Introduction to Japanese Film, Media, and Visual Culture (224-0-20)

Topic

Japanese Cinema II

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

AY26 This course offers a history of Japanese cinema from the beginning of the New Wave movements in the mid-1950s to the present moment. We will consider how cinema has reflected historical moments and shaped cultural discourses in this period. Focusing on films that raise disciplinary questions related to both the cinematic medium and Japan, we will examine, among other topics: the relationship between cinema and the era of high economic growth, the decline of the studio system, postmodernism, and cinematic responses to the post-bubble economic recession. We will also study the shifting position of directors within the broader economic and institutional contexts of Japanese cinema and its global circulation. Students will learn how to critically analyze various films from multiple theoretical perspectives while gaining an understanding of the major figures and trends in the history of postwar Japanese cinema. Syllabus subject to change.

Learning Objectives

This course introduces students to humanistic approaches to analyzing cinema in postwar Japan. Students will learn: 1. methods for interpreting the significance of formal techniques used in cinema 2. how to connect particular films to their historical contexts 3. how to write clearly and incisively about cinema.

Teaching Method

Lecture and Discussion

Evaluation Method

Class Participation; Weekly Responses; Short Essays; Possible Short Presentations

Class Materials (Required)

*All readings are available on Canvas as individual files. *All films can be streamed through Canvas

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for students majoring or minoring in Asian Languages & Cultures or International Studies until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites, if applicable.