INQ: Suggested Articles for Course on Transnational Connections in Hollywood

From: "Johannes Fehrle" <[email protected]>

I am putting together a course on transnational connections in Hollywood
cinema that I will teach next semester (starting mid April).
I have compiled a list of films which I feel touch various aspects of the
transnational nature of Hollywood and would like to add theoretical
readings to give the course more of a cultural studies spin + provide
backgrounds. The films I have chosen are grouped in different areas:
- the silent era as a more "pre"national era (The last command)
- Style / Content 1: the influence of German Expressionism on Film Noir (M
and The Big Sleep)
- Foreign Directors in the Hollywood Studio System (Letter from an Unknown
Woman and Foreign Corespondent)
- Style / Content 2: Nouvelle Vague and New Hollywood (A bout de souffle &
Bonnie and Clyde or Badlands [I am not quite decided yet])
- Genre - The Western (My Darling Clementine or High Noon, Yojimbo, Per un
pugno di dollari or Once Upon a Time in the West, The Wild Bunch and Django)

To a degree the choice of films is still flexible, if you all can think of
better pairs. My main question is about literature suggestions, however.
Obviously I have a number of ideas, including introductory texts on the
functions of the Hollywood system (Maltby Hollywood Cinema) and how to read
films (for its shortness: Dix. Beginning Film Studies), but my list is not
complete and I wanted to make sure I do not exclude classic texts or great
articles list members know of.

My problems already begin with being unsure if anyone has given a
definitive account of transnational connections in Hollywood cinema or even
certain periods. The areas I am least sure about right now are:

- Expressionism to Film Noir
and, paradoxically,
- Nouvelle Vague & New Hollywood.
There are tons of references everywhere and it seems generally agreed that
Expressionism influenced Film Noir and that New Wave filmmakers, first and
foremost Godard, were influenced by Hollywood and did in turn influence New
Hollywood, but who has actually gone through the trouble of showing how? Is
there a definitive study of this mutual influence?

A similar thing goes for the Westerns or "Westerns."
Kurosawa was influenced by the Western, that seems common knowledge, but
again who shows how? My main hope for a text right now is Remaking Kurosawa
by Martinez, but that hasn't gotten here yet.
It is also agreed that the Western was influenced by Kurosawa and the
Spaghetti Westerns, but again few say how. Even Christopher Frayling only
briefly touches the issue, as do others like Lusted. Any tips?

Lastly, before it is pointed out to me, I am aware of the problem of
drawing direct connections of influence and will alert my students to this.
I still think it is worthwhile to point out transnational flows of ideas in
the development of "the" "American" film, however.

Sorry about the lengthy post, thanks for reading, and I look forward to
hearing your suggestions,
Johannes
-- 
Dr. des. Johannes Fehrle
Assistant Professor (Wiss. Mitarbeiter)
Department of English / North American Studies
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Room 4007, KG IV
Rempartstraße 15
79085 Freiburg
--