230468 Monsters in the Closet: 21st Century Gothic Cinema (S) (SoSe 2019)

Classic elements of Gothic fiction, such as an uncanny environment, an eerie setting, and the supernatural lend themselves very well for film because both are “born in darkness;” the gothic is very visual. There is indeed an overwhelming visual quality to films that build on Gothic elements. They often center on the old haunted house as a metaphor for the moral and psychological corruption of its inhabitants, or on family relationships confined to and haunted by their past, as well as on monstrous/grotesque characters unable to escape their tragic fate. In that sense, Gothic cinema addresses the primeval nature of our individual and collective fears, which speaks for Gothic being its own "revenant genre,” in and out of fashion throughout time, but always apt to inspire new works of literature and film. This course will focus on Gothic as a movement that shaped the U.S.-American literary and artistic canon over several centuries, and which is still influential in contemporary literature and media. By looking at recent movies by Sofia Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, James Franco, etc., we will explore their various Gothic elements as complex aspects of U.S.-American culture. For a Studienleistung you are expected to do the required amount of reading, take part in group discussions and one group presentation. Please note that this course will take place every two weeks and each session will be 4 hours long (movie viewing + discussion).