Japanese Film: History, Culture, and Fantasy

3 Credits

Examines a range of Japanese films spanning the second half of the 20th century, and situates them within their social, cultural and industrial contexts. Key periods in Japanese History will be introduced and the purpose and effect of their representation in films considered. Focusing on samurai period dramas, the rich Japanese tradition of ghost stories, and the Japanese animated film, we will think about how cultural practices, values and ideologies are refracted, circulated, enforced, and critiqued.