American Studies: 01:050:300:B6 Summer I 2009 Erica Romaine MW 5:45-9:30PM SPECIAL TOPICS: THE CLASSIC AMERICAN HORROR FILM This course will investigate the origins of the genre in America and follow its development into the contemporary period. Films will focus on central figures in American horror cinema: the vampire, the werewolf/shapeshifter, the zombie and others. We will explore the development of these figures, and the themes and conflicts they play out over decades of cinematic representation. Required Texts: All articles on electronic reserve Class requirements and policies: This course requires the following work: 2 papers: one short (3-5 pages) and one long (10-12 pages) These essays will require substantial analytical work with the films we will view and the materials we will read this semester, as well as your own creative ideas and arguments. Class participation and Attendance: As this class will consist primarily of in-class discussion and film viewing, your participation will count greatly toward your grade. Attendance is required for both classes and screenings. As this is a summer course with a tight schedule, anyone missing two or more classes will fail this course. 2 screenings of listed films at home. There will be a choice from among 4 films to screen at home as marked in the syllabus. These films will be in addition to our in-class screenings You must come to class on time and regularly, with the readings completed for each class. All screenings are required. Missed classes or frequent lateness will result in failure of this course. Screenings cannot be repeated. You are expected to know and abide by the policies on academic integrity as described in the Rutgers Student Guide. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Use proper citation to acknowledge all reading, film and research sources in your essays. Keep a copy of everything you hand in to me.
American Studies: 01:050:300:B6 Summer I 2009 Erica Romaine MW 5:45-9:30PM Syllabus and Schedule Wed. May 27 th : Class Introduction For next time read: Phillips, Projected Fears: Dracula(1931). Belton, American Cinema, American Culture: Ch. 2 Classical Hollywood Cinema: Narration. Maddrey, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: Ch. 2, A New World of Gods and Monsters. Screening: DRACULA (Browning, 1931) B&W 75min. Mon. June 1 st : Discussion of articles and film. For next time read: Belton, American Cinema, American Culture: Ch. 3: Classical Hollywood Cinema: Style. Worland, The Horror Film: Ch.6 Frankenstein (1931) and Hollywood Expressionism. Belton, excerpt on genre. Screening: FRANKENSTEIN (Whale, 1931) B&W 71min. Wed. June 3 rd : Discussion of film and articles. Begin film technical materials. For next time read: review Belton Ch 3, In The Dread of Difference, Young, Here Comes the Bride. In Grant/Sharrett, Planks of Reason, Conger/Welsch: The Comic and the Grotesque in James Whale s Frankenstein Films. Screening: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (Whale, 1935) B&W 75 min. Mon. June 8 th : Discussion of film and articles. Continue film tech. For next time read: In Prince, The Horror Film, Skal, The Horrors of War, excerpt from Humphries, The American Horror Film: Werewolf or Wolfman. In Jancovich, Horror, The Film Reader: Wood, The American Nightmare, Carroll, Why Horror?, Tudor, Why Horror? Screening: THE WOLF MAN (Waggner, 1941) B&W 70 min. GET FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT DUE WED JUNE 17 TH Wed. June 10 th : Discussion of film and articles. Continue film tech. For next time read: In Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: Ch 3 Shadow Play, In Planks of Reason: Ch 7: Cat People (1942): Lewton, Freud, and Suggestive Horror. Screening: CAT PEOPLE (Tourneur, 1942) B&W 73min ** At home view PSYCHO (Hitchcock, 1960) or alternate: YF on 6/22
Mon. June 15 th : Discussion of film, articles and era. For next time read: In Projected Fears: Ch.4. Night of the Living Dead (1968), In Worland, The Horror Film: Ch.3 A Short History of the Horror Film 1945 to the Present. Screening: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD ( Romero, 1968) B&W 96min. Wed. June 17 th : Discussion of film, articles and genre development/era. For next time read: In Nightmares in Red White and Blue: Ch.7. What the Fifty Foot Woman did to the Incredible Shrinking Man., In Projected Fears: Ch.5. The Exorcist(1973) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). In The Dread of Difference: #12, Lindsey: Horror, Femininity, and Carrie s Monstrous Puberty and #17 Wood, Burying the Undead: The Use and Obsolescence if Count Dracula. In Men Women and Chainsaws: Carrie and the Boys. Screening: DRACULA (Badham, 1979) 109min. FIRST PAPER DUE **(At home view either CARRIE (DePalma,1976) or THE EXORCIST (Friedkin,1973)) Mon. June 22 nd : Discussion of film, articles, final papers. For next time read: In Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: Ch. 9: Old Monsters, New Flesh., In Prince, The Horror Film: Pinedo, Postmodern Elements of the Contemporary Horror Film. In Humphries, The American Horror Film : Joe Dante excerpt. Screening: THE HOWLING (Dante, 1981) 91min. **(At home view YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (Brooks, 1974) If you did not screen PSYCHO on 6/10.
Wed. June 24 th : Discussion of films, articles, final papers. For next time read: In Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: Ch. 10: Reality Bites Screening: THE HUNGER (Scott, 1983) 97min Mon. June 29 th : Discussion of films and articles For next time read: In Dread of Difference: #11 Sharrett, The Horror Film in Neoconservative Culture, and #19 Dika, From Dracula with Love. Screening: NEAR DARK (Bigelow, 1987) 94 min. Wed. July 1 st : Wrap up discussion of films and course Optional screening of BRAM STOKER S DRACULA (Coppola 1992) 128 min. FINAL PAPERS DUE