Melodrama, Ideology and the Cinema (SCRN40005)
HonoursPoints: 12.5Not available in 2025
About this subject
Overview
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This subject analyses the history, aesthetics and critical discourse of cinematic melodrama across global art cinema and Hollywood filmmaking traditions and contemporary practices. It addresses melodrama’s origins in, and continued engagement with, other visual and performing art forms, especially those heavily reliant upon musical expression. Melodrama represents the social and political world in domestic and personal terms. Students will consider the way cinematic melodrama addresses questions of ideology in terms of audience, emotion, embodiment, identity, psychology, gender and sexuality. Extrapolating on melodrama’s concern with the local, this subject focuses on the work of the filmmaking ensemble itself and considers melodrama as a mode of aesthetic address relying on specific creative practices and performative traditions.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Critique the representation of class and ideological conflict in cinema melodramas from the early silent to contemporary cinema.
- Explain these representations as they are read and influenced by historical contexts, creative practice, trade and industry dynamics and critical discourse current since the 1970s.
- Appraise the way in which issues of film form, gender, sexuality and psychoanalysis inform melodramas representation of class in the cinema.
- Discuss the history, aesthetics and critical discourse of cinematic melodrama across global art cinema and Hollywood filmmaking traditions and contemporary practices.
- Examine melodrama's origins in, and continued engagement with, other visual and performing art forms, especially those heavily reliant upon musical expression.
- Critique the way cinematic melodrama addresses questions of ideology in terms of audience, emotion, embodiment, identity, psychology, gender and sexuality.
- Extrapolate on melodrama's concern with the local by focusing on the work of the filmmaking ensemble itself and by considering melodrama as a mode of aesthetic address that relies on specific creative practices and performative traditions.
Generic skills
At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:
- Skills in research
- Possess advanced skills of critical thinking and analysis
- Possess an ability to communicate knowledge intelligibly, economically and effectively
- Have an understanding of social, ethical and cultural context.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
A research essay
| During the examination period | 100% |
| Hurdle requirement: 1. Attendance hurdle requirement: This subject has a minimum requirement of 80% attendance at tutorials, seminars, or workshops. There is an expectation that students attend screenings. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
| Hurdle requirement: 2. Late Penalty and Assessment hurdle requirement: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval. | Throughout the semester | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
Not available in 2025
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Certificate in Arts (Advanced) Course Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced) Course Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours) - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025