The module studies the cultural significance and ideological function of the body within film cultures, through a range of themes and critical theories.
We begin with issues of stardom, looking at the body as a product of commercial imperatives in relation to the broader context of fashion. Students will consider issues such as iconography and signification in the manufacture of personality, and the production of sexual identities. The promotion of gendered qualities and behaviours will then be examined through particular star types and generic scenarios such as the makeover in romantic comedies; we will consider what these scenes tell us about cultural value and the economies of production. Male stars and their changing presentations and roles will similarly be studied as reflections of particular socio-political contexts and indicators of political and ideological currents or crises. In Teaching Block 1, we examine the socio-cultural uses of physical display associated with music video and performance.
The module will go on, in Teaching Block 2, to explore the place of the moving body in visual cultures, mapping space, motion and speed through a focus on movement in dance, sport and physical comedy. An examination of slapstick, for example, will provide an opportunity to consider it as an expression of the elastic meanings of the inanimate and the mechanical, reflecting the concerns of Modernism. We will further examine cultural ambivalence towards the body, and the tension it presents between the idealised and the prosaic, which will be developed in relation to the grotesque in surreal animation such as Jan Svankmajer's work, and the baroque metamorphoses and organic decomposition of Peter Greenaway. The module concludes with an examination of other popular forms such as David Cronenberg's body horror.
Delivery will be by lectures, seminars, screenings and workshops. Screenings are part of an active, collaborative learning process, with the tutor present, and involve participatory group discussion. The module will make use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Canvas for communication and dissemination of information between students and staff as well as making online learning materials available to all. Delivery will be by lectures, seminars, screenings and workshops.
All courses based in the Kingston School of Art offer students free access to the online video tutorial platform Lynda.com. This provides a wide range of subjects to choose from, many with downloadable exercise files, including software tutorials covering photography, graphics, web design, audio and music, CAD and Microsoft Office software, as well as courses on Business and Management skills. Some of these are embedded in the curriculum and offer additional self-paced learning, others may be taken at will by students wishing to broaden their employability skills in other areas.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures, workshops, tutorials, screenings | 88 |
| Guided independent study | 212 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The module will be assessed through a 10 minute presentation which will take place at the end of TB1 (A1) plus a portfolio of work (2000 words) to be submitted in TB2 (A2). The content of the portfolio will necessarily vary year on year in line with changes of case study, but may include critical analyses, essays, and other forms of creative and critical responses to the material covered in the module. The presentation at the end of TB1 is designed to test comprehension and understanding of key ideas, and will provide the opportunity for formative feedback prior to the submission of the rest of the portfolio. Seminars and tutorials will offer opportunities for formative feedback prior to final submission.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Provide an account of the significance of the body's thematic and artistic presentation and its role in a number of different visual media genres. | A1, A2 |
| 2) Show an understanding of the ideological and cultural functions of stars in a variety of media contexts | A1, A2 |
| 3) Locate trends in star bodies, styles and gender archetypes within their historical and socio-political contexts | A1, A2 |
| 4) Account critically for the humour and anxiety produced by the body in its respective media genres | A1, A2 |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation (10-minute) | Practical Exam | 30% |
| Portfolio (2,000 words) | Coursework | 70% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It is NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Addison, Heather (2003) Hollywood and the Rise of Physical Culture, Routledge
Brown, J. (2011) Dangerous Curves: Action heroines, gender, fetishism and popular culture, University Press of Mississippi
Clayton, Alex, (2007) The Body in Hollywood Slapstick, McFarland & Co
Cohan, S. and Rae Hark, I. (2012) Screening the male: exploring masculinities in contemporary Hollywood, Taylor and Francis
Dodds, S. (2001) Dance on Screen: Genres and media from Hollywood to experimental art, Palgrave
Ellcessor, E. and Kirkpatrick, B. (2017) Disability Media Studies, New York University Press
Hames, P. (Ed.) (1995) Dark Alchemy: The Films of Jan Svankmajer, Flicks books.
McDonald, P. (2013) The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities, Columbia UP
Munich, A. (2011) Fashion in Film (New Directions in National Cinemas), Indiana UP
Railton and Watson (2011) Music Video and the Politics of Representation, Edinburgh UP