The socio-political aftermath of World War II in Japan, China and Korea led to an explosion of film culture in those countries, one inspired by the commercial and art cinemas of the West, but one that has rivaled them in terms of innovation. While addressing the histories and present-day climates of their mother countries, East Asian films since 1945 have developed unique approaches to narrative and culturally specific imagery, and furthered a dialogue between the three neighbors that reflects their centuries old interrelations. This course will trace the evolution of film language from the master directors of post-war Japan (Ozu, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa and Kurosawa) to the various filmic modes in post-revolutionary China (Ang Lee, Wong kar-wai, Zhang Yimou and Hou Hsiao-hsien) to the radical transformations of contemporary Korean cinema (Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho and Na Hong-jin).
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Take one 3.0 credit, 200 level course from one of the following subjects: DAH (Art History), DEN (English), DAS (Academic Studies), DVC (Visual Culture).