This course offers an in-depth study of Japanese cinema from the late 1890s up to the 1980s. Topics to be covered include jidaigeki, gendaigeki, Japanese modernity, wartime and post-WWII Japanese cinema, propaganda and censorship, women and youth, auteur filmmakers (e.g. Ozu, Mizoguchi, and Naruse), the Japanese New Wave, as well as nihilism and noir. We’ll also exercise a globally comparative perspective by juxtaposing relevant or comparable developments in Hollywood, French, German, Taiwanese, and Chinese cinemas with the experiments and achievements in Japanese cinema in the 20th century.
- Textual/Visual Analysis
- Interpretive Frameworks
- Historical Analysis
- Literary/Film/Narrative Art Inquiry
- Communication Skills
- Texts: There are no textbooks required to be purchased. Readings will be made available in the form of PDF documents acquired through GT library.
- Films: While some of the films required for weekly screenings may be accessed for free streaming, be prepared to pay to watch some titles at venues like Amazon Prime, Youtube, or Criterion Channel. Streaming access details are to be provided in the Weekly Schedule.
This course offers final letter grades in accordance with GT’s general grading policy:
A (Excellent)
B (Good)
C (Satisfactory)
D (Passing)
F (Failure)
The calculation of the final grade is based on the sum total of grades given to the following requirements and assignments:
- attendance to lectures and participation in classroom discussions;
- weekly homework in the form of watching a required feature-length film, doing required reading, and providing written feedback to designated questions in relation to the film and reading;
- a major assignment in the form of a research essay or an originally created short film.
- a final personal essay in which students reflect on their learning from the course and/or develop a research prospectus on a topic growing out of this course.
Absences need to be justified with official documentation such as from GT Dean of Students Office or a doctor. Five unaccounted absences automatically result in an “F” grade.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Humanities area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
- How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
- Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Ethical Reasoning
- Information Literacy
- Intercultural Competence