Syllabus

GC2Y 2000 Global Horror, Spring 2018

Section 04: TR 3:30-5:15 p.m., Arts & Sciences 345

 

Professor

 

Dr. Alex E. Blazer

alex.blazer@gcsu.edu

alexeblazer.com

478.445.0964

Office Hours: TR 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330

 

Course Description

 

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). Bernard F. Dick's The Anatomy of Film 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:

Here are our Global Horror section outcomes:

Course Materials

 

required textbooks (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)

Dick, The Anatomy of Film

required articles (GeorgiaVIEW)

course packet

required films (availability)

Beyond the Black Rainbow

The Curse of Frankenstein

The Exorcist

Freaks

The Haunted Castle

Haxan

The Host

Kwaidan

Nosferatu

The Phantom Carriage

[REC]

Ringu

Rosemary's Baby

Shivers

Tenebrae

recommended films (availability)

The Devil's Backbone

Diabolique

Halloween

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 response.

film response, 5%

You will sign up to respond to a film in an informal 2-3 page response.

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.

learning beyond the classroom project, 20%

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 two films not studied in class.

research essay, 25%

You will research, analyze, and interpret a film or film issue in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised 7-9 page essay with 8 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.

 

Course Policies

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, immediately 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. Any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will 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 surfing the internet 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 university class attendance policy can be found 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. 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. It is your responsibility to learn how to control your word-processing program. 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 a five days of its due date will result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date will 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 defines 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 will 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 Library 228, the Center is open Monday through Friday. Call 445-3370 or email writingcr@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 can be found here.

 

Course Schedule

Week 1

T, 1-16

In Class Screening

The Haunted Castle (France, 1896, 3 min)

R, 1-18

No Class: Snow Day

Week 2

T, 1-23

Dick, "The Horror Film" (Dick 188-92)

Cherry, "The Horror Genre: Form and Function" (GeorgiaVIEW)

The Phantom Carriage (horror, Sweden, 1921, 104 min)

In Class Activity: Defining the Horror Genre

R, 1-25

No Class: Professor at Conference

Week 3

T, 1-30

Carroll, "Metaphysics and Horror, or Relating to Fictions" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Dick, "Understanding the Medium" (Dick 1-20)

Norris, "Viewing Skills" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Haxan (silent documentary, Sweden-Denmark, 1922, 105 min)

R, 2-1

Telotte, "German Expressionism: A Cinematic/Cultural Problem" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Nosferatu (German Expressionist horror, Germany, 1922, 81 min)

Recommended: Abrams, Bell, and Udris, "World Cinema and National Film Movements" (GeorgiaVIEW)

In Class Activity: Understanding a Film Movement

Week 4

T, 2-6

Doherty, "Nightmare Pictures: The Quality of Gruesomeness" and "Appendix 1, 2, and 3" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Freaks (Pre-Code horror, United States, 1932, 64 min)

Recommended: Doherty, "On the Cusp of Classical Hollywood Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Recommended: Hawkins, "From Horror to Avant-Garde: Tod Browning's Freaks" (GeorgiaVIEW)

R, 2-8

Kavka, "The Gothic on Screen" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Dick, "Graphics and Sound" (Dick 21-50)

The Curse of Frankenstein (gothic horror, United Kingdom, 1957, 83 min)

Recommended: The Devil's Backbone (gothic horror, Spain-Mexico, 2001, 106 min)

Writing a Thesis Statement

In Class Activity: Graphics and Sound

Week 5

T, 2-13

Barker, "Cultural Studies: An Introduction" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Balmain, "Ghosts of Desire: Kaidan pinku eiga" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Buckley and Show, "How to Watch and Study Foreign Language Films" (GeorgiaVIEW)

In Class Activity: Analyzing a Film Using Cultural Studies

Comparison/Contrast Thesis Statement and Outline Due

R, 2-15

Kwaidan (ghost stories, Japan, 1964, 162 min or 183 min)

Dick, "Film, Space, and Mise-en-Scène" (Dick 51-99)

MLA Style

In Class Activity: Camera, Editing, Mise-en-Scène

Week 6

T, 2-20

In Class Screening

Ringu (supernatural psychological horror, Japan, 1998, 96 min)

Recommended: The Ring (remake, United States, 2002, 115 min)

Comparison/Contrast Essay Draft 1 Due

R, 2-22

Ringu discussion

Lim, "Generic Ghosts: Remaking the New Asian Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW)

McRoy, "Japanese Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Danks, "The Global Art of the Found Footage Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Kee, "'They are not men . . . they are dead bodies!': From Cannibal to Zombie and Back Again" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Recommended: Harper, "J-Horror / Japanese Horror" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Recommended: McRobert, "Mimesis of Media: Found Footage Cinema and the Horror of the Real" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Week 7

T, 2-27

Dick, "Enhancing the Image: Color, Lighting, and Visual Effects" (Dick 99-118)

[REC] (zombie found footage horror, Spain, 2007, 78 min)

Recommended: Quarantine (zombie found footage horror, United States, 2008, 89 min)

Recommended: Olney, "Cannibal Apocalypse: Cannibal and Zombie Films" (GeorgiaVIEW)

R, 3-1

Comparison/Contrast Essay Peer Response Due

Week 8

T, 3-6

Allen, "Psychoanalytic Film Theory" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Schneider, "Introduction: Psychoanalysis in/and/of the Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Schneider, ""Manifestations of the Literary Double in Modern Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW)

In Class Activity: Psychoanalyzing Horror

R, 3-8

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)

In Class Activity: Psychoanalysis, Feminism, Horror

Comparison/Contrast Essay Draft 2 Due

Week 9

T, 3-13

Dick, "Film and Literature" (Dick 268-320)

The Exorcist (supernatural horror film, United States, 1973, 122 min or 132 min)

R, 3-15

Tyson, "Feminist Criticism" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Williams, "When the Woman Looks" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Learning Beyond the Classroom Project Groups 1-2 Due

Recommended: Tyson, "Lesbian, Gay, and Queer Criticism"

Recommended: Benshoff, "The Monster and the Homosexual"

Week 10

T, 3-20

No Class: Spring Break

R, 3-22

No Class: Spring Break

Week 11

T, 3-27

Rosemary's Baby (psychological horror, United States, 1968, 137 min)

Recommended: The Tenant (psychological horror, France, 1976, 126 min)

Research Proposal and Bibliography Due

R, 3-29

Butler, "Auteur Theories" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Reyes, "Body Horror" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Dick, "The Film Director" (Dick 238-67)

Learning Beyond the Classroom Project Groups 3-5 Due

Week 12

T, 4-3

Shivers (science fiction body horror, Canada, 1975, 87 min)

Learning Beyond the Classroom Project Groups 6-8 Due

R, 4-5

No Class: Professor at Conference

Week 13

T, 4-10

Writing Day: Bring Your Laptop

Research Essay and Annotated Bibliography Draft 1 Due

R, 4-12

In Class Screening

Tenebrae (giallo, Italy, 1982, 101 min)

Recommended: Halloween (slasher, United States, 1978, 91 min)

Week 14

T, 4-17

Tenebrae discussion

Bondanella, "Mystery, Gore, and Mayhem: The Italian Giallo" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Clover, "Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher" (GeorgiaVIEW)

R, 4-19

Research Essay Peer Response Due

Week 15

T, 4-24

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)

In Class Activity: Ecocriticism

R, 4-26

The Host (monster, South Korea, 2006, 120 min)'

Exam Topics

Research Essay and Annotated Bibliography Draft 2 Due

Week 16

T, 5-1

O'Pray, "The Avant-Garde Film: Definitions" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Hayward, "avant-garde" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Creed, "Gynesis, Postmodernism and the Science Fiction Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW)

Dick, "The Science-Fiction Film" (Dick 193-7)

In Class Activity: Avant-Garde Film and Exam Review

R, 5-3

Beyond the Black Rainbow (avant-garde science fiction thriller horror, Canada, 2010, 110 min)

Finals

T, 5-8

Exam 1:00-3:15 p.m.