THE DIVISION OF CINEMA & MEDIA STUDIES
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School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) 320
CTCS 464 “Science Fiction Film”
Section: 18160R – Does not require D-Clearance
No one nation owns the future, and in this course we will survey sci-fi as a global genre. We will watch one movie a week during the class session, and you will often watch a paired film as homework, in addition to a few connected readings. Likely screenings include Metropolis, Forbidden Planet, THX 1138, Blade Runner, Akira, Stalker, Annihilation, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Arrival, World on a Wire, Ghost in the Shell (Oshii), The Matrix, Godzilla (Honda), The Host, Attack the Block, The Wandering Earth, Moon, Alphaville, The Aerial, Gattaca, and Another Earth.
Professor: George Carstocea
CTCS 469 “The Cinema of Quentin Tarantino ”
Section: 18138R – Does not require D-Clearance
This course will study, analyze, and critique the work of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, one of the most compelling and controversial filmmakers to emerge in Hollywood since the 1990s. In a relatively short period of time Tarantino has been able to create his own distinct filmic universe. The course will focus on Tarantino's "style," heavy on appropriation and consistent with hip hop culture, a style that has often revolved around "remixing" various genres- Blaxploitation, "spaghetti westerns," and kung fu cinema, for example-traditionally considered disreputable. Further the course also considers elements such as Tarantino's clever dialogue heavy character exchanges, the rendering of violence in almost cartoonish proportions, the recycling of actors and other icons of pop culture from the past, and an especially provocative, some suggest problematic, representation around issues of race, particularly in regards to African American culture. Topics and themes of the course will include style, cultural appropriation, hip hop, sampling and remix, the auteur, nostalgia, retro, hipness, and spectacle. The course is especially interested in understanding Tarantino's place in American cultural history and the circulation of his films in the larger context of media and popular culture relative to the information age. Screenings to include Tarantino's body of work-for example, Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill Volume 1 and Volume 2 (2003/2004), Django Unchained (2012), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) among other titles-along with other films influential on his body of work, such as Foxy Brown (1974), Game of Death (1978), Lady Snowblood (1973), The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987) and Mandingo (1975).
Professor: Todd Boyd
CTCS-466: "Theatrical Film Symposium"
Section: 18125R – Does not require D-Clearance
Theatrical Film Symposium, taught by world-renowned film critic Leonard Maltin, brings you face-to-face with leading film directors, writers, producers, and actors working today. Each week, students watch sneak previews of upcoming movies, followed by exclusive Q&As with the creative teams behind the films. Past semester screenings included Coco, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Colossal, Life, Land of Mine, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Shape of Water, American Made, and Thor: Ragnarok. Recent guests include Damien Chazelle, Adam Scott, Scott Derrickson, Taika Waititi, Lee Unkrich, JJ Abrams, James Franco, Jeff Nichols, Sylvester Stallone, Ryan Coogler, Bryan Cranston, Patricia Riggen, Charlie Kaufman, Atom Egoyan, Kevin Feige, and Judd Apatow.
Professor: Leonard Maltin
CTCS-467: Television Symposium
Section: 18126R – Does not require D-Clearance
Taught by Mary McNamara, Pulitzer-prize winning TV Critic and Cultural Editor for the LA Times. Each week, students meet with current TV Creators and Showrunners for Q&As about writing and producing their shows. Recent guests include: Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian), Adam McKay (Succession), Alena Smith (Dickinson), Stephen Williams (Watchmen), Chris Mundy (Ozark), Susannah Grant (Unbelievable), David Mandel (Veep), Steven Canals (Pose), Sam Levinson (Euphoria), Raphael Bob-Waksberg & Kate Purdy (Undone), Joel Karsberg & Jesse Daniels (Surviving R. Kelly), Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Marti Noxon (Sharp Objects), David Kajganich (The Terror), Tanya Saracho (Vida), Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer (Stranger Things), Liz Flahive & Carly Mensch (Glow), Hiro Murai (Atlanta), Noah Hawley (Fargo), Ron Moore (Outlander), Kenya Barris (black-ish), Prentice Penny (Insecure), Lang Fisher (Never Have I Ever), and Sarah Paulson and Jay Roach (Coastal Elites).
Professor: Mary McNamara