An intensive exploration of a particular cinematic genre or movement, paying special attention to how individual films respond to an existing traditions and to the historical and cultural contexts underpinning artistic change. How do genres grow and evolve across historical, cultural and institutional settings? How do particular cinematic movements respond to particular cultural challenges? Course content varies by semester. Topic for Spring 2026: Slapstick. What’s so funny about the human body? How does humor relate to the other emotions? Can making a movie be playful? This class explores these questions by taking as its subject the bombastic and outrageous genre of slapstick comedy. Thinking about slapstick as a physically rigorous performance style that has its beginning in medieval commedia dell’arte, we trace some of its generic features throughout the Vaudeville stage, Classical Hollywood, and early television. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Aesthetic Exploration, Creativity/Innovation.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.