The World of Cinema

There is no doubt that cinema has had a profound influence on the shaping of the concept of the 'world'. In this course, students will get an understanding of the history of cinema, the various technical aspects of the medium, different aesthetic approaches that have been taken in approaching the subject, and the way viewers all over the world have responded to this unique form of art and entertainment. They will be introduced to the works of a few acclaimed masters from the world of cinema.

Cinema has had a great influence on the shaping of national identities, on ideas of law and justice, on values centring on race and gender, and on the shaping of popular culture in general. Students will learn to look at such aspects as the text of a film, the technological Rushing from a class to an outdoor shoot assignment. A combination of critical theory, practical training, and several opportunities to interact with professionals from different aspects of the medium, how entertainment cinema is delivered to the viewer through the iconic presence of the 'Actor', and how the text and the medium get renegotiated by the actor's presence and reach the audience.

The course will pay special attention to Indian cinema, its unique origins, the development of its popular melodramatic form replete with songs and a large dose of family 'values' and 'conflicts', and the impact of regional cable television channels on cinema. Have mass television and the consumerisation of cinema through videocassettes, VCDs and DVDs altered our perceptions? A screening of some landmark films and excerpts will be part of this course.