We’re getting started this week with “The Witch” (2015), a debut feature film both written and directed by Robert Eggers, who previously worked primarily as a set and costume designer. His attention to historical design details serves him well in this period piece set in 1630. The dialogue is spot on for the era andContinue reading “Read This Before You Watch “The Witch””
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Intro to Media Studies, Round Two
I’m preparing to launch my next two media studies series later this week. Over the next month or so, I’ll be posting several items on the blog each week to guide you through two different courses of exploration. I hope you’ll join me. The first series is called “Teens in the Twenty-Teens,” where we’ll beContinue reading “Intro to Media Studies, Round Two”
Media Studies: Current Trends in Horror Movies
The past decade has witnessed a renaissance of sorts in the genre of horror films. Gone are the days of schlocky gore-fests, slasher franchises, and torture-porn. Not only have “elevated horror” films served to infuse new life into the genre, but they have also signaled a newfound respectability with larger audiences, wider acknowledgement from filmContinue reading “Media Studies: Current Trends in Horror Movies”
Media Studies: Teens in the Twenty-Teens
The popularity of Teen and Young Adult (YA) books and movies has exploded over the last few decades as young people have become increasingly active participants in this brave new digital world we inhabit. In this five-week media studies series, we will watch some representative examples of films made about the teen experience in theContinue reading “Media Studies: Teens in the Twenty-Teens”
Wrap Up of “Shakespeare in Love”
Thanks to all of you who joined our five-week exploration of “Secret Shakespeare: Covert Classics, vol. 1.” We’ve seen a nice range of movies, and I hope you’ve managed to learn a fair amount about Shakespeare’s enduring cultural influence. As you’ve discovered, without the frustration of having to actually read much Elizabethan English, the playsContinue reading “Wrap Up of “Shakespeare in Love””
Read This Before You Watch “Guardians of the Galaxy”
And so we reach the final film in our five-week media studies series about the hero’s quest. This week we consider “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014). Perhaps it’s fitting that we finish on a Marvel movie. With all that company’s extended universe of superhero franchises that have come to dominate the box office during theseContinue reading “Read This Before You Watch “Guardians of the Galaxy””
Wrap Up of “Princess Mononoke”
It sounds like you all enjoyed “Princess Mononoke” (1997), our penultimate movie in the hero’s quest media studies series. Depending on how much you liked this film, I’d definitely recommend you check out more work by Hayao Miyazaki. In your responses to my discussion questions, you were all absolutely correct in identifying Ashitaka’s Call toContinue reading “Wrap Up of “Princess Mononoke””
Discussion Questions for “Shakespeare in Love”
Write a paragraph or two in response to each of the following prompts: Let’s start with the title, “Shakespeare in Love.” How does this movie portray Shakespeare? What sort of a person is he? What are his strengths and weaknesses? What are his hopes and desires? What are his darkest fears? Let’s continue with theContinue reading “Discussion Questions for “Shakespeare in Love””
Read This Before You Watch “Shakespeare in Love”
For our final week of “Secret Shakespeare: Covert Classics, vol. 1” we’re watching “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), a charming romantic comedy that imagines the setting and circumstances that might have caused Shakespeare to write Romeo & Juliet (1595-97). The story is partly inspired by the plot of that play, but in a backward, art-imitating-life sortContinue reading “Read This Before You Watch “Shakespeare in Love””
Wrap Up of “O”
I trust you enjoyed the grim fatalism of “O.” It’s not a cheery film but it’s an amazing update of Shakespeare’s Othello and perhaps the most faithful adaptation we’ve seen thus far in our “Secret Shakespeare” media studies series. Once again the setting of the play was transposed to a contemporary high school, and onceContinue reading “Wrap Up of “O””
Professor Chuck 