Philosophy of Film
| Module title | Philosophy of Film |
|---|---|
| Module code | PHL1112 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Edward Skidelsky (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
In this module, you will watch and discuss 10 films, with a view to investigating the philosophically interesting problems that they raise. Topics discussed include horror films, film and politics, film and psychoanalysis and the aesthetics of cinema. This module is suitable for all students. It does not require a prior background in philosophy. Films often address philosophically interesting topics, but not in the manner of abstract philosophical books or articles. A film, like any fiction, tells a story, in which a philosophical idea may be obliquely conveyed. But it is also a visual article, which can further clarify or complicate its philosophical meaning. The nature of cinema as a medium is a philosophically interesting topic in its own right. This module introduces you to a variety of philosophical problems through film, and asks what cinema may contribute – if anything – to our understanding of those problems
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module is intended as an alternative introduction to philosophical thinking, adding an audio-visual dimension to more text based modules such as Introduction to Philosophical Analysis. The module prepares students for further studies at stages 2 and 3 by introducing them to various ways in which philosophical thinking can be applied productively to hypothetical and real life problems in a wide variety of contexts. The module also provides important analytical and interpretative skills essential in an increasingly visual social world.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate familiarity with a representative selection of philosophically important films and the issues they address;
- 2. extract abstract philosophical content from concrete narrative structures;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. analyze images and narratives with respect to their rational content;
- 4. talk and write about images and narratives intelligently;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. construct and evaluate abstract ideas; and
- 6. assess and criticize the views of others.
Syllabus plan
Each week will be devoted to a different film, which will then be discussed in weekly tutorials together with selected philosophical literature. Films to be discussed are likely to be chosen from the following list:
- Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Siegel, 1956)
- A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)
- The Truman Show (Peter Wier, 1989)
- Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen, 1989).
- The Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925).
- The Triumph of the Will (Leni Riefenstahl, 1935).
- Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960)
- The Pervert's Guide to Cinema (Slavoj Zizek, 2006)
- Deconstructing Harry (Woody Allen, 1997)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | 108 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 20 | Weekly film screenings |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | Weekly two hour lectures and seminars. Each lecture consists of an introduction and the viewing of a film, which will then, supported by relevant literature, be discussed in the seminars. Students are required to give at least one assessed presentation on an aspect of the scheduled topic. |
| Guided Independent Study | 108 | Directed reading, viewing and private study. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students are required to write one essay plan | Approximately 500 words | 1-6 | Written comments and classroom discussion |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 50 | 2 hours | 1-6 | Written |
| Essay | 50 | 3,000 words | 1-6 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | Exam (2 hours) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay | Essay (3,000 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Allen, Richard (ed.), Film Theory and Philosophy (Oxford: Clarendon, 1997).
Carroll, Noël (ed.), Philosophy of Film and Motion Pictures: an Anthology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2006).
Mullhall, Stephen, On Film (London: Routledge, 2002).
Shaw, Daniel, Film and Philosophy: Taking Movies Seriously (New York: Wallflower, 2008).
Wartenberg, Thomas E. (ed.), The Philosophy of Film: Introductory Text and Readings (Oxford: Blackwell, 2005).
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Key words search
Philosophy, Film
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2010 |
| Last revision date | 18/09/2012 |
