Melodrama is a much used concept that has been defined in many ways and has many uses in film studies scholarship. In this course we will evaluate and discuss the value of this unwieldy and often contradictory critical term for the analysis of global cinema. Although the term and the theory entered into Film Studies scholarship as a genre grounded in European culture and American cinema, melodrama is clearly evident in many international film traditions. In this course we will look at the ways that the term has traveled and how melodrama has manifested in different cultures as an expression of social injustice, gender inequity, and an affective bridge between private and public desires and repressions. The syllabus covers a number of critical moments in international film history where melodrama has been defined and deployed, and at the same time, we will examine the many ways that melodrama has been theorized by international film scholarship. Students are asked to expand and build on these particular histories in original research projects.
Course Objectives
- Students will learn how to use the concept of melodrama in discussions of film analysis and international film history.
- Students will learn how to integrate critical theory and film analysis in their work.
- Students will learn the history of the term melodrama in several different cultures and media.
- Students will improve their critical thinking skills, reading and writing skills, research skills and presentation abilities.
