ENGL 140 - Catastrophe/Apocalypse: The Movie

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

English

Description:

The film industry has always appreciated the visual and dramatic possibilities of catastrophe, but perhaps unsurprisingly, given the state of our world, the apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic sensibility seems to be everywhere in our mass culture these days. In fact, being plugged into the zeitgeist might necessarily entail a familiarity with the emerging tropes and assumptions of this subgenre. This course will consider the ways in which such films help us negotiate our suspicion that, as Hegel noted, we glimpse history only in those moments when our expectations and/or actions collide with the devastating and unforeseeable realities of our physical world and political situation. How do we measure loss when loss occurs at the upper end of the human scale? How do we consider collectively the issue of our own complicity in-if not responsibility for-disaster? Films to be studied will include W.S. Van Dyke's San Francisco, Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, Carl Schultz's The Seventh Sign, Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, Bruce McDonald's Pontypool, and Steven Soderbergh's Contagion.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

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.