This course, conducted in English, is a study of Fascism through selected films from World War II to the present. Topics include: the concept of Fascist normality; Racial Laws; the role of women and homosexuals; and the opposition of the intellectual left. Films include: Bertolucci’s “The Conformist”, Fellini’s “Amarcord”, Rossellini’s “Rome Open City”, Rosi’s “The Truce”, Benigni’s “Life is Beautiful”, and Wertmüller’s “Seven Beauties”. The approach is interdisciplinary and combines the analysis of historical themes with an in-depth cinematic reading of the films.
Sample reading list:
Clark, Mussolini
P. Bondanella, Italian Cinema
Primo Levi, The Truce
De Grand, Italian Fascism
See instructor for complete list
Reading/Writing assignments:
50-80 pages of selected readings per week.
Prerequisites and Restrictions:
No knowledge of Italian is required to enroll.
Other information:
Course consists of one lecture, one two-hour preceptorial, one film screening. One precept will be taught in Italian (schedule TBA). Attendance at one film screening per week is required. NOTE: no film screening on first Tuesday of class.
