ENG 372 - Film Topics: Global Magical Realism (1)

Mesmerizing, eccentric, subversive, cinematic magic realism is the modern equivalent of the fairytale. It spins stories of crime, colonialism, ostracization, and hopeless yearning set in the real world that happens to have magical qualities as well. We’ll study early Latin American gems of the genre, such as Chilean director Raul Ruiz’s Life Is a Dream, written and produced during his exile from Pinochet’s regime in France. We’ll juxtapose the whimsical do-gooder Amélie in Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s eponymous film with Italian director Alice Rohrwacher’s purehearted protagonist in Happy as Lazarro, caught between globalization and disenfranchisement. As we explore how magic realism hybridizes with horror, the psychological thriller, myth, and historical drama in films from the East-Central Europe, Mexico, and Sweden, we’ll have many opportunities to reflect on the unforgettable treatment of marginalized subjects, spaces, and cultures in these films. Assignments include a film review and short research papers contextualizing the films in cultural, political, or cinematic histories. The culminating project is a staged video essay. Prerequisite: FYW course or ENG 201 or ENG 202 or ENG 215 or ENG 225
(Humanities) (Writing Encounter)