AIMS
Keeping visiting students in mind, this Course spans a wide range of cultural perspectives, thus taking it beyond the limits of the cinematic and the historical strictly speaking. Movies are perceived as audiovisual works, approachable as texts, as the artistic expression of an author and, at the same time, determined by circumstances involving their social, historical, linguistic, and literary contextualization.
METHODOLOGY
Given the amount of accumulated pedagogical experience that exists with regard to this kind of subject matter, as well as keeping in mind the specific needs of students, the aim of the class sessions is to ensure the fruitful interaction of the theoretical and practical dimensions of the study process, while also potentializing the exploration of those aspects of the Spanish language to which, in terms of comprehension and expression, the filmography being studied draws attention.
PRACTICAL SYLLABUS
1. An anthology of significant sequences from key movies and from the work of prominent directors.
2. Full-length Movies. The commentary and critical appreciation of the thematic and stylistic features of the following titles: Sevillanas, by Saura, El otro lado de la cama, by Martínez Lázaro, Belle epoque, by Trueba, La lengua de las mariposas, by Cuerda, La niña de tus ojos, by Trueba, Los años bárbaros, by Colomo, ¡Bienvenido Mister Marshall!, by García Berlanga, Los desafíos, by Erice, Guerín and Egea, Los nuevos españoles, by Bodegas, Ana y los lobos, by Saura, Tristana, by Buñuel, Carmen, by Saura, Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios, by Almodóvar, and Tesis, by Amenábar.
THEORETICAL SYLLABUS
1. Spain: Social and Political Contexts (from the Republic to the Civil War). Their Impingement upon Movie-making. Postwar Cinema. Raza, General Franco’s Vision. The “No-Do” Newsreels and their Ideological Basis. Censorship.
2. Franco-ite Policy and Spanish Cinema. A Muzzled Movie Industry. Literary Genres as Models for Movies. From a Thwarted Neo-realism to Social Realism. The Cinema of Bardem and Berlanga.
3. The “New Spanish Cinema”. New Directors and Producers. Critical Trends in Postwar Cinema. Auteur Movies: Buñuel and Saura. Popular Genres. The Influence of Spanish Literature on National Cinema.
4. Spanish Cinema and the Era of Democracy. A Congress in which to Debate Spanish Cinema. The Socialist Party’s Policy for Spain’s Movie Industry. Themes and Styles in Present-day Spanish Movies. The Case of Almodóvar. Spain’s Movie-Industry and the European Union.
ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATIONS
Taking into account the fulfilment of the aim of completing the syllabus, the final grade will be based on the results of two exams, one to be held mid-way through the Course and the other at the end of the semester. In each exam session two subject headings will be offered, one of which should be chosen as an essay question to be answered in full.
The student who does not sit either of the exams will be assigned a negative grade, while the final grade will be the average of the two exam results achieved.
Bringing forward, or backdating, an exam session should be avoided, justifiable only in exceptional circumstances, and only then via the written permission of the Program Director or individual tutors.
The factors contributing to a positive assessment are as follows:
- an adequate assimilation of the basic syllabus content;
- the command of spelling, expression, and vocabulary range with regard to the use of Spanish;
- the ability to interrelate subject areas;
- the comprehension of, and the capacity to express an understanding of, the significant aspects of the syllabus content underlined and explained in class during the exploration of each movie title.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• BORAU, José Luis (coord.) (1998) Diccionario del cine español. Madrid: Academia de las Artes y de las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España, Alianza.
• CAPARR"S LERA, José Mª (1992) El cine español de la democracia. De la muerte de Franco al cambio socialista (1975-1989). Barcelona: Anthropos.
• COBOS, Juan (coord.) (1998) Clásicos y modernos del cine español. Madrid: Comisaría General de España en Expo Lisboa ’98.
• GARCÍA FERNÁNDEZ, Emilio C. (1985) Historia ilustrada del cine español. Madrid: Planeta.
• HOPEWELL, John (1989) El cine español después de Franco. Madrid: Ediciones El Arquero.
• PÉREZ PERUCHA, Julio (1997) Antología crítica del cine español. Madrid: Cátedra.
• SEGUIN, Jean-Claude (1995) Historia del cine español. Madrid: Acento.
• STRAUSS, Frederic (1994) Pedro Almodóvar. Madrid: El País.
• SEVERAL AUTHORS. (1997) Un siglo de cine español. Madrid: Academia de las Artes y de las Ciencas Cinematográficas de España.
• SEVERAL AUTHORS. (1989) Cine español. 1896-1988. Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura.
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