CLAS 432 A: Classical Mythology In Film

Course Name: Classical Mythology in Film
Instructor:

James J. Clauss

SLN: 12871
Meeting Time: MW 9:30-11:50am
Term: Aut 21

Required Texts:

Fagles, The Three Theban Plays (Penguin)
Hadas and J. McLean, Ten Plays of Euripides (Bantam/Doubleday/Dell)

Select Wikipedia articles

Read the material assigned for each topic (see below)

View and discuss the films. It is important that students view the movies in class.

There will be a midterm, final and final paper (creative project).

Goals of the Course:

By studying major, in most cases authoritative, versions of ancient myths that were turned into films and comparing the ancient and modern renditions, students will be able to observe what modern cinematic narrators were drawn to and interested in achieving in their filmed versions of the myths and at the same time gain further insights both into the ancient stories and modern narratives. We shall focus on thematic differences and similarities, cinematic technique, and intended audiences, among other things, including how to read films as literary narratives. Finally we will explore in particular the mythological structure of the katabasis (see below), which plays out in the lives of every human being as well as many films.

Films:

For further information on the films, please consult http://www.imdb.com. Please note, that for the films shown through Swank, you will need to use a browser such as Chrome or Firefox. Safari will not work. Orphee and Star Wars should be fine on any browser. Edipo Re, Hercules Unchained, and Medea are on a Google Drive whose link I will send to you.

Clash of the Titans (1981), Desmond Davis, Director; art director Ray Harryhausen

https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/kjtuig/CP71337928740001451

Edipo Re (1967), Pier Paolo Pasolini, Director

Google Drive

Hercules Unchained (1959), Pietro Francisci, Director

Google Drive

Medea (1970), Pier Paolo Pasolini, Director

Google Drive

Desire under the Elms (1958), Delbert Mann, Director

https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/kjtuig/CP71338076290001451

Iphigenia (1977), Michael Cacoyannis, Director

https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/kjtuig/CP71337928710001451