Postmodernism in Film and the Media Arts
Spring 2008

The electronic reserve readings linked on this page are password protected, for use only by students enrolled in Connecticut College FLM 494.

In order to use the readings, you will need Acrobat Reader on your computer. (It should be on all campus machines.) If you need it for your own machine, you can download the installer here.

1/21 Introduction to the Class
Screening: Blade Runner
1/28 Modernity and Modernism; A Typology of PoMo
Read: Harvey, "Modernity and Modernism"
Screening: Playtime
2/4 Baudrillard: Implosion, Fascination and Ecstasy
Read:
Baudrillard, "The Implosion of Meaning in the Media..."
Baudrillard, "The Ecstasy of Communication"
Screening: Videodrome,
2/11 Between Surface and Substance
Read: Hebdige "The Bottom Line on Planet One"
Screening: The Planet Two Show
2/18 Fascination , Implosion, Ecstasy in Action(?)
Read:
Fiske, "MTV: Post-Structural" Post-Modern"
TBA
Screening: Max Headroom,
Arena
2/25 Baudrillard: Simulation
Read: Baudrillard, "The Precession of Simulacra"
Screening: Scream 3
3/3 Jameson: PoMo as the culture of Late Capitalism
Read: Jameson, "Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism"
Screening: Miami Vice episodes, Back to the Future

SPRING BREAK
3/24 Apocalyptic PoMo in Popular Literature
Read: Neuromancer
Screening: Natural Born Killers
3/31 Happy PoMo
Read: McRobbie, "Postmodernism and Popular Culture"
Screening: The Last Dragon, Wayne's World 2,
4/7 PoMo Play in Popular Literature
Read: Snow Crash
Screening: The Fifth Element
4/14 Irony and Distance
Read:
Eco: "
Postscript to The Name of The Rose..."

Miller, "Deride and Conquer"
Grossberg, "Rockin' with Reagan"
Screening: Repo Man, Twin Peaks episode 3
4/21 PoMo as the culture of the Baby Boom
Read: Pfeil "Makin' Flippy Floppy..."
Screening: X-Files Episodes
4/28 Cyborgs, yes!
Read:
Stone: "Split Subjects not Atoms; or, How I Fell in Love With My Prosthesis"
Stone: "Violation and Virtuality"
Screening: Paris is Burning,
Madonna Videos
5/5 Cyborgs, no!
Read:
Bordo: "Material Girl..."
Schwichtenberg: "Of Phallic Proportions..."
Ullman: "Out of time."
Screening: Total Recall