FILM 212 - Genre: The Musical

1 unit(s)

Examines the development of American film musicals from The Jazz Singer to Sweeney Todd and Les Misérables. The course looks at major stars such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, and Judy Garland, and the contributions of directors such as Vincente Minnelli and Bob Fosse. Students examine the interrelationships between Broadway and Hollywood, the influence of the rise and fall of the Production Code, the shaping hand of different studios, the tensions between narrative and spectacle, sincerity and camp. Reading assignments expose students to a wide range of literature about film, from production histories to feminist theory. Ms. Kozloff.

Prerequisite: FILM 175 or FILM 210 and permission of the instructor.

Not offered in 2014/15.

Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.