Contemporary Film Theory

This subject is not offered in 2013.

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Admission to the postgraduate certificate or diploma or fourth year honours in screen studies or screen and cultural studies, gender studies, Master of Cinema Management, Master of Arts and Cultural Management (Moving Image)

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will examine the development of contemporary film theory from the post-1968 period to the present. Students will be expected to evaluate critically the significance of a number of the following theoretical approaches to an understanding of the cinema. These approaches will be selected from the following: semiotics, post-structuralism, feminist film theory, surrealist theory, psychoanalysis, post-auteurism, postmodernism, postcolonial, queer theory, and recent research in human/animal studies on screen. Students will attend seminars that involve a variety of approaches: close textual analysis, research, thesis writing and the presentations of papers.

Students who complete this subject will be able to:

• have a comprehensive understanding of key film theoretical models of the post-60s;
• apply various theories to an analysis of the cinema; and
• critically evaluate the significance of film theory for film interpretation.

A 2000 word tutorial paper 40% (due during the semester), and a 3000 word essay or web site 60% (due in the examination period). Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% (or 10 out of 12) classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Any student who fails to meet this hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. All required written work must be submitted in order to pass the subject. Essays submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalised 2% per day. Essays submitted after two weeks of the assessment due date without a formally approved application for special consideration or an extension will only be marked on a pass/fail basis if accepted.

A subject reader will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• possess advanced skills of critical thinking and analysis;
• develop research and writing skills;
• be able to account for the relationship between the film industry and film form;
• possess an ability to communicate knowledge intelligibly, economically and effectively; and
• have an understanding of social, ethical and cultural context.