Images of Slavery in Hollywood Cinema (P01254)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCA-P-ISlaHC

This course focuses on the representation of slavery in film, questioning film's potential for telling about the past in a meaningful way. In reflecting on film as a medium for presenting history, students will be encouraged to consider the multiple techniques and resources used by filmmakers for the narration of history. Slavery has been the subject of Hollywood films since the early days of cinema. This course will trace the development of Hollywood's response to slavery and the slave-image, setting the films in the socio-cultural and political context of twentieth century American history. Films to be studied will cover several popular genres, but will, by and large, concentrate on epic movies.

Films to be studied include The Birth of a Nation, Spartacus, Gone With The Wind, The King and I, Anna and the King, The Colour Purple, The Ten Commandments.

The course will explore:
The potential and limitations of reading the concept of slavery through the ideology of American cinema;
The range of approaches and attitudes to slave labour in cinematic portrayals;
The range of forms and types of slave images in Hollywood movies;
Definitions and concepts of slavery in the history of Hollywood cinema;
Methodologies and approaches taken by modern scholars to the topic;
Comparatist potential and limitations.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of History and Classics), (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) 50 minutes per week for 9 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the course will have acquired an in-depth knowledge and understanding of crucial aspects of the study of slavery in popular culture of twentieth century America. In particular, they will acquire:
-Knowledge of some important aspects of ideologies encountered in Hollywood's dialogue with the past;
-Awareness of filmmaking techniques and audience reception of the past;
-In-depth studies of several key films;
-Understanding of the political, social and cultural use of the past in Hollywood cinema;
-Ability to use critically a variety of different categories of written and visual evidence, including scripts, designs and marketing imagery;
-Bibliographical research skills to enable students to find independently additional information on aspects of film and reception studies.

Further, they will also be able to:
-Engage in historical arguments in relation to cinema studies and historiography;
-Develop an appreciation of how the study of a period-overarching topic can widen their historical horizon and research agenda;
-Set their own historical research agenda in relation to slave and forced labour studies;
-Prepare and present their own work for seminars and workshops;
-Actively participate in group discussion;
-Be able to efficiently access library and IT resources.