Film Studies Portal

The long and tangled history of cinematic attempts to bring the world of Middle-earth to the big screen is full of fascinating what-ifs, insurmountable setbacks, and ultimately a slew of good, bad, and utterly bizarre movies as a result. In this module we will dive deep into the cinematic adaptations of Middle-earth and watch our way through the Gene Deitch Hobbit (1966), the Rankin/Bass Hobbit (1977), the Bakshi Lord of the Rings (1978), the Rankin/Bass Return of the King (1980), and the Peter Jackson Trilogies over the course of a month, meeting for discussion of each film's cinematic and adaptational merits (or lack thereof). We will also cover some of the film versions that almost happened (such as John Boorman's completed script) and the complicated history behind the production of the films that did come to light. There is a lot of material to cover, but where there's a whip, there's a way.

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 Villeneuve's recent films, HBO's Dune: Prophecy as well as various abortive attempts to adapt the novel. We will also explore the influence of Dune upon the gaming industry. Students are encouraged, but not obliged, to rewatch the various films ahead of in-class discussion.

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 filled with anxious nightmares regarding its future.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Session 1: The Tools of Engagement: Modern Folk Horror Studies
	Session 2: The Stories of Ambrose Pierce
Week 2	Session 3: The Stories of Thomas Hardy
	Session 4: The Grandmaster of Folk Horror: M.R. James Part I
Week 3	Session 5: The Grandmaster of Folk Horror: M.R. James Part II
	Session 6: The "Folk" of the 1970's: The Unholy Trinity
Week 4	Session 7: Movies/Media of the 80's and 90's: The Blair Witch and Steven King
	Session 8: Modern Manifestations: True Detective

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 Le Morte Darthur (1470) and Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). The former represents the culmination of three centuries of medieval Arthurian “Grail” literature. The latter—a triumph of twentieth-century absurdist comedy and one of the funniest movies of all time. But these contrasting visions of the Grail Quest also share striking and unexpected similarities in terms of plot, form, and tone. This course looks closely at Malory’s text and the Pythons’ oddly-faithful film reinterpretation, side by side. In so doing, we explore what Arthur, the Grail, and the Middle Ages meant to the original audiences of both works, what they mean to us today, and how changes in form and context radically shape how stories are told and understood.

The Dark Crystal, a film directed and created by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, was released at Christmastime in 1982. An attempt at a more mature and decidedly darker direction for Henson, it performed modestly in the box office to mixed reviews. Despite its poor initial beginnings, over the next 42 years, The Dark Crystal became a cult classic. Why the appeal all these years later? In this class we will explore this multifaceted dark fantasy as a stand of world building from the better appreciated “Muppet” canon. Over the course of eight sessions we will discuss the world of Thra through the film itself, seen afresh with the new lenses of various forms of modern criticism. Please join us for a combination of short lectures and lively discussion of this visual and technical masterpiece whether you’re a long-time fan or neophyte.

What is fan fiction? Where did it come from? Why do people read and write it?

This module will explore fan fiction as a platform, independent of any particular universe (although we will touch on several, based on student input), including its origins, conventions and techniques, purposes, and the opinions of a variety of different stake holders: authors, show creators, and legal experts among them. Students will complete this course with a high-level understanding of fan fiction as genre, community, and as a transformative response to the source material.

Can Sir Gawain keep his honor without losing his head? This short classic of Middle English chivalric romance follows Gawain on a quest testing his heroism, social etiquette, sexual virtue, and existential sense of self. This course explores: first, the extraordinary history of the single, unique manuscript which preserves this poem (as it “slept” on a library shelf for 400 years, escaped destruction by fire, and was eventually rediscovered in the 19th century); second, the translations which brought this poem to a twentieth century readership – focusing in particular on J.R.R. Tolkien’s; and finally, the 2021 film by David Lowery.

This module seeks to provide students with a deeper look into aspects of Korean culture which can provide a lens through which to view and appreciate them on a deeper level. Through a series of 8 classes, we will cover topics of Food, Social Structure, History, North-South relations, some aspects of language, and the global impact of K-dramas.

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’ve asked us to do it again! There’s a catch though- the Signum Studios Creative Team must generate a new adaptation as soon as possible in order to build on the success of the first movie.

“We’re so excited about the possibility of even more opportunities to explore Muppet and LoTR mashups!” Addison Bigbucks, president of Big Name Studios said in a recent interview. “We can’t wait to see what the Signum Studios Creative Team will come up with next!”

In this SPACE course, the Creative Team will lead interactive discussions and breakout sessions to discuss human and Muppet casting choices, art direction, and narrative themes. Knowledge of the following Jim Henson productions will be useful but not required: The Muppet Show (1976-1981), : The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), : Muppet Treasure Island (1996), and the : Muppet Movie (2011). No homework outside of class is required, but ongoing discussions on Signum’s Discord channel will be enthusiastically encouraged.

Can the Creative Team at Signum Studios achieve the same success as their Sunshine Moot predecessors? What decisions will appeal to both the die-hard Tolkien fans, Muppet aficionados, and the casual movie-going public? Don’t worry, the Creative Team will have help including a guest lecture from Maggie Parke, Director of Signum Studios, two producers who will keep us on budget and on time, and several Bigwig Studio Executives who will offer advice on creating the next blockbuster hit.

Hosoda Mamoru is an anime director whose films are known for their exploration of family, virtual worlds, and the relationships between wildness and domesticity. In this module, we will watch several of Hosoda's films as per the proposed outline below and we will discuss their themes, history, and literary background.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Session 1: Biography, influences, contexts, and early works
	Session 2: The Girl Who Leapt through Time
Week 2	Session 3: Wolf Children
	Session 4: Wolf Children, continued
Week 3	Session 5: The Boy and the Beast
	Session 6: Mirai
Week 4	Session 7: Belle
	Session 8: Belle continued

Shinkai Makoto is an anime director whose films are known for the hyperrealistic beauty of their background art, but also for their star-crossed lovers and the way they play with time. Shinkai's films are often considered "sekai-kei"; that is, the world may be in crisis, but we see this crisis from the point of view of individual lives. In this module, we will watch several films, based on availability, as per the proposed outline below.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Session 1: Biography, influences, context, short films, and Voices of a Distant Star
	Session 2: The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Week 2	Session 3: 5 Centimeters per Second
	Session 4: Your Name
Week 3	Session 5: Your Name, continued
	Session 6: Weathering With You
Week 4	Session 7: Weathering with You, continued
	Session 8: Suzume

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 characterizations. The lead creator of the game is also a showrunner and insisted that HBO remain faithful to the game. However, the show uses the freedom of TV to expand upon the backstories of characters. In this course, we will watch the TV show and play the video game simultaneously. We will then discuss how the genre/medium of each affects adaptation choices.

Note: Students do not need to have watched the show or played the game beforehand, but will need to have access to both. Students can also watch a walkthrough of "The Last of Us" in lieu of playing the game.

When one thinks of ancient, pre-classical civilisations, one thinks of Sumerians, Egyptians, Hittites, and, not least, Minoans. The Minoan civilisation, discovered around 1900 by English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, has often been styled as the first major European civilisation, equally proficient in technology and the arts, with a sea empire spanning across the Eastern Aegean. But how much of what we imagine about the Minoans is truthful and how much is modern mythmaking?

In this module, we will examine the immense impact which the discovery of Minoan Crete and its integration with the classical myths of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth has had on literature, movies, the arts, and even computer games. We will examine the works of Sir Arthur Evans, Pablo Picasso, Nikos Kazantzakis, Robert Graves, Mary Renault, Poul Anderson, and Stephen King, among others. In so doing, we will explore such key 'Minoan' concepts and phenomena as: the sublime, utopianism, feminism, irrationality and the unconscious, mythmaking, and European identity.

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.

Note: This series is not sequential, and folks are more than welcome to register for any class that interests them at any point.

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.


Note: This series is not sequential, and folks are more than welcome to register for any class that interests them at any point.

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: This series is not sequential, and folks are more than welcome to register for any class that interests them at any point.

How did cinema develop from a curiosity of the early 20th century to the multi-billion dollar industry it is today?

The story of the rise of filmmaking as both mass entertainment and an art form is a tale of epic proportions that is still in the making. From Victor Fleming to Tarantino and John Ford to Spielberg, the medium of film has turned into the backbone of modern storytelling. Just as the novels of Dickens and Cervantes captured the attention and imaginations of generations of audiences, the classics of cinema will provide food for thought and discussion for generations to come. Take a deep dive with us into the greatest and most fascinating movies that cinematic history has to offer as we make an Odyssey through the stories that made film the art form that it is today. Join in with our analytical discussions led by a professional film critic and movie podcaster, and together we will explore the enduring quality of the best that film has to offer.

For the first module of this series, "The Story of Cinema: A SPACE Odyssey," we will be exploring some of the most unique and innovative space and science fiction films in history:

• Class 1: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• Class 2: Star Wars (1977)
• Class 3: Alien (1979)
• Class 4: Blade Runner (1982)
• Class 5: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
• Class 6: Minority Report (2002)
• Class 7: Interstellar (2014)
• Class 8: Arrival (2016)

Inviting students to share their delight in, and deepen their appreciation of, video games, we will discuss examples of the art, music, gameplay, and story from a range of influential titles. We will introduce and experiment with some of the theoretical frameworks that have been applied to video games as media objects and cultural artifacts. But mostly, we will enjoy learning more about the medium and the games we already love. Aside from links and selections shared throughout the module, Gabrielle Zevin's novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. will be the only required reading.

Doctor Who is the longest running Science Fiction program on television earning great recognition and accolades in the process. Despite this, Doctor Who is infamous for writing/producing some of the best in Science Fiction television, and at the same time arguably the worst.

This Class will make use of a free streaming device (tubi) in order to view these episodes individually once again, so that we can discuss their merits or “demerits”; to view some of "the best" and "the worst" of Classic Doctor Who. Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, the Bakers, Peterson and McCoy are ready to open the TARDIS doors for us; Let the conversation begin!

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Session 1: "Criteria and Process
	Session 2: The Best: The Talons of Weing Chiang
Week 2	Session 3: The Worst: The Macra Terror
	Session 4: The Best: The Caves of Androzani
Week 3	Session 5: The Worst: The Twin Dilemma
	Session 6: The Best: The Daemons
Week 4	Session 7: The Worst: Paradise Towers
	Session 8: The Best: The Dalek Invasion of Earth