Ashby, J. & Higson, A. (2000) British Cinema, past and present, Routledge
Baillieu, B. & Goodchild, J. (2002) The British Film Business, Wiley & sons
Murphy, R. ed. (2001) The British Cinema Book, British Film Institute
Journal of Popular British Cinema, Edinburgh University Press

Library, BFI, Internet, Film Theatre, TV/video/DVD, Media Lab.

The essays will engage with [Learning Outcomes 1, 2 & 3]

The module is designed to enable you to engage with two themes in a study of British cinema. They are: a) British cinema as industry; and b) Realisms in British film (from Grierson to New Wave to Loach and beyond). The former theme considers industrial, economic, and political factors in the struggle to define a British film industry; as such, it provides students with a context in which to situate some of the ongoing concerns of British cinema culture. The latter theme concentrates on one quintessential aesthetic approach in British cinema: that of the quest to represent realisms; this case study gives students a theoretical underpinning on which to analyse British film culture.

You will access lectures, view a number of films and be expected to read a number of selected texts as well as those found independently. There will be a number of group seminars that will enable students to collectively and engage in lively debate with a topic from the module and present their questions for debate. The tutors will give feedback as and when necessary on the assessed pieces of work.