Film Theories

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to be able to: Explain cinema as representation of life ; Explain film functions to society ; Explain how film is expressive medium but cinema also has commercial aspects ; Explain films can be studied from many perspectives in social sciences and humanities ; Explain how symbols in film can be studied as cultural expression ; Explain how symbols in film can be studied as identity formation ; Explain how symbols in film can be studied as social relation

Topics

The course exposes students to discussion of films from different perspectives in social and humanities sciences. It starts with the most basic discussion in the invention of the medium: does film equal life? If it does not, does cinema represent life? Discussion follows to questions like what are the functions of film to its audience, and what are the functions to society? Is film part of art or simply part of commerce? Is film part of science? Can we put together film and science, and if we can, how do we see film from perspectives of sociology, psychology, history, anthropology, psychoanalysis, literature, linguistic, semiotic, gender studies, etc? The course continues with studies of symbols in cinema with cultural expression, identity formation and social relation in current situation. Psychoanalysis, gender studies, and studies of race, ethnicity, and class are basic of this discussion.

Prerequisite : FM313 – World Film History