East Asian Genre Films: Taiwan and Beyond
The course inquires how film genres develop, and especially how they inspire and mutate when crossing national borders. East Asian film industries have been deeply enmeshed in Hollywood’s global reach, yet they also offer an alternative, with different generic themes, conventions, and histories. The course examines films made in Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and the PRC to better understand the formation and flow of international film genres, including Gangster movies, Science Fiction, Westerns, and Martial Arts films.
The course structure emphasizes interaction. The lecture materials will be made available online ahead of the class meetings, which will focus on discussion and creative group assignments.