Film Studies 391S - S-Cinemas of the Supernatural

Have you ever had, or heard of, an experience that defied rational explanation? Premonitions, apparitions, spirits, divine intervention, reincarnation/mysterious phenomena of all kinds animate films across cinematic traditions around the world. How do we understand the allure of the supernatural, not only in the popular genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, but also in "serious" genres such as experimental film, art film, or social realist cinemas? How do different cultural contexts inflect the ways the supernatural signifies in film? In In this class, we will explore an international selection of films evincing inexplicable forces at work in an otherwise ordinary world. We will examine filmic representations of the supernatural and how such experiences are interpreted through cultural lenses. Applying film analysis, cognitive science, cultural studies, and an open inquiry into the unknown, we will strive to expand our appreciation for different systems of thought regarding supernatural phenomena and the role of the supernatural in films from around the world.