Cinefantastique: Screening the Imagination

As early as the 19th century, filmmakers have sought to offer up the bizarre, magical spectacle as a form of cinematic entertainment. Ex-magician George Méliès was able to take us to the moon and back and to the bottom of the ocean, introducing us to strange monsters and unforgettably exotic locales, way back when film was a relatively experimental art form. But since then, the picture houses have been a receptacle of the fantastic, places where we can lose our selves in someone else’s imagination. This course will look at key directors who have taken the idea of visually arresting imagery and made it their own.

With plenty of clips and discussion we will analyse the work of Tim Burton, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Michel Gondry, Guillermo del Toro, Powell and Pressburger, Wes Anderson and a host of others addressing films such as Edward Scissorhands, Alice, The Red Shoes, Amélie, Pan’s Labyrinth, Wonka and many, many more.

Tutor: Andrew Graves

Duration: 10 weeks

When: Tuesday evenings from Tue 14 Jan 2025, 7pm-8.30pm

Price: £75 full / £60 members / £65 concessions / £50 under 25s