170224 UE Übung "Medienübergänge" (2020S)

INHALT

Why are fairy tales so popular? Why are the original fairy tales so dark? This course will give an introduction to the origins and evolution of fairy tales with a focus on retellings in film and TV. A variety of fairy tales will be examined, ranging from Lotte Reiniger's and Disney’s adaptations to contemporary subversive (Catherine Breillat), feminist (Angela Carter) and cult films (David Kaplan) and American TV series (Once Upon a Time, Grimm), including examples of how fairy tales such as The Arabian Nights and Ye Hsen (the Chinese Cinderella) influenced the European fairy tale. Fairy tales have been adapting to their sociohistorical context since their origins; we will explore how this is reflected in the evolution of cinema even within the Disney corporation. The students will learn different approaches of film analysis, including comparative criticism, feminist and psychoanalytic interpretations.

ZIELE
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

-Have developed more general film-analysis skills, in particular, regarding genre.

-Have developed their ability to discuss films in a written and oral manner through presentations, in-class discussions and sequence analyses.

-Have experience in critical analysis of films using different theoretical approaches such as psychoanalysis and feminist theory.

METHODEN
Interactive lectures and seminars that include film screenings and group discussions, so that students are encouraged to participate and develop confidence in building up and expressing their critical thinking. During their class presentations students are given feedback which they can then incorporate in their written assignments, which reinforces their analytical skills and pursuing their own research.