This course examines the notion of the hero throughout many genres of film, from silent and western to action and horror. In our discussion of these films, we will question what it means to be a big?screen hero, and how that definition varies from
one genre to another, as well as from one decade to another. Moreover, we will analyze the techniques and strategies employed by filmmakers to indicate the presence and development of the hero, including sound, editing, cinematography,
and narrative.

Each week, we will watch one film. Mondays are designated for screenings and Wednesdays for discussion and analysis. Wednesday classes may include minilectures about the subject, in?class writing assignments, small?group work, and
discussion. Students will be asked to complete a variety of small assignments as well as one longer essay, due in the second half of the quarter.

Texts:
Readings for this class will include excerpts from Bordwell and Thompson’s Film Art: In Introduction and Pramaggiore and Wallis’s Film: A Critical Introduction, as well as selected articles and journal entries regarding the works. All readings will
be made available on a course webpage, so there is no need to purchase texts at the bookstore.

Films:
1. The Silent Hero: Sherlock Jr. (Keaton, 1924) 45 mins
2. The Noir Hero: The Maltese Falcon (Huston, 1941) 100 mins
3. The Western Hero: High Noon (Zinneman, 1952) 85 mins
4. The Romantic Hero: To Catch a Thief (Hitchcock, 1955) 106 mins
5. The Dystopian Hero: Total Recall (Verhoeven, 1990) 113 mins
6. The Heroine: Run Lola Run (Tykwer, 1998) 81 mins
7. The Mythic Hero: O Brother Where Art Thou (Coen brothers, 2000) 106 mins
8. The Action Hero: Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (Tarantino, 2003) 111 mins
9. The Horror Hero: Shaun of the Dead (Wright, 2004) 99 mins
10. The Animated Hero: The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Anderson, 2009) 87 min