What makes a British film? What gives it its unique character? Does it concern financing, production conditions, location and of course, casting and direction?
In this course, we will examine these issues while analysing to what extent British cinema is successful in accessing British culture, behaviour, customs, psychology and society: does it operate as a window into a world of Britishness? Or a mirror reflecting British class, gender, and ethnic and regional identities? Is it a distorting lens or a torch casting light wherever it may be pointed?

In seeking answers to these questions we will study a variety of genres including the crime film, comedy, historical dramas, the war film, romance and social realist dramas. We will explore the role individual directors and studios play in creating a film aesthetic. Examples will include work by directors such as David Lean, Carol Reed, Powell and Pressburger, Alfred Hitchcock, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Stephen Frears, Danny Boyle, Richard Curtis, Neil Jordan, Gurinder Chada, and James Ivory. Films from the Ealing and Aardman Studios will be part of our corpus, as will the Bond and Carry On films.

Class contribution will include a presentation of a British film or an aspect of British cinema– a specific theme, the work of a particular director or film studio, cinematic representations of a particular period in British history or aspect of British life. You will be expected to lead a discussion on your chosen subject. Written work entails producing a British film script and/or film review and/or an adaptation of British literature into cinema.

Bring an enquiring spirit, an open mind and your own British cinema experiences and preferences to share. Popcorn is optional!

Recommended reading: Bordwell,D. and Thompson, K. Film Art: An Introduction, McGraw Hill 2007;Richards, J. Films and British National Identity, Manchester University Press, 1997; Lapsley, R; and Westlake, M. Film Theory: An Introduction, Manchester University Press 2006; Sargeant, A. British Cinema: A Critical and Interpretative History, BFI Publishing; Street, S; British National Cinema, Routledge, 1997

Dernière mise à jour : mercredi 8 avril 2009