Instructor: H. Hori
By introducing important films and directors, this course examines issues both in the field of Japanese cinema and in popular cultural discourse from the 1980s to the present. Directors’ oeuvres, social and cultural backgrounds, film theories, and analysis of the works are introduced. Reading assignments include writings drawn from perspectives of auteurism, formal analysis, feminist critique, national cinema, cultural studies, and theories of globalization. These various readings will assist students in critically examining filmic texts, and developing their own views of the works and issues that films raise. Moreover, the course is designed to enhance students’ further understanding of Japanese society both in the domestic and global contexts by studying popular media. Mandatory film screening each week.
