ENGH 470: RS: Topics in Film/Media History

ENGH 470-001: Indian Cinema
(Fall 2019)

04:30 PM to 07:10 PM T

Planetary Hall 126

Section Information for Fall 2019

ENGH 470 - 001: Indian Cinema

“Bollywood” has come to signify a variety of things beyond movies. Bollywood as a brand, a style, and a cinema conjures vibrancy, vitality, and globalization. But, although Bollywood has often outshone other media production in India, is only part of the story. This course takes the massive cinematic output of the world’s largest democracy and attempts to boil it down to fifteen weeks of film history. We won’t even pretend to be comprehensive. What we will do is spend a portion of the course on Bombay cinema while also dedicating time to “parallel,” auteur, and art cinema, transnational productions, and other modes of screen culture. Looking at film (and a little TV) produced in India and its diaspora, we will consider film’s relationship to “Indian” as a national identity that extends across a variety of borders. We will also address questions of genre, style, the importance of stars to the industry, and the ways that films engage with the politics of national history, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, security, class and caste.

Screenings include: Awaara, Deewaar, Ghoul, Gully Boy, Haider, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,Pather Panchali, Veer-Zaara, Umrao Jaan,   

This is an RS-designated course, which means that you will work on a sustained, individual research project throughout the semester. This project (pending my approval) can be visual, written, fiction, or non-fiction, but it must be grounded in careful research.  If you have questions, please feel free to email me: jscarlat@gmu.edu

ENGH 470 001 is controlled. Please contact Professor Scarlata ( jscarlat@gmu.edu) for permission to register.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Advanced studies of development of film language, both as cultural practice and medium for formal innovation. Topics might include studies of national cinemas, historical periods, genres, or individual directors. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Mason Core: Capstone
Specialized Designation: Research/Scholarship Intensive, Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: ENGH 372 or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Lecture, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.