COURSE PLAN

Master in Contemporary Films and Audiovisual Studies
COURSE PLAN
Name of the Course: The Collective Imagination in Hollywood
Cinema
Code of the Course: 31150
Term: 1st
Tipology: Optional
Number of Credits: 5 ECTS
Teaching Language/s: Spanish
Lecturer: Dr. Núria Bou
1. Overview
The aim of this course is to explore the archetypes that were forged
during Hollywood’s golden age concerning the myth of Love: the
focus of the analysis will be the figuration of masculinity and
femininity from the perspective of iconography, narrative structures
and mise-en-scène. Through the comparison of different film
excerpts, we’ll see how contemporary cinema has re-read the
sentimental imagery associated with femininity and masculinity in
classic genre cinema. Secondly, we will show that the spectator of
Hollywood golden age fictions always watched from behind a veil
when the feminine and masculine archetypes came together sexually
on screen. The creators of classic cinema constructed a narrative and
iconographic imagery founded on an Eros that was, in principle,
censored. Lastly, the course will study how this imagery has existed
in various forms throughout the history of cinema.
The aim of the course is to investigate how classic imagery has been
reinvented and remodeled in the current context of postmodernity in
film. Students will actively participate in analyzing images and they
will be directed towards a hermeneutical reading of the images in
question.
2. Learning Outcomes
Understanding the narratives and elements of mise-en-scène that
characterize classicism. Detecting which of these elements remain in
contemporary fictions.
Understanding some of the stylistic or narrative constants of
classicism and postmodernity, through the study of film excerpts
screened in class. Students will actively participate in analyzing the
images and will be directed towards a hermeneutical reading of the
images in question.
3. Contents
Programme
1. THE MALE HERO IN HOLLYWOOD’S SENTIMENTAL
UNIVERSE
The behavior of the mythical male archetype. The myth of Love.
Spaces for male sentimentality. In search of the complete hero. The
persistence of mythic structures in contemporary cinema.
2.
THE
ARCHETYPICAL
AMBIGUITY
(MASCULINEFEMININE/FEMININE-MASCULIN)
The battle of the sexes. Male weapons versus female weapons.
Magical domain. The ambiguity of the femme fatale. In search of
complete femininity. Reinterpretations of contemporary cinema.
3. FEMALE FIGURATION
The melodramatic gesture. The magical domain in domestic spaces.
The spirituality of sacrifice. Mastering Time. Love beyond death. The
melodramatic gesture in the 21st century.
4. EROTIC IMAGINATION IN CLASSICISM
Nice women without desire. The vamp: an Eros that must be
combated. The case of Greta Garbo. The spiritual universe of Eros.
Pre-code Hollywood. Sublimated Eros despite censorship. Hollywood:
Eros paradise.
5. EROS AND THANATOS
Thanatic imagination. Sensual death. Journey of initiation: the border
of Hades and of sexuality. The 40’s: sublimate Thanatos. Death as
the primary sense of eroticism. The myth of Persephone.
6. IMAGES OF EROS
Marylin Monroe: sexual liberation. The New Era. Imagery versus
images. Eros among words. Sex as a space of confession.
7. EROS IN CONTEMPORARY CINEMA
Erotic thriller of the 80’s. The new flesh. Virtual Eros. The void after
sex. Traumatic Eros. Against classicist hedonism. In search of the
sublimated Eros.
4. Evaluation
The assessment will take into account attendance and active student
participation in class. To receive an evaluation, the student must
submit a brief paper or an audiovisual piece, which will be monitored
during the course.
5. References and Resources
5.1. Basic Bibliography
BOU, Núria. Deesses i tombes. Mites femenins en el cinema de
Hollywood. Barcelona: Proa, 2004.
BOU, Núria; PÉREZ, Xavier. El temps de l’heroi. Èpica i masculinitat
en el cinema de Hollywood. Barcelona: Paidós, 2000.
DURAND, Gilbert. Las estructuras antropológicas de lo imaginario.
Madrid: Taurus, 1986.
NAVARRO, Antonio José, (ed.). La nueva carne. Una estética perversa
del cuerpo. Madrid: Valdemar, 2002.
SICLIER, Jacques. Le mythe de la femme dans le cinéma americain.
Paris: Les Éditions du Cerf, 1956.
SCHATZ, Thomas. Hollywood genres. Formules, filmmaking and the
Studio system. Boston: McGraw-Hill cop., 1981.
5.2. Additional bibliography
ALTMAN, Rick. Los géneros cinematográficos. Barcelona: Paidós,
1999.
BATAILLE, Georges. El erotismo. Barcelona: Tusquets, 1985
BEYLIE, Claude et al. “Propositions sur le mélo”. In: Les cahiers de la
cinématheque, 28, 1971.
BLACK, Gregory D., Hollywood censurado. Cambridge University
Press, 1998.
BORDWELL, David; STAIGER, Janet; THOMPSON, Kristin. El cine
clásico de Hollywood. Estilo cinematográfico y modo de producción
hasta 1960. Barcelona: Paidós, 1997.
BROOKS, Peter. The
University Press, 1976.
Melodramatic
imagination.
London:
Yale
BROWN, Norman O. Eros y Tanatos. El sentido psicoanalítico de la
historia. Mexico: Joaquín Mortiz, 1967.
CHEVALIER, Jean; GHEERBRANT, Alain. Diccionario de los símbolos.
Barcelona: Herder, 1986.
DELEUZE, Gilles. La imagen-movimiento. Barcelona: Paidós, 1986.
DE ROUGEMONT, Denis. El amor y occidente. Buenos Aires: Sur,
1959.
FOUCAULT, Michel. Història de la sexualitat. vol 1. Madrid: Siglo XXI,
2006.
JACOBS, Lea, El cine de mujer y la poética del melodrama. Archivos
de la Filmoteca, 19. València, February 1995.
MARCUSE, Herbert. Eros y civilización. Barcelona: Ariel, 2003.
VOGLER, Cristopher: The writer’s journey. Mythic structure for
storytellers and screenwriters. Michael Wiese, CA, 1992.
ZIZEK, Slavoj. Las metástasis del goce. Buenos Aires: Paidós, 2003.
ZIZEK, Slavoj. Lacrimae rerum. Ensayos sobre cine moderno y
ciberespacio. Madrid: Debate, 2006.
5.3. Didactic Resources
The discourse concerning the contents of the course are based on a
direct contact with the images; each session consists of a series of
audiovisual presentations made up of film excerpts. In some sessions
a number of dossiers containing photocopies will be discussed. In
more general didactical terms, the student will be encouraged to
participate during the sessions to comment on the images presented
in class by the professor.
6. Methodology
In accordance with the structure of the course and its objectives, the
methodology focuses on building up a theoretical discourse with
maximum student participation, always based on concrete examples.
The development of an interpretive ability drawing on the subjects
discussed and with the idea of sparking a philosophical and aesthetic
discussion always begins with a practical dimension, and must based
on a comparative perspective. In that sense, the dialectic among the
images becomes a source of inspiration, to accompany the
investigation of the iconological methods of certain theorists.
7. Activities program
WEEK 1
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 1: Topic 1 (first part)
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
WEEK 2
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 2: Topic 1 (second part)
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
WEEK 3
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 3: Topic 2
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
WEEK 4
Class activities
Class 4: Topic 3
Extra-curricular activities
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
WEEK 5
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 5: Topic 4
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
WEEK 6
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 6: Topic 5
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
- Preparation of the final paper
WEEK 7
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 7: Topic 6
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
- Preparation of the final paper
WEEK 8
Class activities
Extra-curricular activities
Class 8: Topic 7
- Screenings for the next class
- Optional readings
- Preparation of the final paper
WEEK 9
Class activities
Class 9: Oral
research
(optional)
WEEK 10
Extra-curricular activities
defense
of
Class activities
Class 10
research
(optional)
Oral
the - Preparation of the final paper
Extra-curricular activities
defense
of
the - Preparation of the final paper