FMS 394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course.
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Transcript of FMS 394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course.
FMS 394: Teens, Film, and U.S. Culture
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course
Professor Megan Biddinger Academic Associate,
Department of English Teaches courses in Media
and Cultural Studies PhD in Communication,
University of Michigan Research Interests:
Gender, Sexuality, Religion, and Popular Culture
In This Lesson
Part 1: Course Overview and Expectations
Part 2: Setting the Stage: Historical Background and Context
1957
Part 1: Course Overview and Expectations
Rebel Without A Cause (1955) Directed by Nicholas Ray
Course Overview and Expectations
In Every Lesson:
– Readings– Lecture– Screening– Discussion Questions (e-board)
Course Overview and Expectations
Participation (25 Points):
– eBoard• Response 1: Directly address a thought
question• Response 2: Respond to a classmates
answer to a different question• Due: Noon (AZ Time) the Sunday
following the lesson due date• Must be substantive, well-written, and
respectful
Course Overview and Expectations
Exams and Writing Assignments
2 Exams (15 Pts each) • Open-book/note• No late exams accepted
Paper Proposal (15 Pts)
Final Paper (30 Pts) Pay close attention to the instructions for all
assignments in the syllabus!
Course Overview and Expectations
What you can expect from me:
– Participation on the eBoard– Clear and constructive feedback on
assignments– Timely responses to emails
• Within 24hrs during the week and 48hrs on weekends.
– Availability to converse via phone or Skype
Part 2: Setting the Stage: Historical Background and Context
Gidget (1959)Directed by Paul Wendkos
Guiding Questions
How did post-WWII culture produce new understandings of and emphasis on teenagers?
When and why did teens become so important to the film industry and film culture in the U.S.?
How did/do films shape the way we think about teens and their place in the social order?
The “Birth” of the Teenager
1904: Psychologist G. Stanley Hall identifies a distinct developmental phase between puberty and mature adulthood.
“Teen” years particularly significant and fraught By 1935 the term “teen-ager” is widely used in
the U.S. Teens often seen as troubled and troubling to
the social order
The “Birth” of the Teenager
By the 1950s, teens, as a generation, were unique in at least three ways:
Population density Affluence Generational cohesion
The “Birth” of the Teenager
Teens as Trouble and as Treasure
– Juvenile Delinquency
– Also a burgeoning market:
• http://bit.ly/qJdMld
Hollywood's Turn to Teens
Hollywood beset by multiple woes:
• Economic• Political• Cultural
New Production Strategies
New Production Strategies:– Exotic, timely, and/or
lurid subject matter
– Substandard budget and production schedule
– Teenagers as target audience
Girls in Prison (1956)dir. Edward Cahn
Hollywood's Turn to Teens
What is a “Teenpic”
– A version of the “exploitation” film• Advertising and promotion of a film• Film's appeal to its actual audience• A particular kind of movie
– A genre of film• Looking for patterns (and exceptions)
Next Time on FMS394...