HUM 320: Monsters and Madmen

Images of horror and violence have long dominated cinematic production, from Fritz Lang's masterful depiction of a child-killer in M (1931), to Jonathan Demme's eerie rendering of a cannibalistic serial murderer in Silence of the Lambs (1991). In this course, students will examine such constructions of monstrosity, murder, and madness, considering how these depictions reflect social values and cultural anxieties. We will contemplate how these films approach deviance and normalcy and problematize social conventions of gender and race. We will explore films from a variety of historical periods and examine works produced in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Course Objectives: This course will introduce students to theoretical concepts relevant to the analysis of cinematic depictions of horror and violence. The course will also introduce students to feminist film theory, concepts of abjection, monstrosity, and spectatorial pleasure. We will seek answers to the following questions: How do these films construct deviance and normalcy? What do these films tell us about a society's anxieties and fears? How do cinematic renderings of violence and violent crime impact spectators? Why do spectators seek out films that produce sensations of horror, fear, and dread?

 

For more information about the Film Studies program at the University of Northern Colorado, please contact April Miller

Office: Ross Hall 1180D Phone: (970) 351-2851

Site last updated on October 12, 2007