RLBcB520 Jesus in Film

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tomáš Hampejs, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Matouš Vencálek
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each odd Wednesday 16:00–17:40 G23, each odd Wednesday 18:00–19:40 G23
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( RLA06 Christianity I || RLKA06 Christianity I || RLBcA006 Christianity I || RLBcKA006 Christianity I || FAVBPa01 Introduction to Film Studies || FAVBKa01 Introduction to Film Studies || FAVBPa010 Introduction to Film Studies || FAVBKa010 Introduction to Film Studies || SUS_42 Introduction to Art Studies || SUSK_01 An Introduction to Art Studies )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Through the selected films interpreting the gospel story in an inventive way, the course outlines possibilities of a film analysis grounded in the study of religions as well as in film studies. The course is based on the project teaching consisting in common seeing a film, its team analysis and presentation in the class. With regard to specific features of the film art, the course is focused on the confrontation of selected films with the canonical tradition and other inspiring sources. It also examines the socio-cultural context of films and responses they aroused in the time of their release.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
  • demonstrate the basic factual knowledge of the most representative film interpretations of Jesus from the 1960s to the present days;
  • compare the narrative form of the selected films with their gospel templates;
  • analyze socio-cultural context of the selected films and evaluate responses they aroused in the time of their release;
  • work in an interdisciplinary team established between the study of religions and film studies.
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction to the course. Distribution of the team projects
    • Jesus as a left wing radical: The Gospel According to Matthew, 1964, P. Pasolini.
    • Jesus in the American counterculture: Jesus Christ Superstar, 1973, N. Jewison.
    • Between parody and blasphemy: Life of Brian, 1979, T. Jones.
    • Adapting the apocryphal novel: The Last Temptation of Christ, 1988, M. Scorsese.
    • The postmodern Passion play: Jesus of Montreal, 1989, D. Arcand.
    • Authenticity and stereotype: The Passion of the Christ, 2004, M. Gibson.
    • Feminine dimension of the gospel: Mary Magdalene, 2018, G. Davis.
    Literature
      required literature
    • TATUM, W. Barnes. Ježiš vo filme. Translated by Richard Cedzo. Prvé slovenské vydanie. Bratislava: Európa, 2013, 351 stran. ISBN 9788089666010. info
      recommended literature
    • TATUM, W. Barnes. Jesus at the movies : a guide to the first hundred years. Rev. and expanded. Santa Rosa: Polebridge Press, 2004, xiv, 293. ISBN 0944344674. info
    • STERN, Richard C., Clayton N. JEFFORD and Guerric DEBONA. Savior on the silver screen. New York: Paulist press, 1999, viii, 363. ISBN 0809138557. info
    • WALSH, Richard. Reading the Gospels in the dark : portrayals of Jesus in film. Harrisburg, Pa.: Trinity Press International, 2007, xi, 209. ISBN 156338387X. info
    Teaching methods
    Film performance in the class; team projects; home preparation; individual presentations of partial aspects of the project; class discussion; colloquial essay and its defence.
    Assessment methods
    Requirements for the colloquium:
  • semestral presentation of the partial analysis and interpretation of the chosen film, active participation in the following class discussion;
  • colloquial essay and its defence on the same (or another chosen) topic.

    The final assessment includes: semestral presentation and participation in the following class discussion (50 points = 50%), colloquial essay and its defence (50 points = 50%). Limit for the successful completion of the course 60 points.
    • Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Study Materials
    The course is taught once in two years.
    • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2022/RLBcB520