Descriptif

“ No nation on earth mocks itself so often, so well, so necessarily.”

This course will penetrate the English character as portrayed through iconic films exploring themes such as social dis-ease, heroic failure, social class and multi-culturalism. From restraint to eccentricity, all of this wrapped up in a truly English blend of comedy and realism. We will also compare George Orwell’s 1941 vision of England with that of social anthropologist Kate Fox and see to what extent England has changed in recent decades.

Participation is an essential ingredient of this course and apart from the weekly viewings of films at home on which the discussions in class will be based, each student will have to prepare a presentation on a film from the course based on their interpretation of Englishness. Written assignments will include being a film critic and able to write a film review.                                      

So if this is your cup of tea…………..

 
Films studied in class:

The Full Monty, Calendar Girls, Four Weddings and A Funeral, Shaun of The Dead, Brief Encounter, The Queen, Kind Hearts and Coronets, High Hopes, East is East, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Four Lions, The Boat That Rocked, Attack The Block.

Suggested reading:

George Orwell:           England Your England

Kate Fox:                   Watching the English

Jeremy Paxman:         The English

Warning: You will never watch an English film the same way again…