During the upcoming fall 2018 semester, Houghton College plans to offer a new art course, which promises to stimulate lively conversations and encourage students to look critically at their own values as well as those of modern culture. The course will be guided by Professor Ted Murphy and will be titled “Advanced Topics in Film: Women and Film.” This four-credit course will fulfill an IS Fine Arts requirement and may especially appeal to students who are not interested in taking a traditional art course or who are intrigued by this unique academic focus.
According to the course description, this new class “will explore critically import films (domestic and foreign) that focus on how cultural ideas and attitudes have shaped how we think about women, gender, and identity.” Potential films viewed by the class may include Thelma and Louise, Mouchette, Lost in Translation, Late Spring, and the Afghan Film Osama, as well as additional formative films. As outlined in the course description, these films will be used to address topics “such as body image, feminism, politics, theology, rebellion, relationships (marriage, family, friendship, and rivalry), violence, agency, and current issues including #MeToo and #Time’sUp,” as well as various artistic considerations.
The course will follow a discussion-based format, with small groups of about three students each. Each small group will create questions to direct the conversation. As the instructor, Professor Murphy views himself as a discussion moderator rather than as a lecturer. He understands that to some, it would appear problematic for a male teacher to tell students how to view women and film. Instead, he wants students’ opinions and ideas to be expressed and developed throughout the semester. In fact, Murphy suggested that students would be invited to bring other faculty to visit the class and share their insight on relevant issues. As Professor Murphy explained, “I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind…I would prefer a class to have competing voices.”
Murphy’s own interest in this topic was sparked by his daughters, whom he describes as brilliant, outspoken feminists. In Murphy’s opinion, “feminism isn’t anti-male… but says that there is a distortion to how we value things of this world.” However, he acknowledges that many Houghton students may shy away from the label of feminist since “Houghton students are polite” and “have been raised to not be combative.” Nevertheless, Murphy thinks many students would agree with various feminist tenants which will be discussed during his course. He sees feminism as an important societal critique, reminding both men and women that the “quality of relationships in one’s life should be what we live our life for.”
Murphy believes that this course is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the majority of the Houghton student population is female. In his course “The Art History of Film,” he has also noted that there is a low ceiling for women in the film industry, emphasizing that the author of the film is the “director.” According to Murphy, this issue is worth exploring in greater depth.
Moreover, Murphy considers it important to address the way in which “women have been objectified by the media.” As an art professor who has critiqued countless student self-portraits, Murphy has noticed the media’s influence on students’ perception of self and body image. He has observed that students “don’t know how to look at themselves and just appreciate what they see.” Films are just one avenue through which students’ views of themselves and of women are influenced. All forms of media exert their own influence through culturally created perceptions. As Murphy stated, “No film is ever about nothing.”
In the end, Murphy hopes that this new fall 2018 course focusing on women and film will spark students’ interest and inspire earnest discussions among them. He explained, “My overall goal is to have a class in which students become critical thinkers of their own culture and examine the many important contributions women make in the art of film.” His course “Advanced Topics in Film: Women and Film” offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.