CINEMA IN ENGLISH

This English-taught course is part of the MA course in English, American and Postcolonial Literatures and the Joint Degree in English and American Studies. It offers a multimodal approach to literary classics that have been adapted to films.

The main objectives of the module, in relation to the overall course of study, are as follows:

1) To enhance knowledge and understanding of English history, culture, and literature, particularly in relation to British cinema.
2) To develop a deeper understanding of theoretical approaches and interpretive tools necessary for the comparative analysis of film adaptations of literary texts.

The module will equip students with essential tools to achieve several objectives, including:

1) Analysing literary texts in relation to their film adaptations, comparing the original literary works with their corresponding screenplays and cinematic interpretations.

2) Writing critical commentaries and short essays in English, utilizing the critical-hermeneutical knowledge gained from the module and informed by personal reading of the texts and film watching.

3) Studying the specific forms (visual, auditory, synesthetic) through which films adapt literary works.

To successfully join this module, certain prerequisites are necessary to ensure that students can effectively follow classes and engage with both the teacher and fellow students.

1. Language Proficiency: *A strong command of the English language (C1 level at least) is essential*. This is crucial for understanding and discussing the assigned texts and films, adn for passing the relevant eam.

2. Reading Requirements: Students must read the assigned literary texts and watch the corresponding films before classes.

3. Participation: Students will be required to activley discuss the film adaptations in class.

These prerequisites are vital for a fruitful learning experience and active participation in the module.

“Film Adaptation of British Historical Novels, Stories, and Dramas”
In this MA course module, we will analyse three key works of English literature and their cinematic adaptations, exploring the dynamic relationship between literature and film.
Our first focus will be W.M. Thackeray’s “The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon,” a satirical novel set in the eighteenth century and itself an adaptation of the eighteenth-century picaresque. We will then discuss Stanley Kubrick’s film “Barry Lyndon”, examining how the film transforms the narrative through stunning visuals and sound.
Next, we will explore Joseph Conrad’s novella, “The Point of Honour: A Military Tale,” set amidst the Napoleonic Wars. We will discuss Ridley Scott’s adaptation, highlighting the translation of themes from text to screen and the director’s approach to the novella, inspired by Kubrick’s approach to historical movies.

Literary texts:
W.M. Thackeray “The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon” ( https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4558/4558-h/4558-h.htm )
Joseph Conrad, “The Point of Honour”: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17620/17620-h/17620-h.htm )

Film Videos:
Stanley Kubrick, “Barry Lyndon” (MGM) dvd or blue-ray
Ridley Scott, “The Duellists” (Paramount) dvd or blue-ray
(the dvds of the films will be available for consultation at the Cosulich BALI library)

Theories of adaptation:
Materials (such as powerpoints or pdf's) will be uploaded on the moodle pages of the module as a support to lessons devoted to theory.

A final, 1 and 1/2 hour-long written exam with questions about all the assigned films and the literary texts.

The test will consist of open-answer questions divided into two parts. The first part will be focused on the general aspects of film adaptation; students will be asked either to write a short essay or answer open questions on a relevant topic concerning adaptation theories (aim 1; see above ""Inquadramento""). The second half of the exam will comprise two questions on the texts and films included in the program; students will be asked to write two short essays on both novels-films (aims 2 and 3).

Students are permitted to use only a monolingual English dictionary during the exam. The use of smartphones, tablets, and any other device is not allowed.

scritto

Il/la docente ha il dovere di vigilare affinché siano rispettate le regole di autenticità e originalità delle prove d'esame. Di conseguenza, nei casi in cui vi sia il sospetto di un comportamento irregolare, l'esame può prevedere un ulteriore approfondimento, contestuale alla prova d'esame, che potrà essere realizzato anche in modalità differente rispetto alle modalità sopra riportate.

1. The ability to discuss the general aspects of film adaptation will result in maximum score of 10 out of 30 marks (aim 1)
2. The to compare literary texts with their respective film adaptations will be assessed with a maimum score of 20 out of 30 (aims 2 and 3).

The grading scale will be divided as follows:
- A score of 6 is considered sufficient in relation to the expected learning outcomes for each section; consequently:
- A score of 7 indicates fair knowledge, ability, and competence.
- A score of 8 represents a good performance.
- A score of 9 signifies a very good performance.
- A score of 10 is considered excellent.

The total scores from all three sections will be combined to determine the final result, which will be out of 30 points. A praise (lode) will be added to particularly excellent papers.

Front lectures, commented screenings, and class discussion, also through Q&A.

701 students will find the recordings of the lessons on the panopto of the module.

Students who can attend intermittently and do not have a 701 status are advised to refer to the teacher for advice.

Questo insegnamento tratta argomenti connessi alla macroarea "Capitale umano, salute, educazione" e concorre alla realizzazione dei relativi obiettivi ONU dell'Agenda 2030 per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile