Dr Mark Glancy
Critical Approaches to Film: Film Noir
Course Organiser: Dr Mark Glancy
HST4307
Level 4, 15 credits
Is film noir a genre, a cycle of films within the crime genre, a visual style or a period in Hollywood’s history? The issue of how to define film noir has long divided critics and scholars, but it has also inspired a wide range of influential and groundbreaking film criticism. This course provides an introduction to film noir and key writings on film. Topics include the concepts of genre, authorship and star studies; the industrial and social factors that influenced the rise and fall of film noir; and the legacy of noir in contemporary Hollywood films. Screenings include Double Indemnity (1944), Touch of Evil (1958) and Mulholland Drive (2000).
Assessment: Seminar presentation – 10%, In-class test – 40%, Essay (2,500 words) – 50%