Course detail

Around 1956: the Culture of the Mid Fifties

FaVU-2A1956Acad. year: 2023/2024

The course will focus on the different faces of culture in mid 50s Europe. We will shortly examine the political situation at both sides of the Iron curtain, but we will mostly look at selected issues in literature, film, music, and visual art

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Mgr. et MgA. Barbora Lungová

Department

Department of Art History and Theory (KTDU)

Entry knowledge

Students must have an upper-intermediate and higher level of English.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Exam
Two absences per semester are allowed.

Aims

The goal of this course is to provide students with a detailed knowledge of European culture in mid 50s.
Tests, active participation in class, essays.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Bergmann, Ingmar. The Seventh Seal.
Goddard, Jean-Luc. Breathless.
Grojs, Boris. Gesamkunstwerk Stalin.
Ken Knabb. Situationist Antology.
Mc Innes, Colin. Absolute Beginners.
Robbe-Grillet, Alain. The Jealousy.
Robbins, David. The Independent Group in Postwar Britain
Rossellini, Roberto. Stromboli.
Škvorecký Josef: The Cowards
Thomson and Bordwell: Film History: An Introduction

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. et MgA. Barbora Lungová

Syllabus

1. Politics in 1950 at both sides of the Iron Curtain
2. Socialist Realism in art, film, literature, history, and propaganda in Czechoslovakia
3. Literature - Czechoslovakia - Focus: Škovercký: The Cowards (1957]
4. Film: Poland - Focus: Wajda: The Canals (1957)
5. Film: Focus: Sweden - Bergmann: The Seventh Seal (1957)
6. Film. France. Cahiers du Cinema; the birth of the New Wave and the concept of auteur film; Focus: Godard: Breathless (59)
7. Film: Neorealism: Italy. Focus: Rossellini: Stromboli (1950)
8. Literature - France. Existencialism and the New Novel. Focus: Robbe-Grillet. La Jalousie (57)
9. literature - Britain - Focus: Colin Mc Innes - Absolute Beginners
10. Some art groups of mid fifties: The Independent Group (UK), the SI
11. Music: bebop, cool jazz, Miles Davis, etc...

Seminar

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Mgr. et MgA. Barbora Lungová