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Adaptation Theory Portal

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Preceptors for Adaptation Theory
All Modules in Adaptation Theory Portal

Dune: A Study in Adaptation

Frank Herbert's Dune novels have been adapted for film, television and tabletop and video games. Using a combination of recorded lectures, in-class discussion and exercises, this hybrid module will examine the various adaptations of the novels, including David Lynch's film, the miniseries, Denis Vi…
Precepted by Dr. Julian Barr

Exploring Eric Reinders' Reading Tolkien in Chinese: Religion, Fantasy and Translation

Eric Reinders has produced a fascinating study of how Tolkien's legendarium, especially The Lord of the Rings, has been translated into Chinese language and culture. He explores translation of concepts across cultures (what is an "elf," anyway?) as well as the contributions to interpreting …
Precepted by Dr. Robert Steed

Fairy Tales Studies: Exploring Fairy Tales from Around the World and from Different Authors

Sudying fairy tales takes us back to a time when stories where passed from culture to culture. These stories, replicated around the world, deal with fears and axieties, but they also give us hope as it is the smallest and most vulnerable the one who usually triumphs. In these modules, we will ex…
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

Folk Horror: Journey into Modernity's Nightmares

Folk Horror, having initial roots in the early 20th century, has continued steadily in multiple media to explore societal fears of our day. This SPACE class will look at the origins of the genre, its explosion in the upheaval in the 1970's, and its current place of cultural relevance in a world fil…
Precepted by Jay Moses

From Middle-earth to Multiverse: The Art of Fantasy Worldbuilding

This module is about having a deeper understanding of the origins, modes, and possibilities of the fantasy genre. It is a means for writers, readers, and fans to more deeply interact with the stories they love. Class One: What is a Fantasy World? (Tolkien and the Secondary World). Exploring Tolk…
Precepted by Hayden Bilbrey

Harry Potter - The Films

Let's get together to discuss the eight Harry Potter films. Across one month, we'll get together to discuss each film in turn. What adaptation choices did the creators make and why? What works and what doesn't? What are the major themes of the films? And why did this film series become a phenomenon…
Precepted by Dr. Julian Barr

Le Morte Darthur: Seeking the Holy Grail in Malory and Monty Python

To achieve the Holy Grail, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad and others must face formidable Black Knights, alluring temptresses, inscrutable hermits, and untold supernatural perils. This module examines two works created five-hundred-and-five years apart: “The Tale of the Sankgreal,” in Thomas Malory’s <i…
Precepted by Dr. Liam Daley

Midst: Adventures in Unusual Storytelling

The Midst podcast (which can be found at http://www.midst.co) is a strange and compelling space western horror science fantasy. . . hmmm. Let me start again. Midst is a planetoid revolving in a cosmos very unlike our own, one…

Middle-earth Goes Anime: A Closer Look at The War of the Rohirrim

Focusing on The War of the Rohirrim, this module examines adaptation across mediums, cultures, and cinematic traditions. Students will analyze the film as an anime production, exploring its creators, aesthetic conventions, and cultural context, while also tracing its roots in Tolkien’s writi…

Muppet Adaptations: LoTR Edition

The Muppet Lord of the Rings adaptation developed at Sunshine Moot 2025 was a runaway success, generating millions at the box office and garnering accolades from critics and fans alike. Big Name Studios was so impressed by Signum Studio’s creativity and short production schedule, that they’v…

Shakespeare's Epic Fairy Tales Non-Sequential Series

Step into the most wondrous and unconventional corners of William Shakespeare’s imagination, where shipwrecks, enchanted forests, lost heirs, and improbable reunions unfold with dreamlike intensity. Shakespeare’s Epic Fairy Tales gathers the playwright’s late romances and collaborations into…
Precepted by Dr. Liam Daley

The Art of Seeing: Your Toolkit for Understanding Art

Have you ever wanted to understand why a painting grabs your attention or what an artist might be trying to say? The Art of Seeing is a friendly module designed for anyone who feels they don't "know enough" about art. In this module, we'll explore key concepts in art that will provide a powerful …
Precepted by Pilar Barrera

"The Last of Us" in Adaptation

HBO’s new “The Last of Us” TV show (2023) is widely hailed as the best adaptation of a video game. “The Last of Us” video game (2013) tells the story of a cynical older man befriending a young girl during a zombie apocalypse. The game received praise for its subtle storytelling and strong character…
Precepted by Dominic Nardi

The Music of Middle-earth: Howard Shore's The Fellowship of the Ring

In this iteration of The Music of Middle-earth, we’ll be exploring Howard Shore’s score to The Fellowship of the Ring, and seeking to better understand how the music behind Peter Jackson’s film interacts with the source material, the action on screen, and even Tolkien’s poetry. …
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Music of Middle-earth: Howard Shore's The Return of the King

In this iteration of The Music of Middle-earth, we’ll be exploring Howard Shore’s score to The Return of the King, and seeking to better understand how the music behind Peter Jackson’s film interacts with the source material, the action on screen, and even Tolkien’s poetry. <…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Music of Middle-earth: Howard Shore's The Two Towers

In this iteration of The Music of Middle-earth, we’ll be exploring Howard Shore’s score to The Two Towers, and seeking to better understand how the music behind Peter Jackson’s film interacts with the source material, the action on screen, and even Tolkien’s poetry. Note:<…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book I)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book II)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book III)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book IV)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings: Books I - VI (The Music of Middle-earth series) Non-Sequential Series

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book V)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert

The Poetry of The Lord of the Rings (Book VI)

An in depth discussion of the various musical settings of all the poems in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. We will discuss each poem and its surrounding prose, as it pertains to musical adaptation, before digging into the arrangements that have been recorded of the poem. Most poems in Th…
Precepted by Jack Schabert