Memory, Tears, and Longing: East Asian Melodrama Film

3 units

Excessive emotion, unreasonable sacrifice, hidden truth, untimely knowledge, and forbidden desire-the power of melodrama and its moving representations have fueled the popularity of hundreds, if not thousands, of books, plays, and films. Melodrama has variously been defined as a genre, a logic, an affect, and a mode, applied to diverse media, divergent cultural traditions, and different historical contexts. The course provides a survey of East Asian melodrama films-as well as films that challenge conventional definitions of melodrama-by pairing Japanese, Korean, and Chinese-language productions with key critical texts in melodrama studies. We will see classics such as Tokyo Story, Two Stage Sisters, and The Housemaid. We will examine melodrama's complex ties to modernity, tradition, and cultural transformation in East Asia; special emphasis will be placed on representations of the family, historical change, gender, and sexuality. In addition to historical background and film studies concepts, we will also consider a range of approaches for thinking about the aesthetics and politics of emotion. No prerequisites. No prior knowledge of East Asian culture or language necessary. Mandatory weekly scheduled screening.