Film Studies
- Builds Understanding of Cinematic Storytelling
- Analyzes and Discusses Films
- Develops Cultural Aptitude
Whether your goal is to write a screenplay, work in the film industry, or simply explore and enjoy cinematic stories, these courses develop skills essential for analyzing and discussing films. Be transported to diverse cultures and historic periods through films.
Celluloid Love: A Decade-by-Decade Look at Movie Love Stories
We will view one film from nearly every decade of the past 100 years to uncover how our ideas of love have developed, both on screen and off.
From Script to Screen: Hollywood Classics
Read four screenplays of classic Hollywood movies and then watch the films, examining what worked, what didn’t, and why.
Italian Neorealism: From The Earth Trembles to Umberto D
Explore lesser-known films of Italian neorealism, a style that excelled at portraying the harsh realities of life in Italy during and after WWII.
Major English and European Directors: From Mike Leigh to Claire Denis
Watch and discuss films of major English, Italian, and French directors, including Leigh, Olmi, the Taviani brothers, Denis, and Tavernier.
Sidney Lumet: New York's Quintessential Director
View the films of Sidney Lumet and discuss the way in which he used locations—most often New York City—as characters in his films.
The Darker Side of Noir: From Touch of Evil to Sweet Smell of Success
Go beyond the private eye and femme fatale and discover six different types of noir films.
The Modern Biopic: From Coal Miner's Daughter to Lincoln
Explore how modern filmmakers have reinvented the biopic and now use the genre to explore how history still resonates today.
Dekalog: An In-Depth Study of a Modern Masterpiece
View and discuss Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Dekalog, considered one of the 20th century’s greatest achievements in visual storytelling.
Let's Go to the Movies
Examine a wide range of films and engage in lively discussions about what makes each a truly exceptional work of art.
Movies Made in New York
Explore 10 films that are set in New York and feature the City not just serving as a backdrop but playing a major role in the narrative.
The American Movie Musical
Watch six movie musicals and discuss the genre’s evolution, common themes, and relevance today.
The Antihero in Television: From Tony Soprano to Claire Underwood
Explore why the antihero is so prevalent on television shows, including The Sopranos, The Wire, and Mad Men.
The Modern Horror Film: The Revolution of 1968 and Beyond
Watch landmark horror films in class and discuss them, with a special emphasis on interpreting them as expressions of sociopolitical anxieties.
The War Film: From the Battlefield to the Home Front
View and discuss eight films that depict war, both on the battlefield and at home.
American Screwball Comedy Films
Watch a variety of screwball comedy films, and discuss how each represents and deals with the harsh economic realities of the time.
Art on Film/Film on Art
View 10 memorable films about art, and discuss the fascinating issues that emerge in them.
Espionage on Film: From The 39 Steps to Zero Dark Thirty
Explore a variety of espionage films, and discuss how each reflects society at the time it was created.
Hollywood on Hollywood History
Learn about Hollywood history and the business of the film industry by watching and discussing films that cover filmmaking.
International Politics and Film
Watch and analyze six political films from six different countries that are as varied in cinematic styles as in political commentary.
Italian Cinema: Envisioning a Country's Complex Identity
Explore Italian culture through the country’s rich tradition of cinema.
Italian Neorealism: From Rome, Open City to La Dolce Vita
Explore the genre of neorealism in Italian cinema, a style that excelled at portraying the harsh realities of life in Italy during and after WWII.
More Great British Cinema
Watch and discuss terrific, but lesser known and rarely screened, movies from Great Britain, including must-see films in a variety of genres.
Social Class in American and English Film
Examine the different ways that American and British films have dealt with class power, consciousness, and culture through film.
Strange Bedfellows: Politics and Passion in the Movies
Examine six stylistically diverse movies that alternate between serious, political films and lighter-toned features about love and relationships.
Superheroes: A Mythic Battle of History, Media, and Culture
Examine the superhero genre, analyze what these films tell us about Hollywood, and reflect upon how these films express sociocultural anxieties.
The Cinema and the City
Explore a variety of remarkable (and lesser-known) films that have created indelible images of cities.
The World According to the Coen Brothers' Films: From Blood Simple to A Serious Man
Examine a wide range of Coen brothers’ films and engage in lively discussions about what makes each a truly exceptional work of art.