One of the greatest French films of all time, Les enfants du paradis was filmed during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Director Marcel Carné and screenwriter Jacques Prévet created an homage to French theatrical tradition, commenting on the nature of love, relationships, freedom and responsibility, with interwoven symbolic narratives of occupation and resistance. (Screen shot courtesy of Francois R. Caron on Flickr. License: CC BY-NC.)
Instructor(s)
Catherine Clark
MIT Course Number
21G.052
As Taught In
Spring 2015
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Description
This course covers the history and aesthetics of French cinema from the advent of sound to present-day. It treats films in the context of technical processes, the art of narration, directorial style, role of the scriptwriter, the development of schools and movements, the impact of political events and ideologies, and the relation between French and other national cinemas.
Taught in English, the films are screened with English subtitles. Students may complete written assignments in French.