Summer Term

THTR 207: Our Heroes, Ourselves: Superheroes and Popular Culture

Since the beginning of cinema, audiences have flocked to see larger-than-life superheroes conquer the unconquerable while also teaching us about ourselves and confirming (or challenging) our world view. Beginning with cinematic serials in the 1920s and continuing to the recent Marvel production machine, these films not only depict a hero’s efforts to save the world from disaster again and again, but also trace the development of our popular culture. Issues of violence, nationalism, the presentation and treatment of women, racial stereotypes, and spectacle among other topics can be discussed after viewing each film, providing an opportunity to explore the changing expectations of American audiences and the developing form of contemporary cinema.