Asst. Prof. Dr. Plamen Gaptov
Lectures: 30
Seminars: 30
6 credits
The course is a broad survey of American cult film and covers a range of genres and their reception by American audiences. We will both watch and talk (occasionally at the same time), as well as do preparatory reading and research. Participation is key in this discussion-based class. We will analyze films as cultural products in their historical and social context. Theoretical and other texts will often be the starting point of our discussions. Using the twin strategies of critical viewing and cultural analysis, we will interrogate the ideological assumptions and deeper reasons behind the popularity of the films we study. A formalistic analysis of cinematic techniques will provide the rationale for our examination of the films as aesthetic objects.