Syllabus
GC2Y 2000 Global Horror, Spring 2020
Section 03 Honors: T 3:30-5:20 p.m., R 3:30-4:45 Arts & Sciences 363
Professor
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: TR 12:30-3:15 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330
The course catalog states, "This course focuses on the development of global perspectives within various disciplinary, multidisciplinary, or interdisciplinary contexts. Course materials will emphasize multiple intellectual approaches to issues, topics and/or themes; provide appropriate opportunities to engage in learning beyond the classroom; and fulfill the Georgia College writing-intensive course curriculum overlay requirements." This GC2Y section will interpret horror films from around the globe using psychoanalytic, ecocritical, gender studies, cultural studies approaches. We will not only analyze film as an artistic medium but also but also compare diverse film traditions in general and cultural understandings of horror in particular. What horrifies people in general? What do specific cultures find terrifying? How are cultural anxieties and fears expressed through and on its horror films? How do cultures' different gender roles affect the portrayal of men and women in horror films? Why do we desire to be scared or repulsed? We will view variety of horror films in a variety of horror subgenres (found footage, giallo, monster, occult, psychological, science fiction, supernatural, and vampire) from a variety of countries (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Michael Ryan and Melissa Lenos's An Introduction to Film Analysis teaches the technical elements of film, and the course packet provides critical approaches to film, genre articles, and global film histories. Students will respond to an article and a film in two informal discussion board responses and presentations. In the first formal paper, students will compare and contrast either cultural expressions of horror from two nations or an international horror film and its American remake (or vice versa). The research essay will require outside research of a film or film issue. Students will complete a group learning beyond the classroom project in which they either create a short film or record a podcast episode discussing a feature film. The essay exam will test students' understanding of film technique and the horror genre.
Here is the GC2Y course outcome:
- Students will be able to explain multiple intellectual approaches that clarify or respond to problems, topics, themes, and/or issues.
Here are our Global Horror Films section outcomes:
- Students will be introduced to the study of film as an artistic medium and be able to identify the technical elements of film and the aesthetic language of film.
- Students will be able to discuss the traits of the horror film genre and its various subgenres (such as gothic horror, found footage horror, giallo, zombie film, and so forth).
- Students will learn the cultural expressions and histories of a number international film traditions (such as Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) and be able to comparatively discuss how different cultures experience and express horror in film.
- Students will apply critical theories such as cultural studies, ecocriticism, feminism and gender studies, and psychoanalysis to the interpretation of a range of international horror films.
required textbooks (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)
Ryan and Lenos, An Introduction to Film Analysis
required articles (GeorgiaVIEW)
required films (availability)
Alien
The Babadook
Beyond the Black Rainbow
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Curse of Frankenstein
The Exorcist
Freaks
The Haunted Castle
Haxan
The Host
The Infernal Cauldron
Kwaidan
The Phantom Carriage
[REC]
Repulsion
Ringu
Shivers
recommended films (availability)
The Devil's Backbone
Halloween
Nosferatu
Planet of the Vampires
Rosemary's Baby
Quarantine
The Ring
The Tenant
Assignments and Grade Distribution
article summary, 5%
You will sign up to summarize an article in an informal 2-3 page summary.
film response, 5%
You will sign up to respond to a film in an informal 2-3 page response.
learning beyond the classroom project, 15%
You will divide into small groups and either create a 5 minute film that combines the style and/or themes of two films studied in class or record a 30 minute podcast episode that discusses one or two films not studied in class.
comparison/contrast essay, 20%
You will either 1) compare and contrast how two specific films from two national cultures either express a trait of the horror film genre or culturally conceive of horror or 2) compare and contrast an international horror film and its American remake (or vice versa) in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised 5-7 page essay.
research essay, 30%
You will research, analyze, and interpret a film or film issue in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised 8-10 page essay with 10 scholarly source annotated bibliography.
essay exam, 25%
You will take a three question in-class essay exam that demonstrates your understanding of film technique, film theory, and global horror films.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience problems with GeorgiaVIEW, contact support. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. In accordance with the university class attendance policy, any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) may fail the course. There will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three. I suggest you use your three days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and checking the internet and social media will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. If you have a medical condition or an extracurricular activity that you anticipate will cause you to miss more than four days of class, I suggest you drop this section or risk failure. The undergraduate class attendance policy can be found here, and the graduate policy here. You can check your attendance here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
Part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follows MLA style. Assignments such as in-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the FAQ handout and using the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days of its due date may result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date may result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog define academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others’ ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one’s own When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty may fail the assignment and the course. Here is how I have dealt with plagiarists in the past. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Passing or Failing of the Course
There are three ways to fail the course: failing to regularly attend class, plagiarizing, failing an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade, be it from poor quality, lateness of submission, or a combination of poor quality and lateness. By contrast, students who regularly attend class, complete their work with academic integrity, and submit assignments on time will pass the course.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is a free service available to all members of the university community. Consultants assist writers in the writing process, from conception and organization of compositions to revision to documentation of research. Located in Arts & Sciences 256, the Center is open Monday through Friday. Call 478.445.3370 or email writing.center@gcsu.edu for more information.
Additional Policies
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, and Fire Drills, Electronic Recording Policy, and Academic Grievance or Appeals can be found here.
- Course readings are in the Ryan and Lenos textbook An Introduction to Film Analysis and the GeorgiaVIEW course packet. Films availibity is here.
- Recommended articles and films are encouraged but required.
- This schedule is subject to change, so check back in class and online for possible revisions.
Week 1 |
T, 1-7 |
The Haunted Castle (silent short, France, 1896, 3 min) The Infernal Cauldron (silent short, France, 1903, 2 min) |
R, 1-9 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Introduction" (1-34) Cherry, "The Horror Genre: Form and Function" (GeorgiaVIEW) The Phantom Carriage (horror, Sweden, 1921, 104 min) |
|
Week 2 |
T, 1-14 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Composition" (35-51) Norris, "Viewing Skills" (GeorgiaVIEW) Carroll, "Metaphysics and Horror, or Relating to Fictions" (GeorgiaVIEW) Haxan (silent documentary, Sweden-Denmark, 1922, 105 min) |
R, 1-16 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Camerawork" (52-74) Telotte, "German Expressionism: A Cinematic/Cultural Problem" (GeorgiaVIEW) The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (German Expressionist horror, Germany, 1920, 74 min) Recommended: Nosferatu (German Expressionist horror, Germany, 1922, 81 min) |
|
Week 3 |
T, 1-21 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Editing" (75-95) Doherty, "Nightmare Pictures: The Quality of Gruesomeness" and "Appendix 1, 2, and 3" (GeorgiaVIEW) Hawkins, "From Horror to Avant-Garde: Tod Browning's Freaks" (GeorgiaVIEW) Freaks (Pre-Code horror, United States, 1932, 64 min) Recommended: Doherty, "On the Cusp of Classical Hollywood Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) Recommended: Pre-Code.com |
R, 1-23 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Art Direction (Set, Lighting, Color, Sound" (96-118) Kavka, "The Gothic on Screen" (GeorgiaVIEW) Abrams, Bell, and Udris, "World Cinema and National Film Movements" (GeorgiaVIEW) The Curse of Frankenstein (gothic horror, United Kingdom, 1957, 83 min) Recommended: The Devil's Backbone (gothic horror, Spain-Mexico, 2001, 106 min) |
|
Week 4 |
T, 1-28 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Narration" (119-32) Barker, "Cultural Studies: An Introduction" (GeorgiaVIEW) Balmain, "Ghosts of Desire: Kaidan pinku eiga" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 1-30 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Metaphor, Structure, Character, Motif" (133-40) Buckley and Show, "How to Watch and Study Foreign Language Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) Kwaidan (ghost stories, Japan, 1964, 162 min or 183 min) |
|
Week 5 |
T, 2-4 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Film Style: Realism and Expressionism" (141-52) McRoy, "Japanese Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) Lim, "Generic Ghosts: Remaking the New Asian Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW) Ringu (supernatural psychological horror, Japan, 1998, 96 min) Recommended: The Ring (remake, United States, 2002, 115 min) Recommended: Harper, "J-Horror / Japanese Horror" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 2-6 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Historical Criticism" (155-62) Kee, "'They are not men . . . they are dead bodies!': From Cannibal to Zombie and Back Again" (GeorgiaVIEW) Olney, "Cannibal Apocalypse: Cannibal and Zombie Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 6 |
T, 2-11 |
Writing Day: Bring Your Laptops |
R, 2-13 |
McRobert, "Mimesis of Media: Found Footage Cinema and the Horror of the Real" (GeorgiaVIEW) Danks, "The Global Art of the Found Footage Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) [REC] (zombie found footage horror, Spain, 2007, 78 min) Recommended: Quarantine (zombie found footage horror, United States, 2008, 89 min) |
|
Week 7 |
T, 2-18 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Psychological Criticism" (169-76) Allen, "Psychoanalytic Film Theory" (GeorgiaVIEW) Schneider, "Introduction: Psychoanalysis in/and/of the Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW) Recommended: Schneider, ""Manifestations of the Literary Double in Modern Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 2-20 |
||
Week 8 |
T, 2-25 |
Creed, "Film, Horror and the Primal Uncanny" (GeorgiaVIEW) Creed, "Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine: An Imaginary Abjection" (GeorgiaVIEW) Freeland, "Feminist Frameworks for Horror Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 2-27 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Gender Criticism" (184-93) Alien (science fiction horror, United States, 1979, 117 minutes) Recommended: Planet of the Vampires (science fiction horror, Italy, 1965, 88 minutes) |
|
Week 9 |
T, 3-3 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Structuralist Criticism" (163-8) The Exorcist (supernatural horror film, United States, 1973, 122 min or 132 min) |
R, 3-5 |
Tyson, "Feminist Criticism" (GeorgiaVIEW) Williams, "When the Woman Looks" (GeorgiaVIEW) Benshoff, "The Monster and the Homosexual" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 10 |
T, 3-10 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Poststructuralist Criticism" (207-14) Repulsion (psychological horror, France, 1965, 105 min) Recommended: Rosemary's Baby (psychological horror, United States, 1968, 137 min) Recommended: The Tenant (psychological horror, France, 1976, 126 min) |
R, 3-12 |
Butler, "Auteur Theories" (GeorgiaVIEW) Reyes, "Body Horror" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 11 |
T, 3-17 |
No Class: Spring Break |
R, 3-19 |
No Class: Spring Break |
|
Week 12 |
T, 3-24 |
No Class: Prepare to Move Class Online Due to Coronavirus Recommended: King, "'If It's in a Word': Intersectional Feminism, Precarity, and The Babadook" (GeorgiaVIEW) Recommended: Pheasant-Kelly, "Trauma, Repression, and The Babadook: Sexual Identity in the Trump Era" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 3-26 |
No Class: Prepare to Move Class Online Due to Coronavirus Recommended: The Babadook (psychological horror, Australia-Canada, 2014, 94 min) |
|
Week 13 |
T, 3-31 |
|
R, 4-2 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Ethnic Criticism" (194-9) Coleman, "Introduction: Studying Blacks and Horror Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) Tyson, "Lesbian, Gay, and Queer Criticism" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 14 |
T, 4-7 |
Bondanella, "Mystery, Gore, and Mayhem: The Italian Giallo" (GeorgiaVIEW) Clover, "Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher" (GeorgiaVIEW) The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (giallo, Italy, 1970, 96 min) Recommended: Halloween (slasher, United States, 1978, 91 min) |
R, 4-9 |
Bressler, "Ecocriticism" (GeorgiaVIEW) Alaimo, "Discomforting Creatures: Monstrous Natures in Recent Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) Recommended: Murray and Heumann, "Conclusion: Monstrous Nature and the New Cli-Fi Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 15 |
T, 4-14 |
|
R, 4-16 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Political Criticism" (200-6) The Host (monster, South Korea, 2006, 120 min) |
|
Week 16 |
T, 4-21 |
O'Pray, "The Avant-Garde Film: Definitions" (GeorgiaVIEW) Hayward, "avant-garde" (GeorgiaVIEW) Creed, "Gynesis, Postmodernism and the Science Fiction Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW) In Class Activity: Avant-Garde Film and Exam Review |
R, 4-23 |
Ryan and Lenos, "Scientific Criticism: Evolutionary Theory" (215-23) Beyond the Black Rainbow (avant-garde science fiction thriller horror, Canada, 2010, 110 min) |
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Finals |
T, 4-28 |