ENG 310 - Shakespeare on Film

Shakespeare’s plays have been appearing on film since the development of film in the late 19th century. Filmmakers have generally followed one of three trends in presenting Shakespeare on film: filming a staged version of the play; developing a story line inspired by a Shakespearean play; or translating Shakespeare’s plays directly into the film media, creating a cinematic adaptation that makes use of all of the opportunities film provides. This seminar focuses primarily on the third category of Shakespeare on film. We will examine how contemporary filmmakers translate their interpretations of the Shakespeare plays to the cinema and how those translations then affect our readings of the plays. By attending to the decisions of the actors, directors, cinematographers, and editors, we will deepen our understanding of Shakespeare’s texts and of the medium of film.
Lecture
3 Credits
The prerequisites for all ENG courses at the 300 and 400 level are as follows:
1) Either ENG 120 or ENG 122
2) Either ENG 204, ENG 212, ENG 213 or ENG 214