As a kid, did you ever buy a movie ticket to a PG movie, only to sneak into the theatre screening an R-Rate movie you were not allowed to watch? As film viewers, we are often drawn to the films we are warned against. Many movies that are celebrated today as cult classics rose to fame as a result of spectacle and controversy.
This course will compare the subject matter and content of these films to mainstream popular culture during the time period of their premieres. We will examine advertisements, and newspapers to get a sense of trends in order to see how these films challenged conventions. We will also look at how early response to these movies compares to the way they are being remembered today.
This is a critical analysis course. The major assignments focus on research and writing. For the final assignment students will have the option to write a critical analysis paper, or create a video essay.
All American Ads (Series), Steven Heller (Author), Jim Heimann (Editor)
Featured image from The Rocky Horror Picture Show directed by Jim Sharman
