Cinéma américain

The aim of this course is to propose a chronological study of the American cinema. It will be associated with a specific method of analysis, which will enable the students to understand a short sequence of film, in detail.

The course relies on an in-depth analysis of the main American cinematographic movements and is illustrated with short extracts from representative films, from the silent era to more recent movies.

The basic genres are also addressed: Comedy, Gangster films, Epic, Horror movies, Musicals, Road Movies, Science Fiction and the Western.

Eventually the question of adaptation will be introduced with an example.

At the end of the course, the students will master the technical vocabulary and will have a knowledge of the history of American cinema. They will also know how to analyse a short sequence. They will also be able to identify several types of analyses (psychoanalytical, feminist, gender, historical, etc.).

A short bibliography will be given at the beginning of the semester.