CL/FM3069 Aesthetics of Crime Fiction and Film

Alice Craven
Spring 2015
February
3 Psychological and Intellectual Roots of the Crime Genre in Fiction and Film. Critique of
Bretons Nadja with focus on the chance encounter and the structure of the anti-novel.
Excerpts from Hitchcocks Spellbound. *Summary of key points in Freuds Uncanny. Please
note that some readings which are available in your reading packet (on blackboard) are there
for suggested not required reading. They will help you in pursuing your own research
throughout the semester. An asterisk indicates suggested rather than required reading.
6 Edgar Allan Poes The Purloined Letter. Sir Conan Doyles The Final Solution. Induction
and Deduction. Todorovs Typology of Detective Fiction; *Summary of Jacques Lacans
Seminar on the Purloined Letter and brief overview of Van Dines Rules for Detective Fiction
(not available in reading packet). Excerpts from Monsieur Verdoux
10 The Gentleman Criminal. Raffles and Miss Blandish from reading packet. The Police
Procedural. Excerpts or screening of Wallander. If time, illustrations of the gentleman
criminal, though the next few classes will also follow-up on this theme.
13 TOPICS FOR MID-TERM PROJECT AND PRESENTATION SUGGESTIONS
HANDED OUT. Summary of Narrativity Theory. Forensics, Urbanity and the Uncanny.
Excerpts from Kafkas Trial; Fritz Langs M and Orson Welles The Trial. Selected clips from
The Wire. Suggested Reading: Eye on the City-link to be provided in class.
17 Doubling and the Psychological Thriller. Screening of Strangers on a Train.
20 Screening continued. Discussion and Critique of The Talented Mr. Ripley. If time, excerpts
from The American Friend and Laura.
SPRING BREAK
March
10 Post-War, Existentialism and Crime. Srie noir and film noir. You should have finished
The Long Goodbye by this class. Deleuze on The Philosophy of the Srie noir. Return to
Mildred Pierce and clips from The Long Goodbye and Out of the Past. The neo-noir.
13 MID-TERM PAPERS DUE. Chandlers Simple Art of Murder provided in class or on
Blackboard. Clips from Chinatown and discussion of The Long Goodbye.
17 Presentations-(Crystal, Sally, Sherry, Robin) Mildred Peirce clip. The Private investigator.
The Big Sleep clip. Introduction to the Long Goodbye.

20 Presentations (Last day to withdraw) Discussion of The Long Goodbye and from noir to
neo-noir. You should have completed your reading of The Long Goodbye for this class.
24 Presentations (Amer). Conclusions to The Long Goodbye. Monsieur Verdoux

27 NO CLASS. MAKE-UP WILL BE SCHEDULED

31 TOPICS FOR FINAL PAPERS DISTRIBUTED. Presentations (Ethan Sari, Jared, Derek).
Conclusions to Monsieur Verdoux
April
3 Presentations (Sara, Audrey, Kelsey).Crime and the Writer. Screening. The Secret of the
Eyes.
7 Screening continued. Excerpts from The Glass Trilogy to be provided for discussion, if time
permits.
10 Presentations- (Kyle, Quinn) Thalia. Crime and the Subversion of History. You should
have finished reading Murder in Memorium for class discussion. Clips from Outlaws.
14 Murder in Memorium. Clips from The Electronic Mist.
17 Presentations- Jelena, Shaina, Claudia, Jesse. Crime and the Gansgter: Ethnic and Comic
Perspectives. You should have finished reading A Rage in Harlem for class discussion.
Excerpts from the Big Heat and Election 1.
21 Presentations- Martin, Paige. Crime and Insanity. Readings from Zizek in the reading
packet. Excerpts from Vertigo. Intro to screening of Mad Detective.
24 Screening: Mad Detective. Crime and the Cinematic Homage.
28 Screening TBA.
May
1 No Class. National Holiday.
5 Review for Final Exam.