Surrealism and Film
3.0
creditsAverage Course Rating
Surrealism, a movement to revolutionize human thought and experience, continues to influence art and culture. We'll define Surrealism through primary texts, including those of Andre Breton, Antonin Artaud and others as well as through the films created in the early part of the 20th century. Using an understanding of surrealism found in the readings, as well as in surrealist games and automatic writing, we'll study a diverse group of filmmakers influenced by the practice, including Luis Buñuel, Joseph Cornell, Raul Ruiz and contemporary artists such as David Lynch. Assignments include weekly papers and one final creative project.
Spring 2015
Professor: Karen Yasinsky
The best aspects of the course included visiting different venues throughout the city of Baltimore. These visits make it possible for students to give reports on more interesting topics. Students appreciated the helpful feedback that they received on articles, as well as the insightful talks given by guest lecturers. The worst aspects of the course included the disorganized instructors and the demanding course load. Suggestions for improvement included increasing class participation by banning electronic devices from class and giving students more time to work on assignments. Prospective students should be prepared to do a significant amount of work for this demanding class.