• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

UCLA Honors Collegium HNRS 90: Hollywood and Global Responsibility Instructor: Alex Franklin Title: Lecturer in Film and Television Email: ​[email protected] Daytime Office Number: 310­458­7800 Course Website: https://ccle.ucla.edu/course/view/16S­HNRS90­1 Class Meetings: Wednesdays 7:00pm­9:50pm Location: Humanities A26 Updated​: 02/24/16 COURSE DESCRIPTION Today’s Hollywood filmmakers have greater access to global audiences than anytime in history. As a result, Hollywood has become more than just an industry. It is America’s de facto cultural ambassador. Unfortunately, most of the people who work in Hollywood are unable and even unwilling to accept the responsibility that role entails. Part of the problem is that Hollywood lies at a unique intersection of art and commerce. Movies and Television shows are produced by gigantic multinational media corporations, but at their core, they are the artistic creations of individuals. Thus they are regarded as a form of protected speech, even when they cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make and are exported all around the world. While American filmmakers are accustomed to the traditions of free speech and a free market, Hollywood’s desire to sell its wares abroad has collided with the tinderbox of politics, religion, and cultural differences prevalent in foreign countries. When filmmakers use their global platform to make films which flout social norms still respected in most of the world, many people raise objections. Those objections deserve a better response than they have been getting. In this course we will examine Hollywood’s current lack of global responsibility. We will examine how this problem is hurting America’s image in the hearts and minds of citizens around the world, while simultaneously hurting Hollywood in some of the same international markets it is trying to cultivate. Knowing that Americans filmmakers will never willingly give up creative freedom, we will explore whether Hollywood can become more globally responsible on the world stage. 2 1. ​Course Requirements Course work consists of attending and participating in weekly class meetings, completing homework assignments, completing a midterm paper, and a final paper. Assignments and papers are due at the date and time specified below or in class​.​ Late submission of assignments will impact your grade negatively. Attendance is required of all students in all class sessions. Unexcused absences and more than one excused absence will impact your grade negatively. 2. ​Homework Assignments and Class Discussions Homework Assignments will include reading books and articles, viewing movies and writing weekly position papers. Class discussions will revolve around the weekly topic. Each week, students will be required to write a short Position Paper giving their opinion on the issues of the class. Papers should be informed by the assigned reading and viewing but additional research is encouraged. Students are expected to participate in all class discussions about the homework assignments and important industry topics. An important goal is for everyone to come out of the course with an improved ability to express their opinion in a sometimes adversarial environment. 3. ​Midterm Paper For the midterm paper, students will write a research paper on Hollywood’s relationship with one of the countries, cultures or regions discussed in the class up to that point. Students will be asked to go into detail on how Hollywood’s relationship with that country, culture, or region has evolved up to the present day, to offer their opinions on the current state of the relationship, to discuss what they believe are the attitudes that cause certain Hollywood cultural stereotypes, and finally, to suggest how Hollywood can improve that relationship and become more globally responsible. The paper should be a minimum of four pages, single spaced. Students will be expected to cite sources and provide a bibliography. The paper will be further discussed in class. The paper is due a week from the date is assigned (TBD). 4. ​Final Paper For the final paper, students will write a research paper on one of the global issues discussed in the second half of the class. 3 Students will be asked to go into detail on their opinions on Hollywood’s issues and problems with the topic, to offer their opinions on current controversies as well as recent strides, to discuss what they believe are the attitudes that cause these problems to occur and persist, and finally, to suggest how Hollywood can make changes and become more globally responsible. The paper should be a minimum of six pages, single spaced. Students will be expected to cite sources and provide a bibliography. The paper will be further discussed in class. The paper is due a week from the date is assigned (TBD). 5. ​Reading Material in advance of Week One: In advance of the first class, all students should read the following: In New Global Hollywood​ by Ali Jaafar from Deadline Hollywood: http://deadline.com/2015/01/charlie­hebdo­affecting­hollywood­the­interview­terror­threa t­1201352846/ Through A Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy and America’s Image Abroad​ by Martha Bayles (Introduction, Prologue and Chapter Two) 6. ​Grading 25%­­Attendance and Participation in Class Discussions 25%­­Weekly Written Assignments 25%­­Midterm Paper 25%­­Final Paper __________________________________________________________________ 4 UCLA Honors Collegium HNRS 90: Hollywood and Global Responsibility LECTURE AND DISCUSSION TOPICS Week One: Introduction and Overview • Introduction • Policies • My Background • Overview of the Course • The Globalization of Hollywood • The Challenges of the Global Market • The Consequences of Hollywood’s Lack of Global Responsibility • The Attitudes Behind Hollywood’s Lack of Global Responsibility • The Importance Of Opinions • Discussion of Weekly Assignments Reading Assignment for this Week: In New Global Hollywood​ by Ali Jaafar, Deadline Hollywood (Article) Through A Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy and America’s Image Abroad​ by Martha Bayles (Introduction, Prologue & Chapter Two) __________________________________________________________________ Week Two: Hollywood and Russia • Hollywood and Russia During The Cold War • The Resurgence Of Hollywood’s Cold War • The Consequences of Hollywood’s Representation of Russia • The Attitudes Behind Hollywood’s Representation of Russia • Discussion of Position Papers • Discussion of Next Week’s Assignment Reading Assignment: Politically Correct Incorrectness: Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine in Hollywood Films by Ivan Katchanovski Russians: Still The Go­To Bad Guys ​by Steven Kurutz, New York Times Recommended Viewing: Child 44​ (2015) Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit ​(2014) John Wick​ (2014) A Good Day To Die Hard ​(2013) 5 The Americans (​ 2013) Salt ​ (2010) Air Force One ​ (1997) The Hunt For Red October ​ (1990) Red Heat​ (1988) Rocky IV​ (1985) Rambo: First Blood Part II​ (1985) Red Dawn​ (1984) Firefox​ (1982) __________________________________________________________________ Week Three: Hollywood and China • Hollywood and China’s Complicated Relationship • China’s Emergence as a Cinematic World Power • The Consequences of Hollywood’s Representation of China • The Attitudes Behind Hollywood’s Representation of China • Discussion of Position Papers • Discussion of Next Week’s Assignment Reading Assignment: From Fu Manchu To Kung Fu Panda ​ by Naomi Greene (Introduction and Chapters 4­6) Will Hollywood’s China Pandering Backfire ​by Tierney Sneed, US News & World Report: Recommended Viewing: Transformers: Age Of Extinction​ (2014) Iron Man 3​ (2013) 21 And Over (​ 2013) The Dark Knight​ (2008) Kung Fu Panda ​ (2008) Red Corner​ (1997) Seven Years In Tibet ​ (1997) __________________________________________________________________ Week Four: Hollywood, Muslims and Arabs • Hollywood and Representations of Muslims and Arabs • Hollywood and the Muslim World Post 9/11 • The Consequences of Hollywood’s Representation of Muslims and Arabs • The Attitudes Behind Hollywood’s Representation of Muslims and Arabs • Discussion of Position Papers • Discussion of Next Week’s Assignment 6 Reading Assignment: Guilty: Hollywood’s Verdict On Arabs After 9/11 ​by Jack Shaheen (Prologue, Chapters 2 & 4) Arabs and Muslims In The Media b​ y Evelyn Alsultany Recommended Viewing: American Sniper ​(2014) Argo​ (2012) Zero Dark Thirty ​ (2012) The Kingdom ​(2007) Syriana​ (2005) Rules Of Engagement​ (2000) Three Kings​ (1999) The Siege​ (1998) Executive Decision​ (1996) True Lies​ (1994) Aladdin​ (1992) __________________________________________________________________ Week Five: Hollywood and Africa • Hollywood and Representations of Africa • Hollywood and Africa: Images of War and Poverty • The Consequences of Hollywood’s Representation of Africa • The Attitudes Behind Hollywood’s Representation of Africa • Discussion of Position Papers • Discussion of Next Week’s Assignment Reading Assignment: Hollywood’s Africa After 1994​ by Maryellen Higgins (Sections TBD) This Is Africa: Afropessimism In Twenty­First Century Narrative Film​ by Martha Evans & Ian Glenn Recommended Viewing: District 9 ​ (2009) Invictus​ (2009) Blood Diamond ​ (2006) The Last King Of Scotland ​ (2006) The Constant Gardener ​(2005) Hotel Rwanda​ (2004) Tears Of The Sun​ (2003) Black Hawk Down ​ (2001) __________________________________________________________________ 7 Week Six: Hollywood and Latin America • Hollywood and Representations of Latinos • Hollywood

Load more

  8

Copy Link