You will submit one essay of approximately 2000-3000 words at the end of the term. This essay should constitute a deep investigation of a major topic in film theory OR a significant piece of criticism on a film, filmmaker, or set of films. (Please note that the term ‘criticism’ used in a scholarly context has a different meaning than in popular film criticism; that is, this assignment is not calling for a movie review.) While the word count is not a hard requirement, Page 5 of 10 if your early drafts are falling short of 2000 words, you should ask yourself whether you have researched and investigated your topic thoroughly and elaborated sufficiently on it in your essay. Ask yourself whether the work you have done is substantial enough to account for half your grade in an upper-division course. While it is conceivable that an excellent final submission for the course could clock in at 1500-1800 words, I have not yet witnessed this. Short submissions tend to be lacking in outside research (often relying on scant results from Internet searches), detailed examples from films being examined, or an appropriately thorough examination of the chosen topic.
While you have quite a bit of latitude in choosing a topic and methodology, here are some approaches you could opt for: - Apply an existing theory, method, or field of study (e.g. structuralist linguistics/semiotics, Lacanian psychoanalysis, postmodern criticism, feminist criticism, critical race theory) to the interpretation of a given film or body of work. - Critique an existing work of film theory. - Adapt a theoretical approach from a related field (e.g. theatre, literature, visual art, philosophy, psychology, sociology) to the field of film and demonstrate its applicability to a selection of work. - Investigate the intersection of film studies and another academic discipline, such as psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, or anthropology. Related: Use film as a window into the study of another topic. - Examine a particular period or phenomenon in film history, making a creative claim about how we might better understand it and its significance. Page 6 of 10 - Explore the historical application of a specific cinematic technique or style, perhaps examining the cultural implications of its evolution through the years. Here is a sampling of topics for effective essays I have seen in recent semesters: - An appraisal of the depiction of journalism in popular cinema, with an emphasis on the ethical implications of misrepresentation of journalists and the work they do. - A feminist critique of the horror-comedy Jennifer’s Body (Karen Kusama, 2009). - A video essay on the degree of engagement and audience immersion in WWE wrestling versus Hollywood cinema. - An investigation of the use of nudity in film, examining the aesthetic and cultural implications wrapped up in explicit depictions of the human form.