Student assessment will be done on the basis of written reports, contributions to discussion, and the results of two exams. Next, the course will explore the ways in which films like Godzilla are understood and experienced differently in regard to gender, ethnicity, and national identifications. A knowledge of Japanese is not required. Reading in Japanese literature in English translation from the eighth century through the eighteenth. The aim is to examine great works of the classical literary tradition as manifestations of Japanese culture and thought prior to the opening to the West in the nineteenth century.
Classes are in a lecture and discussion format.
Requirements are a midterm and final examination, a final 8-10 page paper, and discussion participation. A knowledge of Japanese is not required. This course will survey the history of Japanese cinema with the aim of understanding a vital aspect of twentieth-century Japanese culture. While structured chronologically, students will develop sophisticated approaches to understand what a national cinema is, how it relates to national identity, and how it fits into the global film scene. All aspects and genres of Japanese film come under consideration, including both the art film and more popular forms.