CMS 240: Writing in Cinema and Media Studies - Queer Film
Course Information
Course Number: CMS 240
Course Title: Writing in Cinema and Media Studies: Queer Film
Meeting Times/Location: Online/Asynchronous
Credit Hours: 5
Instructor Information
Instructor: Cain Miller
Virtual Office Hours: Monday/Friday 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM and by appointment.
Email: cainmill@uw.edu
Course Description: This course explores the many ways in which a film might be categorized as “queer.” We might be inclined to situate the term “queer” as being synonymous with “gay” or “homosexual” or the acronym LGBTQIA+. But “queer” films also challenge viewers’ assumptions of narrative, genre, and artistic norms. As Teresa de Lauretis states, a queer text is one that “not only works against narrativity, the generic pressure of all narrative toward closure and the fulfillment of meaning, but also pointedly disrupts the referentiality of language and the referentiality of images…” Indeed, queerness raises many ideological implications. This course will explore cinematic queerness through the frameworks of history, aesthetics, audience reception, and censorship, among other topics, to enhance your critical thinking and media literacy skills regarding the relationship between film and gender/sexuality. In addition, this course introduces students to basic concepts of film analysis. No previous knowledge of film theory is required.
Learning Objectives:
- Define the narrative, formal, and thematic elements of film.
- Challenge our understanding and assumptions of queer film.
- Read foundational texts in queer film studies.
- Practice textual analysis of films through discussion and writing.
Assignments/Grade Breakdown:
- Reading annotations
- You will submit annotated notes for every assigned reading. Your annotations can be written on the PDF itself or typed up in a separate document. Your notes should engage with the author’s core ideas. You can also use your notes to ask questions or raise ideas connected to the reading’s content.
- Discussion board responses
- Every assigned film will include a discussion board with a prompt that will ask you to engage with the film on a critical level and relate the films to the respective week’s lecture contents. These responses can be posted as a written response (one paragraph) or audio recording (60 seconds).
- Annotated bibliography (25%)
- As part of the research process for your final project, you will write an annotated bibliography consisting of at least 3 primary and/or initial sources you’re considering incorporated into your final project. Your annotated bibliography should include the appropriate citation for each source, as well as a one-paragraph summary of each source.
- Final project proposal (20%)
- You will write a short proposal (300-500 words) describing your research project. Your proposal should include a working thesis statement, the scholarship upon which you are building, and the media text(s) you will analyze.
- Final project (30%)
- For your final assignment, you will write a research paper (5 pages double spaced). Your paper should focus on a specific film and you should argue what characteristics
categorize the film as queer.
- For your final assignment, you will write a research paper (5 pages double spaced). Your paper should focus on a specific film and you should argue what characteristics
Course Policies
Course Delivery: This class is online and asynchronous. Recorded lectures will be uploaded to
Canvas. All assigned materials (readings and films) will be posted to Canvas. All assignments
will be submitted through Canvas.
Late Work Policy: Late assignments will be deducted by 10% for each day they are late. Work submitted late by a student with an excused absence will not receive point deductions.
Disability: Students may request disability accommodations through UW Disability Resources for Students: https://depts.washington.edu/uwdrs/current-students/accommodations/
Religious Accommodation: Students may request absences for religious accommodations through the registrar: https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/
Academic Integrity: All work submitted in this class should be original. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, instances of plagiarism and cheating on exams. Instances of academic misconduct are a violation of the UW Student Conduct Code and may result in an F for the entire course and other possible consequences. Use of AI to write your work is considered plagiarism.
For more information, visit: https://www.washington.edu/cssc/facultystaff/academic-misconduct/
Statement on Mental Health and Wellness: UW recognizes that maintaining mental health and wellness is important for all students. UW encourages all students to utilize campus mental health resources. For more information, visit: https://www.washington.edu/counseling/
Content Warning: Please note that some of the assigned films explore challenging subject matter and may contain potentially upsetting language and imagery. These challenges are inherently connected to the course materials given that we will explore complex topics related to gender and sexuality. I will do my best to warn the class about particularly upsetting materials. With this in mind, I cannot predict what every respective student will find upsetting. You are expected to come to class prepared to communicate with your classmates respectively and listen to diverse viewpoints. If you have questions or concerns about any of the course materials, please communicate with me.
Course Schedule
Week 1 (June 22 - June 26)
Monday (6/22)
- Recorded lecture: Course introduction
Tuesday (6/23)
- Recorded lecture: Content v. Form
- Reading: “Queer Media Manifestos” - ed. Jennifer Doyle
- Film: Paris is Burning (1990), dir. Jennie Livingston (78 min.)
- Introductory Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Wednesday (6/24)
- Recorded lecture: New Queer Cinema
- Reading: “New Queer Cinema” - B. Ruby Rich
- Film: The Watermelon Woman (1996), dir. Cheryl Dunye (90 min.)
- "Queer Media Manifestos" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM.
Thursday (6/25)
- Recorded lecture: New Queer Cinema cont.
Friday (6/26)
- "New Queer Cinema" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM.
- Paris is Burning/The Watermelon Woman Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM.
Week 2 (June 29 - July 3)
Monday (6/29)
- Recorded lecture: Prestige LGBT films
- Reading: “Elio’s Education” - D.A. Miller
- Film: Call Me by Your Name (2017), dir. Luca Guadgino (132 min.)
Tuesday (6/30)
- Recorded lecture: Queerness and race
- Recorded lecture: Marlon Riggs
- Reading: “Punks, Buldaggers, and Welfare Queens: The Radical Potential of Queer Politics?” - Cathy J. Cohen
- Film: Tongues Untied (1989), dir. Marlon Riggs (55 min)
- "Elio's Education" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- Call Me by Your Name Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Wednesday (7/1)
- Recorded lecture: Final Paper prompt
- Recorded lecture: Annotated Bibliography prompt
- Recorded lecture: Finding sources
Thursday (7/2)
- “Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- Tongues Untied Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Friday (7/3)
*University Holiday*
Week 3 (July 6 - July 10)
Monday (7/6)
- Recorded lecture: Explicit v. implicit meaning
- Reading: “There’s Something Queer Here” - Alexander Doty
- Film: Rope (1948), dir. Alfred Hitchcock (80 min.)
- Annotated Bibliography due by 8:00 PM
Tuesday (7/7)
- Recorded lecture: Genre
- Recorded lecture: The horror genre
- Reading: “The Monster and the Homosexual” - Harry M. Benshoff
- Film: Hellraiser (1987), dir. Clive Barker (90 min.)
Wednesday (7/8)
- Recorded lecture: The musical genre
- Film: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), dir. John Cameron Mitchell (90 min.)
- "There's Something Queer Here" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- Rope Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Thursday (7/9)
- Recorded lecture: How to write a proposal
Friday (7/10)
- "The Monster and the Homosexual" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- Hellraiser/Hedwig and the Angry Inch Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Week 4 (July 13 - July 17)
Monday (7/13)
- Recorded lecture: Avant-garde cinema
- Films: Fragment of Seeking (1946), dir. Curtis Harrington (14 min.), Fireworks (1947), dir. Kenneth Anger (14 min.)
- Final Paper Proposals due by 8:00 PM
Tuesday (7/14)
- Recorded lecture: Underground cinema
- Reading: “Face Value” - Douglas Crimp
- Films: Mario Banana No. 1 (1964), dir. Andy Warhol (7 min.)
Wednesday (7/15
- Recorded lecture: Arthouse cinema
- Recorded lecture: Ingmar Bergman and Persona
- Reading: "Ingmar Bergman and the Foreign Self" - Daniel Humphrey
- Film: Persona (1966), dir. Ingmar Bergman (85 min.)
- Fragment of Seeking/Fireworks/Mario Banana Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Thursday (7/16)
- Recorded lecture: Digital cinema
- Reading: “Corporate Cannibal” (2010) - Steven Shaviro
- Film: "Corporate Cannibal" music video
- "Face Value" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
Friday (7/17)
- "Ingmar Bergman and the Foreign Self" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- Persona Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Week 5 (July 20 - July 22)
Monday (7/20)
- "Corporate Cannibal" Annotated Notes due by 8:00 PM
- "Corporate Cannibal" Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Tuesday (7/21)
- Final Discussion Board due by 8:00 PM
Wednesday (7/22)
- Final Papers due by 8:00 PM
*The instructor has the right to make adjustments to the syllabus if needed.