Sample Course Outline

COURSE OUTLINE

CMN 201
Topic: Horror Film in Media and Popular Culture

Note:

  Dates and assignments may be subject to change. 

Please bring assigned text(s) to class. 

         Readings should be completed before the dates indicated below.

Pursuant to the character of the genre, some of the course material is graphic in nature.

               

WEEK 1: Introduction

WEEK 2: Horror Film and Fear

Read:

Projected Fears – Introduction 

Horror Film – Chapter 4 (What is Horror?), Chapter 5 (Why of Horror),

Chapter 6 (Critics and Censors)

WEEK 3: Horror Film in the 1920’s 

                      View – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Read: 

Nightmares - Chapter 1 (Origins in Film Gothic)

Horror Film - Chapter 1 (Genrification)

WEEK 4: Horror Film in the 1930’s

                      View -  Dracula (1931)

                       Read: 

Projected Fears –  Chapter 1 (Dracula)

Nightmares – Chapter 2 (Studio Horrors of the 1930’s), 

        Chapter 10 (Reality Bites), Chapter 11 (Browning)

                                                    Journal #1: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

WEEK 5: Horror Film in the 1940’s

                      View – Cat People (1942)

Read:

Nightmares - Chapter 3 (Shadow Play)

Horror Film - Chapter 2 (1939-1973)

               Journal #2: Dracula

WEEK 6: Horror Film in the 1950’s

                      View – Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Read:

Projected Fears – Chapter 2 (Thing from Another World)

Nightmares –  Chapter 4 (Body Snatchers)

Journal #3: Cat People

WEEK 7: Horror Film in the 1960’s

                      View – Psycho (1966)

Read:

Projected Fears – Chapter 3 (Psycho)

Nightmares - Chapter 5 (California Gothic), Chapter 12 (Hitchcock)

                                            Journal #4: Invasion of Body Snatchers

                                         

WEEK 8: SPRING BREAK - No Class

WEEK 9: Horror Film in the 1960’s: Part II

                     View – Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Read:

Projected Fears – Chapter 4 (Night of the Living Dead)

Nightmares – Chapter 6 (Apocalypse), Chapter 14 (Romero)

Journal #5: Psycho

                                                                                   

WEEK 10: Horror Film in the 1970’s 

                      View – The Exorcist (1973)

                                               Read: 

Projected Fears – Chapter 5 (Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

Horror Film - Chapter 3 (1974 to Present)

.                                                       Journal #6: Night of Living Dead

WEEK 11: Horror Film in the 1980’s (Debuting in 1978)

                      View -  Halloween (1978)

Read:

Projected Fears – Chapter 6 (Halloween)

Nightmares - Chapter 7 (Shrinking Man), Chapter 15 (Carpenter)

Journal #7: The Exorcist

                                                                                                        

WEEK 12:Horror Film in the 1990’s

                      View – The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Read: 

Nightmares – Chapter 8 (Postmodern Horror I), Chapter 9 (Postmodern Horror II)

Horror Film - Chapter 9 (Digital Horrors)    

                               Journal #8: Halloween

WEEK 13:Horror Film in the 2000’s

                       View – 28 Days Later (2002)

                        Read – 

Projected Fears (Conclusion)

Horror Film – Chapter 7 (Spooky Sounds)

                                            Journal #9: The Blair Witch Project

 

WEEK 14: Horror Film in the 2010’s

View- Get Out (2017)

                         Read: 

  Horror Film – Chapter 8 (Colours of Fear)

                 Journal #10: 28 Days Later

WEEK 15: Horror Film in Media and Popular Culture

                       Nightmares – Skim Filmography 

               Journal #11: Get Out

FINAL EXAM & Final Course Project:

Wednesday, 5/11 

(early submissions encouraged)