CINE201-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Hollywood and Genre

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

An historical and critical study of genre in Hollywood film. Students will analyse the evolution and transformation of the conventions of key genres, such as the Science Fiction film, the Musical, Film Noir and Horror.

This course will provide an in-depth study of Hollywood film genres from a critical and cultural perspective.  We will look closely at four key film genres and trace their historical development from the 1930s to the 21st century.  In the first term, the class will focus on the definition of genre.  Students will consider the established generic conventions of the Science fiction film and the Musical by analysing the films screened in class.  In the second term, the class will study the road movie and film noir.

(Image: Elsa Lanchester in 'Bride of Frankenstein', Universal Pictures, 1935.)

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of this course, students will have developed:
  • Specific knowledge of a range of national cinemas, movements, genres and forms
  • Knowledge of the major theoretical debates and discourses in Cinema Studies
  • An ability to confidently use and understand a range of conceptual and theoretical terms of the discipline
  • A growing ability to test and question ideas and interpretations offered in class
  • An ability to produce a detailed, coherent and persuasive argument in the form of an academic essay
  • Increasing confidence in interpretation, analysis and assessment of a range of films
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Any 15 points at 100 level from CINE, or
any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA.

Recommended Preparation

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 13:00 - 15:00 A9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Film Screening A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 13:00 - 16:00 A9 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator

Alan Wright

Assessment

Please check the course LEARN page for further details and updates.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading:
Cook, Pam; The cinema book; 3rd ed; BFI, 2007.
Course readings will still be accessible through LEARN.

Notes

Please note that this course requires in-person engagement for students to succeed, and it is not designed to be taken by distance. Many of the twelve films shown in our in-person screening sessions will not be able to be sourced by students offsite, and students are required to be present and contribute in person to fulfil participation requirements. Lectures and workshops have a strong discussion component. ECHO recordings of lectures are offered as study resources and are not a replacement for consistent in-person attendance.

Film List:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Siegel, 1956)
Alien (Scott, 1979)
Arrival (Villeneuve, 2016)
Dames (Enright, 1934)
Singin’ in the Rain (Kelly and Donen, 1952)
Moulin Rouge (Luhrmann, 2001)
The Grapes of Wrath (Ford, 1940)
Two-Lane Blacktop (Hellman, 1971)
Little Miss Sunshine (Dayton and Faris, 2006)
Double Indemnity (Wilder, 1944)
Mildred Pierce (Curtiz, 1945)
Chinatown (Polanski, 1974)

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $894.00

International fee $4,100.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Humanities .

All CINE201 Occurrences

  • CINE201-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025