.

Teaching method(s)

Classes would be based on a mixture of lectures and group discussions. Students would be invited (but not required) to give individual presentations on films of personal interest.

Learning outcomes

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

• Understand the films studied in class from both a critical and an historical perspective.

• Evaluate the ongoing influence of Powell and Pressburger’s films on contemporary film production.

• Describe the influence of earlier film-makers (silent Hollywood, German Expressionism) on Powell and Pressburger.

• Explain how Powell and Pressburger’s work reflects the wider cultural concerns of its time.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

• Christie, Ian (ed.) (1978) Powell, Pressburger and Others, London, British Film Institute

• Lazar, David (ed.) (2003) Michael Powell: Interviews, Jackson, University of Missisippi

• Moor, Andrew (2005) Powell and Pressburger: A Cinema of Magic Spaces, London, I B Tauris & Co

Recommended:

• Powell, Michael (2000) A Life in Movies, London, Faber and Faber

• Salwolke, Scott (1997) The Films of Michael Powell and the Archers, London, Scarecrow Press

• Cardiff, Jack (1997) Magic Hour: A Life in Movies, London, Faber and Faber

• Christie, Ian (2002) Arrows of Desire: Films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, London, Faber and Faber

• Christie, Ian (2000) A Matter of Life and Death, London, BFI Publications

• Christie, Ian and Moor, Andrew (eds.) (2005) Michael Powell: International Perspectives on an English Film-maker, London, BFI Publishing

• Powell, Michael (1995) Million-Dollar Movie, London, Random House

Web Sources

www.bfi.org.uk/features/pilgrims

BFI Features – Powell and Pressburger

www.leninimports.com/michael_powell.html

Michael Powell Biography

www.archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/OL/powell.html

Senses of Cinema – Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger by Adrian Danks

www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/444768/index.html

BFI Screenonline

Class Handouts

Filmographic details on film excerpts shown in class; extracts from relevant literary sources and critical essays.

Assessments

10 credit courses have one assessment. Normally, the assessment is a 2000 word essay, worth 100% of the total mark, submitted by week 12. To pass, students must achieve a minimum of 40%. There are a small number of exceptions to this model which are identified in the Studying for Credit Guide.

Studying for Credit

If you choose to study for credit you will need to allocate significant time outwith classes for coursework and assessment preparation. Credit points gained from this course can count towards the Certificate of Higher Education.

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.