This beginners course is aimed at students with little or no experience of critical film theory. The course will introduce students to a range of concepts and theoretical approaches common to film studies and develop their skill and knowledge of deep analysis of film texts.
Classes will take the form of a mini-lecture and presentation leading onto group discussions in pairs and as a class, feeding back ideas and arguments and cementing knowledge laid out in the opening of the session. Sessions will be focused around 3 case study films, Memento (2000, Christopher Nolan), You Were Never Really Here (2017, Lynne Ramsay) and Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch). Each week will introduce a new concept, making use of set readings and pertinent scenes and sequences in order to mobilise the topic. Students will be encouraged to conduct their own analysis and practise getting their arguments and observations in writing in order to reinforce their understanding of the different topics, build up a broad understanding week-on-week, and think about how to mount arguments of their own.