Course overview

A fun and accessible course exploring a selection of Road Movies. The road movie is now considered a staple genre of popular cinema, particularly Hollywood, but what are many of these films actually about? Often seeming low on plot and with endings which are often inconclusive and open to discussion. Why a road movie? What where do they come from in terms of cultural points of reference, are they really just an U.S thing? We have fun and develop our cinematic knowledge by exploring a selection of Road Movies from the U.S and beyond.

Course description

The Road Movie is a concept frequently associated with U.S cinema of the 1960s and 70s counter culture era but what are these films actually about? We examine one key ‘cult’ example from this counter culture era Two Lane Blacktop, a film which beyond its surface expresses far more about a crisis in US culture which goes far beyond its minimalistic cross country car race. There will be scope to compare this to far more recent offerings such as Nomadland, how has the road movie changed, some now argue it no longer has the same relevance in the 21st century. Equally so, Agnes Varda’s Vagabond offers a French take on the genre, seeking to subvert many of the conventions of the genre established by Hollywood. Hit the Road from 2021 offering a further perspective from Iran. Whilst Locke will offer a reply to the repeated criticism that no-one can make a successful road movie set in the UK. We have fun, discuss and examine the differences and the running themes. Two Lane Blacktop (1970), Vagabond (1985), Hit the Road (2021), Nomadland (2020), Locke (2013).

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