Cinematographic Doors to Nineteenth-Century Literature

elective

Module aim:

- to present the nineteenth-century literary masterpieces and the most interesting attempts to bring them onto silver screen,

- to use adaptation theories in the process of interpretation,

- to develop the skills of reading literary and theoretical texts.

English B1/B2

Biblography is given at the beginning of the course. Selected materials are available in the faculty's reading rooms or will be made available online.

5

The course intrduces students to selected adaptations of the nineteenth-century literature stressing their place within the century's literary formations (namely romanticism, realism and modernism) and selected theories of bringing works of literature into the silver screen.

The course introduces some most important masterpieces of the nineteenth-century literature through their film adaptations. Selected topics will present an interesting panorama of romantic, realistic and modernist literature of the time and inspire a reflection on possible methods of translating certain plots into the language of moving pictures. A little bit of theory, a selection of excerpts from the greatest literary classics and a thrilling trip into memorable moments of cinema history are all part of this seminar which alongside to studying should bring an honest portion of intelligent entertainment.

Week 1: On theory of film adaptation – introductory discussion.

Week 2: On theory of film adaptation, part 2 – exemplary study cases.

Week 3: Hunchbacks of their times: Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris and its adaptations from Wallace Worsley to Disney.

Week 4: Romanticism and melodrama. The film genre for the literary epoch? Jean Dellanoy’s Version of Notre Dame de Paris.

Week 5: Realms of the Incredible, part 1: Edgar Allan Poe’s stories…

Week 6: Realms of the Incredible, part 2: …and their film adaptations.

Week 7: Dickens at the movies: an overview.

Week 8: David Lean’s 1946 version of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.

Week 9: Contemporary Mode: Great Expectations as adapted by Alfonso Cuarón.

Week 10: Social rules of conduct: Henrik Ibsen’s Enemy of the People and George Shaffer’s adaptation of the play.

Week 11: Enemy of the People and world cinema.

Week 12: Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as a challenge to cinematography.

Week 13: Struggling for Alice: Jan Svankmayer vs. Tim Burton.

Week 14: The Darkest place on Earth: Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.

Week 15: The End: F. F. Coppola’s Apocalypse Now.

Theory:

1. A. S. Anderson, ?Transforming Great Expectations: Dickens, Cuarón and the Bildungsroman?, in: Beyond Adaptation: Essays on Radical Transformations of Original Works, ed. P. Frus, Ch. Williams, McFarland&Co 2010, pp. 69-82.

2. S. Chatman, ?2? film versions of Heart of Darkness?, in: Conrad on Film, ed. G. N. Moore, Cambridge University Press 1997, pp. 207-223.

3. L. Hutcheon, A Theory of Adaptation, Routlege Chapman&Hall 2006.

4. D. G. Smith, The Poe Cinema: a critical filmography of theatrical releases based on works of Edgar Allan Poe, McFarland&Co 1999 [fragments].

Fiction.

1. L. Carroll, Alice?s Adventures in the Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass [fragments].

2. J. Conrad, Heart of Darkness [any edition].

3. Ch. Dickens, Great Expectations [fragments].

4. V. Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, translated by and with an introduction by James Sturrock, Penguin Classics 1982 [fragments].

5. E. A. Poe, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, [any edition].

Students are expected to be present during lectures, participate in discussions and prepare a written analysis of a chosen film adaptation of a nineteenth-century literary work which is not covered during the course. The teacher is free to arrange a final examination at the end of the course.