Fall 2026 AHVS 370A: Popular Film and Cultural Theory (Units: 1.5)

Territorial Acknowledgement

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

I’m of settler heritage originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg, specifically the Garden River and Batchewnana First Nations, and the Métis Nation of Ontario, within lands protected by the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850.

Colonial structures and oppressive ideologies persist. Challenges to them are on-going.

Course Description

This course is concerned with the relationships among the historical and economic contexts of capitalism, popular commodity culture and its audiences. We will focus on popular film and various theoretical explanations of its political/social function especially with respect to how it negotiates social tensions and makes sense of them for consumers. Of particular concern are films that may be called ‘self-conscious’ since they make image making their subject matter. We will consider the ways in which these films align with critical theory in their analyses of commodity culture. The purpose of the course is to develop an appreciation for the centrality and social significance of popular film, and to acquire tools to approach it analytically.

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes: write and speak clearly, effectively, and critically using terminology appropriate to the area of popular film and cultural theory; investigate, analyze, and apply theoretical concepts; investigate, analyze, and articulate the interrelations between cultural/historical contexts and film; activate critical perspectives and multiple identities in analyzing film.

Textbooks

Course Readings are available on Brightspace.

Attendance

University Attendance Policy

https://www.uvic.ca/calendar/future/undergrad/#/policy/ryNResf_E?bc=true&bcCurrent=03%20-%20Attendance&bcGroup=Undergraduate%20Academic%20Regulations&bcItemType=policies

Students who do not attend classes must not assume that they have been dropped from a course by an academic unit or an instructor. Courses that are not formally dropped will be given a failing grade. Students may be required to withdraw and will be required to pay the tuition fee for the course.

CAL’s Attendance Guidelines https://www.uvic.ca/accessiblelearning/instructors/accommodations/attendance/index.php 

https://www.uvic.ca/accessible-learning/index.php

Academic Concessions

Be sure to review the guidelines for Academic Concessions in the Undergraduate Calendar, since the requirements and processes are frequently updated: 

Please note that for deferrals, the Calendar states that “In order to support conditions for student success, a significant portion of the course must be completed before a deferral may be granted."

Normally this means completing 50% or more of the core course components, including attendance.

Use of Generative AI in Assignments

AI Policy

Please be advised that in this course you are not authorized to use any form of generative AI. To successfully complete course activities, generative AI is not required nor welcomed. Students should not make any use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, among others that use AI for content generation and editing. As the University of Victoria states in its Academic Integrity Policy “Academic integrity requires commitment to the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility.” Therefore, I expect you to comply with the course syllabus and I encourage you to enhance your academic experience in this course by refraining from using generative AI.

Assignments and Evaluation

Consult the Film Analysis Guidelines available on Brightspace. 

Submit your assignments on Brightspace as either a Word Document or PDF. 

Use 12-point font, double space, and number pages. 

Any citation method is acceptable. 

A timestamp isn’t necessary when citing examples from films. 

1) First Essay (approximately 2000 words) Due: Thursday, October 15 (35% or 50% without optional assignment) 

Choose a film from the Assignment Film List below. 

Write an analysis of the film considering course material from parts one and two.

Clearly state an argument about the film’s meanings in the introduction.

Consider what the film is saying about commodity culture and social relations. 

Investigate whether and how the film critiques commodity culture. 

Show how specific examples from the film support the interpretation. 

2) Optional Creative Project and Written Statement (of approximately 1500 words) Due: Thursday, November 12 (35% or 50% without optional essay)

Choose a section (or sections) from the course and let it inspire a creative/research project. 

Options include: 

a film (approximately 5 minutes);

a podcast (approximately 10 minutes);

a screenplay (approximately 15 pages); 

a short story (approximately 2000 words).

The written statement must explain the significance of your project in relation to course material. 

Please contact me to discuss this option.

3) Final Assignment (approximately 2000 words) Due: Monday, December 7 (35% or 50% without optional essay)

Choose a different film than Assignment One from the Assignment Film List below. 

Write an analysis of the film considering course material. 

Clearly state an argument about the film’s meanings in the introduction.

Consider what the film is saying about commodity culture and social relations. 

Investigate whether the film critiques commodity culture, with particular attention to classist, racist, and/or patriarchal ideologies. 

Show how specific examples from the film support the interpretation. 

Assignment Film List

Below is a list of films from which you must choose for the written assignments. You’re not expected to watch them all, nor will I refer to all of them in the lectures. They’re not meant to be a complete list of films related to the topic. Suggestions for additions to the list are welcome. Consult the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) for plot summaries and general information.  

Modern Times (1936)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

The Candidate (1972)

Network (1976)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Being There (Hal Ashby, 1979)

Trading Places (1983)

Videodrome (1983)

The Stuff (1985)

Wall Street (1987)

They Live (1988)

The Player (1992)

Bob Roberts (1992)

Matinee (1993)

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Clueless (1995)

Mallrats (1995)

Wag the Dog (1997)

American Beauty (1999)

Bamboozled (2000)

V for Vendetta (2005)

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)

Idiocracy (2006)

WALL-E (2008) 

Avatar (2009)

Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

The Hunger Games (2012)

Snowpiercer (2013)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) 

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Shoplifters (2018)

Parasite (2019)

Knives Out (2019)

Don’t Look Up (2020)

The Menu (2022)

Glass Onion (2022)

Triangle of Sadness (2022)                                                                                                                             

Grading Scheme  

A+ 90-100; A 85-89; A- 80-84: outstanding

B+ 77-79; B 73-76; B- 70-72: good

C+ 65-69; C 60-64: satisfactory

D 50-59: marginal F 0-49

Grade Rationale for Written Assignments

An A-range has a clearly stated argument/thesis that interprets the possible meanings of the film or films under consideration, and it makes use of theoretical concepts in the analysis. It offers a convincing interpretation by providing evidence/examples from the film(s) to support the argument, and it shows how the examples support the thesis of the paper. It adopts a logical organization that follows the development of the argument. Reference is made to lectures, readings, and films/clips screened in class.

A B-range may have an argument, but it is not clearly stated or not stated in enough detail in the introduction and the implications of the argument are not considered. Examples from the film may be provided but the paper doesn’t show how the evidence supports the thesis. Theoretical detail is largely absent or not integrated into the analysis and secondary sources are minimal. A B-range paper is, for instance, not organized according to the development of the argument but rather as a list of examples used. 

A C-range lacks an argument and is descriptive rather than analytical or interpretative. It does not consider the possible meanings of the evidence from the film(s) and makes no use of theory or secondary sources. The organization is often according to the trajectory of the narrative.

A D fails to make use of class material and offers a minimum of even descriptive content. It is largely impressionistic and provides opinion rather than analysis.

A Failure may result if a paper is not handed in or if it does not meet the requirements for the assignment.

Grade Rationale for Creative Project

An A-range demonstrates a thoughtful engagement with course material and attempts to incorporate it into the concerns of the creative project. It shows an effort to address the significance of the project in relation to course material. The written statement clearly articulates the ways in which the project engages with course material using lectures, readings and examples from films/clips screened in class.

A B-range shows evidence of engagement with course material but is limited in its attempt to incorporate it into the concerns of the creative project. The significance of the project in relation to course material is unclear. The written statement articulates the ways in which the project engages with course material but makes minimal use of lectures, readings and examples from films/clips screened in class.

A C-range shows limited evidence of engagement with course material and does not clearly show an attempt to incorporate it into the concerns of the creative project. There is no consideration of the significance of the project in relation to course material. The written statement minimally articulates the ways in which the film engages with course material and does not make use of readings and examples from films/clips screened in class.

A D fails to make use of course material in any way. The written statement does not articulate the ways in which the project engages with course material and does not make use of readings and examples from films screened in class.

A Failure results if an assignment is not handed in or if it does not meet the minimal requirements.

Late Assignment Submission Policy

There’s no late penalty but please let me know by email if you need an extension of more than a week. Medical documentation is not necessary.  

Essential Course Components

The First Essay and the Final Essay must be completed to receive credit in this course. 

Schedule of Classes

The film screenings/discussions in class are an important part of the course. It is expected that you include reference to course films in your assignments, and discussions in class will aid in your analyses of films and understanding of theoretical concepts considered in lectures. 

Part One: Industrialization, Commodity Culture, and Advertising 

September 10– 24

Screening: How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)

Readings: 

John Storey, “Marxisms” from Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction

Stuart Klawans, Review of How to Get Ahead in Advertising

Part Two: The Culture Industry 

September 28 – October 8

Screening: The Truman Show (1998)

Readings: 

Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno, “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” 

Ronald Bishop, “Good Afternoon, Good Evening, and Good Night: The Truman Show as Media Criticism” 

Part Three: Rituals of Resistance

October 15 – 26 

Screening: Sid and Nancy (1986)

Readings: 

Dick Hebdige, “From Culture to Hegemony” 

Dick Hebdige, “Subculture: The Unnatural Break” (second part of above article) 

J. Macgregor Wise, “Reading Hall Reading Marx”

Brian Michael Goss, “Spectacular Recuperation: Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy”

Part Four: Postmodernism and Gender Identity 

October 29 – November 12 (No class November 9)

Screening: Fight Club (1999) 

Readings: 

John Docker, “Cultural Studies: Transitional Moments from Modernism to Postmodernism”

Fredric Jameson, “Postmodernism and consumer society”

John Docker, “Are We Living in a Postmodern Age?”

Lynne Ta, “Hurt So Good: Fight Club, Masculine Violence, and the Crisis of Capitalism” 

Omar Lizardo, Fight Club, or the Cultural Contradictions of Late Capitalism”

Part Five: Racism, Representation, Resistance

November 16– 26

Screening: C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2005) 

Readings: 

Cerise L. Glenn and Landra J. Cunningham, “The Power of Black Magic: The Magical Negro and White Salvation in Film” 

David R. Jansson, “’A Geography of Racism’: Internal Orientalism and the Construction of American National Identity in the Film Mississippi Burning”

Jeff Loeb and Kevin Willmott, “A Conversation with Kevin Willmott”

Edward Lawrenson, “C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America”

Trudier Harris, “Twenty-First-Century Slavery Or, How to Extend the Confederacy for Two Centuries Beyond Its Planned Demise”

Part Six: Capitalism as Other

November 30 – December 7

Screening: Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Readings: 

Neal King, “Dean-End Days: The Sacrifice of Displaced Workers on Film”

Leshu Torchin, “Alienated Labor’s Hybrid Subjects: Sorry to Bother You and the Tradition of the Economic Rights Film”

Ina Diane Archer, “White Noise” 

Adam Nayman, “Sorry to Bother You”

Posting of Grades

Typically marks for assignments, examinations, and provisional final grades, are made available through a Learning Management System (LMS) like Brightspace, where each student will be able to view only their own grades. Sometimes numerical marks/grades may be posted publicly to the entire class. In that case, full student numbers or names will not be included with the posted information.