Hollywood in the 1980s

Course Description

Hollywood in the 1980s will explore Hollywood’s output during the Reagan administration (1981-89). Among the topics we will consider: the films’ formal aspects (e.g., MTV editing, the special-effects blockbuster, a return to classical-style storytelling); America’s nostalgia for the 1950s; select genre cycles and star-performance vehicles; and dominant modes and themes signified by the films (e.g., the denial of America’s recent past, multiculturalism and political correctness, the white man as victim). Classes will consist of lectures, film screenings, and discussion.

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