SPAN 497-002 – Spanish Horror and Fantasy Movies

This course will introduce students to diverse Spanish cultural expressions through gripping film genres such as horror and f antasy. The class will allow participants to improve their ability to express themselves in Spanish through reflecting on, writing about, and discussing a broad selection of topics related to the movies. Through different in-class exercises, students (in pairs and in groups) will enrich their Spanish vocabulary and express opinions and arguments about many different topics related to horror and fantasy films and their different subgenres. Participants will also learn about the technology of film production along with fundamental concepts for film analysis (shots, angles, sound, lighting, etc.). When discussing the films, students are expected to connect their content and language with the social, cultural, and political context of Spain throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, because imaginary fears and monsters sometimes mirror real ones. Spain has regularly produced horror and fantasy films in recent years. A country with a wealth of folktales and a rich cultural context, Spanish cinema has also incorporated famous myths from foreign traditions into their lore, such as vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures. Looking outward, some Spanish fantasy movies have achieved international success, and several directors now work for the US film industry.