Medieval Spanish Cinema

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Since the very beginnings of film, the Middle Ages have been a setting for exploring many of the deep concerns of modernity. Nation, ethnicity, gender, spirituality, and the nature of historical truth are among such concerns that are put into play in representations of the so-called dark ages. This course will study how film (on big and small screens) is one of the primary ways in which we learn how to picture the past. However, it also studies how films set in the distant past are always the products of their own immediate sociopolitical contexts and reflect desires projected on to the past. The course focuses on twentieth and twenty-first century films made in and about Spain and the historical and literary documents from which they take inspiration. Through these films and readings, the class will explore the construction and remediation of key moments in Spain’s pre-modern history. Medieval Cinema has emerged in recent years as a distinct field of inquiry. We will be focusing on Spain, but will consider medieval movies from other traditions as well. The methods and concepts you will learn can be applied to other periods and film industries. Taught in Spanish Film and Television: El Cid (1961) El libro de buen amor I (1974) El libro de buen amor 2 (1976) Celestina (1997) Juana la Loca (2001) El Cid, La leyenda (2006) Isabel (2012) El ministerio del tiempo (2015-16) La reina de España (2016) Required Texts (Do not get kindle editions, hardcopies are required in class) 1. The Poem of the Cid: Dual Language Edition, Penguin Books ISBN 978-0140444469 2. Rojas, Fernando de. Celestina. Madrid, Cátedra. 978-8437607009 3. Ruiz, Juan. Libro de buen amor. Madrid, Cátedra. 978-8437610115 All other readings will be provided. Student Work: · Weekly blog posts · Midterm essay · Oral Presentations · Final Research Paper