Course overview
The aim of this course is to explore the relationship between the past and its representation on film with particular emphasis on World War II. It takes various themes in the history of the war to examine how film has represented, reconstructed and interpreted the mid-twentieth century crisis. The course compares feature and documentary films with more traditional historical texts and sources in order to chart how filmmakers have approached the war. Why did some aspects of the war draw more attention than others? How did different people address the same subjects? Who has been responsible for shaping our understanding of the war and why was so much invested in its recreation on the screen? Students will address such questions and should complete the course with an understanding of the influence of film on popular perceptions of the war and an awareness of the dynamic process of remembering and forgetting history that is inherent in the production of historical films.
Course learning outcomes
- Understand the relationship between popular perceptions of World War II and its representation on film.
- Contribute to debates surrounding the nature and value of history on film.
- Recognise the principal features and evaluate critically the representation and impact of World War II on film over time and in relation to traditional written histories.
- Formulate historical arguments using appropriate evidence from multiple sources.
- Develop high level written and oral communication skills through appropriate assessment tasks and structured and unstructured inclass activities.