Faculty: Scott Langton
Description: This course examines remakes of East Asian movies by filmmakers in the US and Europe. We will study films in tandem–beginning with analysis of the original, then turning to the adaptation, exploring a variety of genres, from period film (Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo,” adapted as “A Fistful of Dollars”) to police crime drama (Lau & Mak’s “Infernal Affairs,” adapted as “The Departed”) to romance (Lee’s “Il Mare,” adapted as “The Lake House”) to domestic drama (Lee’s “Eat Drink Man Woman,” adapted as “Tortilla Soup”) to science fiction (Oshii’s “Ghost in the Shell, adapted as “Ghost in the Shell”) to comedy (Suo’s “Shall We Dansu?” adapted as “Shall We Dance?”) to neo-noir thriller (Park’s “Oldboy” adapted as “Oldboy”) to horror (Nakata’s “Ringu,” adapted as “The Ring”). We will explore the ways in which remakes interpret cinema for a different cultural milieu, and investigate the extent to which they celebrate both the “original” works of art and the artists involved in their creation. We also will interrogate the notion of adaptation as homage and consider whether the cultural appropriation implicit in Hollywood remakes of non-Western cinema contributes productively to intercultural exchange or is ultimately a manifestation of colonialism.
Meeting Information: 01/03/2022-01/25/2022; M-F 10:00AM – 04:30PM; Room to be Announced
Section Requisites: N/A
Course Fee: $40
Out-of-Pocket Expenses: $30