Cinema and Cultural Studies
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims at introducing the elements of cultural studies to show their crucial role in the development of film studies since the 1970s. Focusing on the English-speaking, French and Italian literature (also with relation to other schools and theories), in the first part the main theoretical, methodological and ideological aspects of cultural studies will be addressed from a historical perspective, as well as their main topics, such as the revaluation of popular cinema, the issues of film reception and the relationship between cinema and identities (of gender, sex and post colonial ethnicity).
The second and third parts will focus on a particular subject chosen as a case study.
The second and third parts will focus on a particular subject chosen as a case study.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will have acquired a up-to-date awareness of cultural studies development and main issues involving cinema, and would be able to apply the cultural studies methodology to film history reckoning with the cultural contexts.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course aims at introducing the elements of the Cultural studies to show their crucial role in the development of film studies since the 1970s. Focusing on the English-speaking, French and Italian literature (also with relation to other schools and theories), in the first part (A) the main theoretical, methodological and ideological aspects of Cultural studies will be addressed from a historical perspective, as well as their main topics and issues, such as the revaluation of popular cinema or the relationship between cinema and identities (of gender, sex and post colonial ethnicity). In the second part (B and C) issues of methodology will be addressed through four case studies dealing with communist and neofascist ideology, feminist film theory and postmodern queer theories.
Prerequisites for admission
Knowledge of contemporary history and of film history and language.
Teaching methods
The topics of the course will be addressed making the use of slides and audio-video materials analyzed during the lessons.
Teaching Resources
I. ATTENDING STUDENTS
Part A
Cristina Demaria, Siri Neergard, Studi culturali. Temi e prospettive a confronto, McGraw-Hill, Milano 2007, or Chris Barker, Emma A. Jane (eds), Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice, SAGE, London 2016.
Stuart Hall, Encoding and decoding in the television discourse, 1973 version (available on the course page on the website Ariel).
Stuart Hall, Cultural Identity and Cinematic Representation, «Framework», n. 36, 1989 (available online through the university library)
A book to be chosen from:
Richard Dyer, Star, Kaplan, Torino 2009 (ed. or., Stars, BFI, London 1977).
Richard Dyer, White, Routledge, London 2016.
Mauro Giori, Omosessualità e cinema italiano. Dalla caduta del fascismo agli anni di piombo, UTET, Torino 2019 (ed. or., Homosexuality and Italian Cinema, Palgrave, London 2017).
A.B. Saponari, F. Zecca (a cura di), Oltre l'inetto? Rappresentazioni plurali della mascolinità nel cinema italiano, Meltemi, Milano 2021.
Giacomo Manzoli, Da Ercole a Fantozzi. Cinema popolare e società italiana dal boom economico alla neotelevisione (1958-1976), Carocci, Roma 2013.
Janet Staiger, Media Reception Studies, New York University Press, New York 2005.
Shohini Chaudhuri, Feminist Film Theorists: Laura Mulvey, Kaja Silverman, Teresa de Lauretis, Barbara Creed, Routledge, London 2006.
Gerald Sim, The Subject of Film and Race: Retheorizing Politics, Ideology and Cinema, Bloomsbury, London 2014.
Part B
A book to be chosen from:
C. Sorba, F. Mazzini, La svolta culturale. Come è cambiata la pratica storiografica, Laterza, Roma/Bari 2021.
C. Ginzburg, Rapporti di forza. Storia, retorica, prova, Feltrinelli, Milano 2000.
G. De Luna, La passione e la ragione. Il mestiere dello storico contemporaneo, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2004.
R. Bloch, Apologia della storia, Einaudi, Torino 2009.
E. Hobsbawm, On History, Abacus, London 1998 (tr. it. De Historia, Rizzoli, Milano 1997).
- Vision of:
Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1960, L. Visconti)
A Clockwork Orange (Arancia meccanica, 1971, S. Kubrick)
Part C
C.C. Clover, Men Women and Chain Saws. Gender in the Modern Horror Film, BFI, London 1992 (o nuova ed., Princeton UP, 2015), Introduzione e cap. I.
M. Giori, Nell'ombra di Hitchcock. Amore, morte e malattia nell'eredità di «Psycho», Pisa, ETS, 2015, capp. 1 e 5.
Vision of:
- Ossessione (1942, L. Visconti)
- a couple of films among: Black Christmas (1974, Bob Clark) and Black Christmas (2019, Sophia Takal), or Slumber Party Massacre (1982, A.H. Jones) nad Slumber Party Massacre (2021, D. Esterhazy).
II. NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
In addition to the program for attending students:
Parts A and B:
M. Giori, Rocco e i suoi fratelli. La vita amara di Luchino Visconti, UTET, Torino 2021.
- M. Giori, I germi della violenza. «Gruppo di famiglia» in un interno fra '68 e '77, in Intorno a Luchino Visconti. Dieci sguardi eccentrici, UTET, Torino 2021.
Part C:
L. Fabbri, Queer Neorealism: Luchino Visconti's "Ossessione" and the "Cinema" Conspiracy Against Fascism, «Screen», 1, 2019, pp. 1-24 (available online through the university library).
M. Giori, Poetica e prassi della trasgressione in Luchino Visconti. 1935-1962, Milano, Libraccio, 2a ed., 2018, chap. II.
M. Giori, Gay and lesbian e queer studies, in F. Andreazza (ed.), Fare storia del cinema. Metodi, oggetti, temi, Carocci, Roma 2022.
Part A
Cristina Demaria, Siri Neergard, Studi culturali. Temi e prospettive a confronto, McGraw-Hill, Milano 2007, or Chris Barker, Emma A. Jane (eds), Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice, SAGE, London 2016.
Stuart Hall, Encoding and decoding in the television discourse, 1973 version (available on the course page on the website Ariel).
Stuart Hall, Cultural Identity and Cinematic Representation, «Framework», n. 36, 1989 (available online through the university library)
A book to be chosen from:
Richard Dyer, Star, Kaplan, Torino 2009 (ed. or., Stars, BFI, London 1977).
Richard Dyer, White, Routledge, London 2016.
Mauro Giori, Omosessualità e cinema italiano. Dalla caduta del fascismo agli anni di piombo, UTET, Torino 2019 (ed. or., Homosexuality and Italian Cinema, Palgrave, London 2017).
A.B. Saponari, F. Zecca (a cura di), Oltre l'inetto? Rappresentazioni plurali della mascolinità nel cinema italiano, Meltemi, Milano 2021.
Giacomo Manzoli, Da Ercole a Fantozzi. Cinema popolare e società italiana dal boom economico alla neotelevisione (1958-1976), Carocci, Roma 2013.
Janet Staiger, Media Reception Studies, New York University Press, New York 2005.
Shohini Chaudhuri, Feminist Film Theorists: Laura Mulvey, Kaja Silverman, Teresa de Lauretis, Barbara Creed, Routledge, London 2006.
Gerald Sim, The Subject of Film and Race: Retheorizing Politics, Ideology and Cinema, Bloomsbury, London 2014.
Part B
A book to be chosen from:
C. Sorba, F. Mazzini, La svolta culturale. Come è cambiata la pratica storiografica, Laterza, Roma/Bari 2021.
C. Ginzburg, Rapporti di forza. Storia, retorica, prova, Feltrinelli, Milano 2000.
G. De Luna, La passione e la ragione. Il mestiere dello storico contemporaneo, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2004.
R. Bloch, Apologia della storia, Einaudi, Torino 2009.
E. Hobsbawm, On History, Abacus, London 1998 (tr. it. De Historia, Rizzoli, Milano 1997).
- Vision of:
Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1960, L. Visconti)
A Clockwork Orange (Arancia meccanica, 1971, S. Kubrick)
Part C
C.C. Clover, Men Women and Chain Saws. Gender in the Modern Horror Film, BFI, London 1992 (o nuova ed., Princeton UP, 2015), Introduzione e cap. I.
M. Giori, Nell'ombra di Hitchcock. Amore, morte e malattia nell'eredità di «Psycho», Pisa, ETS, 2015, capp. 1 e 5.
Vision of:
- Ossessione (1942, L. Visconti)
- a couple of films among: Black Christmas (1974, Bob Clark) and Black Christmas (2019, Sophia Takal), or Slumber Party Massacre (1982, A.H. Jones) nad Slumber Party Massacre (2021, D. Esterhazy).
II. NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
In addition to the program for attending students:
Parts A and B:
M. Giori, Rocco e i suoi fratelli. La vita amara di Luchino Visconti, UTET, Torino 2021.
- M. Giori, I germi della violenza. «Gruppo di famiglia» in un interno fra '68 e '77, in Intorno a Luchino Visconti. Dieci sguardi eccentrici, UTET, Torino 2021.
Part C:
L. Fabbri, Queer Neorealism: Luchino Visconti's "Ossessione" and the "Cinema" Conspiracy Against Fascism, «Screen», 1, 2019, pp. 1-24 (available online through the university library).
M. Giori, Poetica e prassi della trasgressione in Luchino Visconti. 1935-1962, Milano, Libraccio, 2a ed., 2018, chap. II.
M. Giori, Gay and lesbian e queer studies, in F. Andreazza (ed.), Fare storia del cinema. Metodi, oggetti, temi, Carocci, Roma 2022.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral interview on the topics of the program and also on those addressed during the lessons. The exam intends to verify in particular the critical and logical-argumentative abilities of the student. This program expires in May 2025.
This program expires in May 2025.
This program expires in May 2025.
L-ART/06 - CINEMA, PHOTOGRAPHY AND TELEVISION - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Giori Mauro
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)