SPANISH LITERATURE 1

Spanish Cinema: Modern and Postmodern (including Almodóvar)
As part of the curriculum of European and American and Postcolonial Languages and Literatures, Literature and Culture, this course aims to provide students with a general knowledgeThe course aims to provide students with a general knowledge of the historical-cultural context and film production of Spain from early twentieth century with particular attention to experimental filmmakers.
It also provides critical and methodological tools, aimed at the acquisition, by students, of understanding and analysis of the films that favor autonomy of judgment.
Lessons, reading, analysis of texts and exams will take place in Spanish, in order to consolidate understanding and communication skills in an appropriate language.

Expected learning outcomes are:
-knowledge of Spain's film history with special attention to the twentieth and twenty first centuries; -knowledge of essential critical notions to analyse films;
-ability to develop films interpretation with bibliographical sources;
-capacity for autonomous apprenticeship that allow students to apply new knowledge to required readings.

Excellent knowledge of Spanish language, and knowledge of twentieth century Spanish history and literature; analytical skills to perform critical commentary of literary texts.

1. Film and Censorship
2. Postmodernism and film.
3. Analysing Movies
4. The Spanish film industry.
6. Some characteristic features: surreal humour, parody, representation of sex and religion. 7. Representation of women.
8. Buñuel vs. Almodóvar.

a) Films
Películas
Luis Buñuel, Tierra sin pan (1932).
Luis Buñuel, Los olvidados (1950)
Luis Garcia Berlanga, Bienvenido Mr. Marshall (1950)
J.A. Bardem, Muerte de un ciclista (1955)
Nieves Conde, Surcos (1951).
Carlos Saura, La caza (1966)
Víctor Erice, El espiritu de la colmena (1973)
Alejandro Amenábar, Tesis (1996)
Pedro Almodóvar, Todo sobre mi madre (1999)
Pedro Almodóvar, Que he hecho yo para merecer esto (1984)
Fernando Trueba, Belle epoque (1992)
Iciar Bollaín, Te doy mis ojos (2003)
Alejandro Amenábar, Abre los ojos (1997)
Isabel Coixet, La vida secreta de las palabras (2005)
Lorenzo Llobet Gràcia, Vida en sombras (1949)
Pedro Almodóvar, Los abrazos rotos (2009)

Further learning materials and texts will be made available online during the course.

b) Basic bibliography
David Bordwell, Film Art. An Introduction
Gwynne Edwards, Indecent exposures : Buñuel, Saura, Erice & Almodovar
Román Gubern, Historia del cine español
José Enrique Monterde, Veinte años de cine español. Un cine bajo la paradoja. 1973-1992
Ronald Schwartz, The great Spanish films, 1950-1990
Paul Julian Smith, Desire Unlimited : the Cinema of Pedro Almodovar
Marsha Kinder, ed. Refiguring Spain : cinema, media, representation
Marvin D'Lugo, Pedro Almodóvar

Final exam is a written test in Spanish. It consists of four questions (the student must answer two of their choice) in order to ensure the skills acquired in the analysis of filmd. Questions include two or more topics discussed in the course.
To pass the course is required:
-active participation in class.
-short critical essay on each one of the films. -class presentation of one of these films. -final written exam.
The constant and active participation in lessons and two cultural activities by the teacher will award a bonus of up to 2 points on the final grade.

Lectures in Spanish with the help of films, documentaries, interviews.

The file "Calendario" in noodle (available after the first class meeting) provides the daily activities/readings of this course.

written