New University of La Verne Class Will Explore the Genre of Fantasy Films
Senior adjunct professor Scott Essman will transform the University of La Verne’s LaFetra Lecture Hall into a world of gorgons, witches, and hobbits during a new film appreciation class focused on fantasy cinema.
“Wizards, Dragons, and Magic – A Critical Appreciation of Fantasy Cinema,” is a 15-day course that will be offered in the January term. It will look beyond the basic entertainment value of modern fantasy films to reveal connections to Homer and Greek mythology and truths about the world.
“Many fantasies rely on the theme of the hero’s journey, in which a character, often the least likely among us, overcomes incredible odds, family indifferences, and lowered expectations to achieve greatness,” Essman said. “This resonates with audiences who are often surmounting such real-life issues.”
Essman plans to screen 15 films. They range from older movies such as “Jason and the Argonauts” and “The Wizard of Oz” to the more recent “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Lord of the Rings – Fellowship of the Ring.”
Students will discuss and analyze the films for their themes, characters, journeys, symbols, and allegories.
“In addition to being engaged in daily group discussions, students will also be required to research one aspect of fantasy in literature and cinema, plus create an exit essay which unveils what they have learned through the class,” he said.
Essman, who produces documentaries about classic horror and science fiction films for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, is inviting some of his Hollywood industry contacts to speak, including Harry Potter filmmakers. Some of the speakers from his previous classes have ties to cinema legends, such as Bela Lugosi Jr., son of the classic “Dracula” star, and Sara Karloff, daughter of “Frankenstein” actor Boris Karloff. Both spoke in Essman’s horror cinema class in January 2015.
The mass media professor traces his interest in fantasy films back to his childhood, when he saw 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” as well as the Sinbad films of 1958, 1974, and 1977.
“By 1981, I was paying my own way to see ‘Clash of the Titans,’ which was fantasy filmmaker Ray Harryhausen’s final film,” Essman said. “In one of my career high points, I was able to interview Mr. Harryhausen about his entire career, which is now available as a 20-minute video.”
Registration for the class (coded TV 408) is now open and runs through Jan. 6. The 4-unit elective is open to anyone currently enrolled at the university.
