Cities in Film
The motion picture was developed around the same time that the rapid urbanization of humanity began. Cities and film have interrelated histories that span well over a century, and film remains a potent medium for discussions of urban cultures, histories, and futures.
This is an urban studies course about filmic representations of cities and city-dwellers. It is based on film excerpts that were curated to critique and expand upon some key topics in contemporary urban studies. Examples include modernity and urbanization in Metropolis (1927), traces of urban revanchism in Taxi Driver (1976), and portrayals of race, class, and neoliberal Toronto in Rude (1995). Coursework will require students to conduct in-depth analyses of films previewed in class with reference to scholarly literature in urban studies. The course includes some film theory, but no experience in film or film studies is required.
Learning Goals
Students who successfully complete this course will:
- Refine and enrich their perspectives on key topics in contemporary urban studies;
- Become more analytical and informed consumers of media representations of urban life; and
- Present research findings in a variety of formats, and with the depth and confidence required for postgraduate studies and professional contexts.
