RTF 370 History and Chinese Cinema-W

Unique No. 07575

Faculty: Siegenthaler

Class Time: MWF 3-4

Room: PAR 306

Screening Time: TH 5-7:30

Room: CMA 3.116

Writing Comp: Yes

Comm/Culture Req: No

Closing Limit: 35

Cross-listed: -

Prerequisites

Must be an RTF major with a UT GPA of at least a 2.25 and have upper division standing. The following coursework with a grade of at least C in each course: RTF 305, either 314 or 316, and 6 additional hours of lower-division coursework in RTF; for others, consent of instructor.

Consent requirements

This course does not require consent. Registration is open via the online registration system to all RTF majors.

First class day policy

Students must attend the first class day or make prior arrangements with the instructor.

Course description

Who constructs the narratives that shape historical memory? What role does film play in our collective remembering? From the creative mythologizing of 1920s wu xia (martial arts) films to the state-centered histories of revolutionary cinema and the Fifth Generation's humanist memoirs of the Cultural Revolution, contestation over historical memory has long dominated Chinese film-making. Centering on works drawn from nearly a century of the Chinese cinema, and relying as well on selected readings in history and criticism, this course explores the ways in which history and memory have been enacted in films from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Several short reaction papers and one longer end-of-term research project will provide opportunities to investigate and reflect on the issues raised through weekly screenings and in class discussions.

Peter Siegenthaler received his Ph.D. from the Department of Asian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Siegenthaler’s primary academic interest is postwar Japan, and his dissertation followed the architectural preservation, public memory, and localization of political control in Japan from 1950-65. Siegenthaler studied film, television, and cultural theory at the Annenberg School of Communications prior to studying Japanese history, literature, film, and culture at The University of Texas. In addition to his extensive research, Siegenthaler has also worked as a freelance editor for The University of Texas Press, Oxford University Press, Hong Kong University Press, and Temple University Press and as a consulting editor for The American Poetry Review. Siegenthaler serves as a Member of the Editorial Board for Osiris.