Research Seminar for Literature Majors (397-0-20)

Topic

Divas of Classical Hollywood

Instructors

Julia Ann Stern
847/491-3530
University Hall Room 415
Office Hours: Mondays 1:1:50; Tuesdays 10-11; and Thursdays 12:20-1

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L04: Mon, Wed 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

This course explores the life and work of five classical Hollywood Divas: Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, and Hattie McDaniel and argues for their ongoing cultural significance to American thinking about race, gender, embodiment, and class. Students will choose an actress to work on and view at least five of her major pictures. To introduce us to the methodology and vocabulary of film analysis, we will read David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson's compendious Film Art: An Introduction; we will also examine works of feminist film theory, like Laura Mulvey's "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," star studies work by Richard Dyer, James Baldwin's The Devil Finds Work, and classic and recent essays on individual films. Students will write a 15-page research paper on the star and film of their choice, arguing for the ongoing cultural significance of their chosen figure and her oeuvre.

Evaluation Method

Oral presentation, annotated bibliography, and fifteen-page final paper.

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Department Majors Only

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Department Majors Only. No Freshmen/First Years.