CMS 303: East Asian Genre Films – Taiwan & Beyond

Instructor

Professor Yomi Braester

Course Description

The course inquires how film genres develop, and especially how they inspire and mutate when crossing national borders. East Asian film industries have been deeply enmeshed in Hollywood’s global reach, yet they also offer an alternative, with different generic themes, conventions, and histories. The course examines films made in Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and the PRC to better understand the formation and flow of international film genres.

Of special interest is the concept of “minor cinemas.” Taiwan cinema, in particular, cannot compete with well-funded industries such as Hollywood, Hong Kong in the 1970s, or more recently the PRC. While emulating some blockbuster practices with some success, Taiwan films must also create their local niche. The course will introduce also concepts of inter-Asian cultural criticism, such as “Asia as Method.”

SPRING 2020
MW 10:30-12:20
5 Credits

Faculty Contact: Yomi Braester (yomi@uw.edu)