Film Session (Online Class Sept 1st)

From Hell

Choose ONE task to carry out while watching the film and select a scene to analyse. Add your still to the presentation so  as to share your analysis next wednesday (September 6th)

1. Define what eurocentrism is and mention its characteristics in form of binary oppositions. How is it made manifest in the film?
2. How is ethnicity presented in the film? Select a scene where the topic of conversation is ethnic differences. Analyse the dialogue using Foucault’s approach taking into consideration the definitions of power, discourse and the gaze.
3. How is femininity presented in this text? Using gender studies select a scene where the life of the prostitutes is depicted in relation to patriarchal ideology.
4. Analyse the context of culture presented in the movie. In order to do so you need to work on the following concept: imperialism. How is imperialism depicted in the film? Pay attentio to symbols carrying Queen Vicoria's image.
5. From Hell may be considered a hybrid from the perspective of genre classification. On the one hand, this text may be considered as a horror film. On the other hand, it may be considered as crime fiction/detective fiction. Taking genre theory into consideration elaborate two lists of what you consider are the textual characteristics of both genres.
6. How is the medical profession presented in this film? What kind of power do doctors exert on the female body? Use gender studies and Foucaut’s approach to analyse one scene where the manipulation of the female body at the hands of science is shown.