JAPN 310: Japanese Cinema
An introductory scrutiny of major Japanese directors and genres with attention to film composition, choices of subject and character, ideas of the cinematic, and the relationship of cinema to Japanese culture and society. Students will analyze and critique films. Discussion of films will deal with the production of their historical, social, and cultural context, as well as issues dealing with popular culture and equity.
Reflective Narrative
I think that it contributed greatly to my MLO because it gave really in depth views of Japanese culture through deep analysis of films. The films include many things about everyday culture and in this time of globalization, watching a film that isn’t straight from Hollywood is more relevant than the average person thinks. I feel that the inclusion of weekly essays analyzing the films paired with text book reading assignments really reinforced what we learned in class. I was able to apply what I learned in this class to other classes as I worked on my assignments each night. For example I was able to compare movies with heavy folklore themes to my literature class I was taking. I think that the critical thinking involved in being exposed to Japanese films that the American public wouldn’t normally think to watch is the most essential part of the course. Often students get caught up in watching only the most popular movies, in this course we explored through nearly all the genres available in film. Every week I had to complete an essay that defined the cultural elements of the movie and lightly reviewed the movie for its content and shooting style. This is not a film major specific class so there was not a focus on analyzing camera work or lightning but mostly a focus on how the shooting style affected the communication of cultural values. I frequently wrote essays such as this linked essay about Hidden Fortress where I explore the meaning behind Kurosawa’s film and relate it back to course teachings. We also read texts in order to supplement our learning, “Something Like an Autobiography and 100 years of Japanese Film. Weekly we would have quizzes and reflections on what we read, these quizzes affirming what we were learning from the in class film selections (and their directors). In this course I came to understand the style in which Japanese directors film. Many people think that Hollywood is the only place where “real” movies can be made because of the way they have seemingly formulated film making. I used to think that Japan only made a few different types of movies and imported the rest of the entertainment. But not only have I learned a great deal more about Kurosawa as a director and a person, I have also been introduced to other directors that are just as inspiring as any European or American director. I feel that I have the ability to analyze and think more critically about Japanese media (film, tv) and which subjects are most important to address via those mediums.
Example Work:
JAPN 310 Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress - Film Reflection
JAPN 310 Final Paper - Make up and Costuming in Japanese Films
Reflective Narrative
I think that it contributed greatly to my MLO because it gave really in depth views of Japanese culture through deep analysis of films. The films include many things about everyday culture and in this time of globalization, watching a film that isn’t straight from Hollywood is more relevant than the average person thinks. I feel that the inclusion of weekly essays analyzing the films paired with text book reading assignments really reinforced what we learned in class. I was able to apply what I learned in this class to other classes as I worked on my assignments each night. For example I was able to compare movies with heavy folklore themes to my literature class I was taking. I think that the critical thinking involved in being exposed to Japanese films that the American public wouldn’t normally think to watch is the most essential part of the course. Often students get caught up in watching only the most popular movies, in this course we explored through nearly all the genres available in film. Every week I had to complete an essay that defined the cultural elements of the movie and lightly reviewed the movie for its content and shooting style. This is not a film major specific class so there was not a focus on analyzing camera work or lightning but mostly a focus on how the shooting style affected the communication of cultural values. I frequently wrote essays such as this linked essay about Hidden Fortress where I explore the meaning behind Kurosawa’s film and relate it back to course teachings. We also read texts in order to supplement our learning, “Something Like an Autobiography and 100 years of Japanese Film. Weekly we would have quizzes and reflections on what we read, these quizzes affirming what we were learning from the in class film selections (and their directors). In this course I came to understand the style in which Japanese directors film. Many people think that Hollywood is the only place where “real” movies can be made because of the way they have seemingly formulated film making. I used to think that Japan only made a few different types of movies and imported the rest of the entertainment. But not only have I learned a great deal more about Kurosawa as a director and a person, I have also been introduced to other directors that are just as inspiring as any European or American director. I feel that I have the ability to analyze and think more critically about Japanese media (film, tv) and which subjects are most important to address via those mediums.
Example Work:
JAPN 310 Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress - Film Reflection
JAPN 310 Final Paper - Make up and Costuming in Japanese Films