Celluloid America

Catalog description

The American motion picture developed as a unique art form in the late 19th century and its enduring cultural and social significance is irrefutable. In this course, we will explore US history using cinema to explore the cultural values represented within and shaped by the medium. Topics include the invention of the moving image, the rise and fall of the Hollywood studio system, and the emergence and evolution of film genres and styles (i.e. westerns, film noir, musicals, etc.) as a means of economically appealing to the masses and cultivating viewership domestically and abroad.