Part I: Myth, Gender, and Power in Horror Film Versions of Frankenstein

Week 1 (Aug. 27-31)
The Politics of the Gaze: Anxieties of Gender & Technology in Frankenstein Films [top]

Required Readings

1. Picart, "Envisaging the Monstrous" (Chapter 1, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
2. Picart, "Creating the Monstrous: Karloff as Cinematic Archetype" (Chapter 2, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
3. Picart, "Son of Frankenstein" (Chapter 2, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
4. Shelley, Frankenstein (half the novel)

Supplementary Texts

• Rushing and Frentz, Projecting the Shadow, Chapter 1
  
• Carroll, The Philosophy of Horror, or, Paradoxes of the Heart, Chapter 1
  
• Picart, Smoot and Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Films
Frankenstein (1931) OR Son of Frankenstein

Sept. 3 is Labor Day

Required Readings

1. Picart, "(Un)Veiling the Bride" (Chapter 1, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
2. Picart, "(Re)Creating Woman" (Chapter 3, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
3. Shelley, Frankenstein (the final half of the novel)

Supplementary Texts

• Clover, "Carrie and the Boys," in Men, Women, and Chainsaws, pp. 3-20
  
• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Bride of Frankenstein

Required Readings

1. Picart, "Problematizing the Face of Evil" (Chapter 3, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
2. Picart, "Death Throes of a Reluctant Resurrection" (Chapter 3, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
3. Bordwell, Thompson, "The Horror Film" (To be given as a hand-out in Target Packet)

Supplementary Texts

• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Evil of Frankenstein OR Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

Required Readings

1. Picart, "Attempting to Kill Off the Baron" (Chapter 3, Cinematic Rebirths)
   
2. Picart, "Effacing and Housing the Monstrous" (Chapter 2, Cinematic Rebirths)

Supplementary Texts

• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Frankenstein Must be Destroyed OR House of Frankenstein

Note: You are invited to Experience Asia, September 29, 2007, 3rd Annual Festival, downtown Tallahassee, Lewis and Bloxham Parks, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; go to: http://www.asiantlh.org/

Required Readings

1. Picart, "Futuristic Visions: Frankenstein 1970"
   
2. Picart, "The Latest in the Saga: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"

Supplementary Texts

• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein OR Frankenstein 1970

Overall Take-Home Exam

Part II: Between Laughter and Horror: Frankensteinian Horror-Comedies and Science Fiction

Student Reports Begin Here(Three people per slot unless otherwise indicated)

Required Readings

1. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, Chapter 1 Oct 3: TBA

    

    

    

2. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, Chapter 2, section on Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Oct 3: TBA

    

    

    

3. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Young Frankenstein Oct 3: TBA

    

    

    

Supplementary Texts

• Carroll, Noël. "Ethnicity, Race, and Monstrosity: The Rhetorics of Horror and Humor."
• Beauty Matters. Ed. Peg Zeglin Brand. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2000. 37-53.
• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein OR Young Frankenstein

Required Readings

1. October 4th: Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on The Rocky Horror Picture Show Oct 10: TBA
   In Class: Selections from Celluloid Closet

    

    

    

2. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Alien Oct. 10: TBA

    

    

    

3. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Aliens Oct. 10: TBA

    

    

    

Supplementary Texts

• Benshoff, "Defining the Monster Queer in the Classical Hollywood Horror Film"
  
• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook
  
• Clover, "Carrie and the Boys," in Men, Women, and Chainsaws, pp. 3-20

Assigned Film
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Alien OR Aliens

Required Readings

1. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Alien3 Oct. 17: TBA

    

    

    

2. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Bladerunner Oct. 17: TBA

    

    

    

3. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Terminator Oct. 17: TBA

    

    

    

Supplementary Texts

• Rushing and Frentz, Projecting the Shadow, Chapter 8
• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Alien3, Bladerunner OR Terminator

Required Readings

1. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Terminator II: Judgment Day Oct. 24: TBA

    

    

    

2. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, section on Alien Resurrection Oct. 24: TBA

    

    

    

3. Picart, Remaking the Frankenstein Myth on Film, Chapter V Oct. 24: TBA

    

    

    

Supplementary Texts

• Rushing and Frentz, Chapter 9
• Berenstein, Attack of the Leading Ladies, especially pp. 160-197
• Picart, Smoot, Blodgett, The Frankenstein Film Sourcebook

Assigned Film
Terminator II: Judgment Day OR Alien Resurrection

Free time for draft writing on Oct. 29
Draft is due on October 31 at the start of the class. No class that day; just hand in the papers early.

Part III. Beyond Frankenstein Films

Required Readings

1. Picart, C.J.S. and David Frank, Frames of Evil: The Holocaust as Horror in American Film.
   
   Chapter 1: The Horror Frame and the Holocaust Film (Nov. 7)

    

    

    

   
   Chapter 2: Horror in Holocaust Films and the Holocaust in Horror Films (Nov 7)
   

    

    

    

   Chap 3: Classic Horror in Schindler’s List (Nov 7)

    

    

    

Supplementary Texts

• Loshitzsky, Spielberg's Holocaust

Assigned Film
Schindler's List OR Psycho

Nov. 13-18: Dr. Picart will be at the NCA Conference. Use this time to refine your final papers.

Nov. 12: Veteran's Day - No Classes

RRequired Readings

1. Picart, C.J.S. and David Frank, Frames of Evil: The Holocaust as Horror in American Film, Chapters 3 and 4: rescheduled to Weeks 11 and 13.

Supplementary Texts

• Loshitzsky, Spielberg's Holocaust

Assigned Film
Silence of the Lambs OR Psycho

November 19: Lecture on “The Gaze in Holocaust and Horror” (week 14)

Lectures on this topic are moved to week 15.
November 22, 23: Thanksgiving Break

1. Picart, C.J.S. and McKahan, J.G. "Sadomasochism, Sexual Torture, and the Holocaust Film: From Misogyny to Homoeroticism and Homophobia in Apt Pupil," Jump Cut, June 2002 (online at: http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc45.2002/picart/ ) [Link opens a new browser window]
   
   Same as Chapter 5 in Frames of Evil: “Apt Pupil: The Hollywood Nazi-as-Monster Flick”

    

    

    

   
   Chapter 6, Frames of Evil, “Framing Evil: Toward an Ethics of Response”

    

    

    

   
   

Supplementary Texts

• Loshitzsky, Spielberg's Holocaust

Assigned Film
Apt Pupil

SIR/SUSSAI evaluations, self-evaluations on attendance and participation, and class party on Dec. 3.

Required Readings (WEEKS 14-15):

1. Picart, C.J.S. and Greek, C. "The Compulsions of Serial Killers as Vampires: Toward a Gothic Criminology," Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture (online at: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/index10.html ) [Link opens a new browser window]

Supplementary Texts

• Ingebretsen, At Stake, especially Chapter 1

Assigned Film
Hannibal OR Immortality

Final Paper is due on December 7, Friday at the English Department Office, Williams 405 at 12 noon. Request that the paper be signed and time stamped.

No late papers will be accepted.