CUS4331 Cultures of Cinema

The Culture of Cinema course will introduce students to the history, theory, and practice of
cinema as an art form, cultural artifact, and industry. Through a combination of readings,
screenings, discussions, and assignments, students will explore the social, political, and
aesthetic dimensions of film from its origins to the present day. Topics will include film
directors, movements, and technologies, as well as the role of cinema in shaping and
reflecting cultural identities and values.

Course Goals:

 Develop a critical understanding of the cultural significance of cinema as an art form

and industry
 Analyze and evaluate films from different periods and cultures, using appropriate
vocabulary and methods of film criticism
 Explore the historical, social, and political contexts that shape cinematic
representations and reception, including issues of race, gender, class, and nationality
 Understand the technical and artistic aspects of filmmaking, including
cinematography, editing, sound, and visual effects
 Engage in creative and collaborative film projects that apply the principles and
techniques learned in the course
 Develop effective research, writing, and presentation skills related to film studies

Course Outline:

Tue & Thur: 1400 – 1720 (LKK103)

Date Content
1 1 Jun (Thur) Introduction: story & plot
Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

2 6 Jun (Tue) Introduction: mise-en-scene, cinematography

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989, Peter
Greenaway)
Yellow Earth (Zhang Yimou, 1984)

3 8 Jun (Thu) Classical Hollywood: institutionalization & studio system

My Fair Lady (George Cukor, 1964)
Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

4 13 Jun Counter Hollywood: Russian Montage, Surrealism and

(Tue) Expressionism
Un Chien Andalou (Luis Buñuel, 1929)
Meshes of Afternoon (Maya Deren, 1943)

5 15 Jun Feminism, Laura Mulvey and male gaze

(Thu) Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958), Chantel Akerman

6 20 Jun Modernism and self-reflexivity

 (Tue) Weekend (Jean Luc Godard, 1967)
How to do film presentation & write a film essay?
e.g. HK New Wave & after
7 22 Jun Holiday
(Thu)
8 27 Jun Political cinema: Third Cinema
(Tue)
9 29 Jun Presentation:
(Thu) Funeral Parade of Roses (松本 俊夫 Matsumoto Toshio, 1969) or
In the Realm of Senses (Nagisa Oshima, 1976)
Discuss Funeral Parade of Roses or In the Realm of Senses in
relation to Japanese new wave and political cinema.

10 4 Jul (Tue) Presentation

Terrorizer (Edward Yang, 1986)
Examine how the multiple separate storytelling relates to
representation of city life.

11 6 Jul (Thu) Presentation

Orlando (Sally Potter, 2010)
Discuss Orlando in relation to sexual politics and performativity
Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
Discuss the representation of masculinity and male nakedness in
Casino Royale
12 11 Jul (Tue) Netflix and movie industry
Discuss to what extent and how streaming video such as Netflix
changes movie industry
13 13 Jul (Thu) Student presentations on creative film project/analysis

Important Notes:
(1) Students are expected to spend a total of 9 hours (i.e. 3* hours of class contact and 6*
hours of personal study) per week to achieve the course learning outcomes.
(2) Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course
work, tests and examinations, and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations
Governing University Examinations. In particular, plagiarism, being a kind of dishonest
practice, is “the presentation of another person’s work without proper acknowledgement of
the source, including exact phrases, or summarised ideas, or even footnotes/citations, whether
protected by copyright or not, as the student’s own work”. Students are required to strictly
follow university regulations governing academic integrity and honesty.
(3) Students are required to submit writing assignment(s) using Turnitin.
(4) To enhance students’ understanding of plagiarism, a mini-course “Online Tutorial on
Plagiarism Awareness” is available on https://pla.ln.edu.hk/.
* Numbers of hours are subject to adjustment for individual courses.

Assessment:

 Attendance and Participation (15%)

 In-class exercise (15%)
 Presentation (30%)
 Creative film project or film analysis essay (40%)
o Working in groups, students will create a short film or video project that
applies the principles and techniques learned in the course
o Each group will present their project to the class and receive feedback and
critique