Film 371 - Making War

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

This course examines the cinematic representation of war. Using World War II as a case study, students examine a series of combat pictures, documentaries, and "home front" films from the 1940s to the present. Several key questions guide the class discussion: How do war films respond to and shape the political worlds in which they are produced? How do these films confront the aftermath of war and the soldier's homecoming? Where is the line between the home front and the front line? More broadly, what does it mean to portray the violence and suffering that war inevitably brings? At the close of the semester, students partake in an in-class symposium presenting their research on the cinematic treatment of other conflicts, from the Civil War to the "War on Terror." Films include: The Boat, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, Why We Fight, and Mrs. Miniver. Readings include works by Susan Sontag, Kaja Silverman, and W.G. Sebald. Required screenings.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.