HIST 164
Fall 2025
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01
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Bushid¿ and bullets; shoguns and sheriffs; katanas and .45 Colt Revolvers. Alliterations aside, the connections between samurai films and westerns are as deep as they are numerous. Many cinephiles know that Japanese director Kurosawa Akira influenced multiple directors in the west, such as George Lucas, Sergio Leone, and Stephen Spielberg. What is perhaps less known is that Kurosawa was greatly influenced by a man who directed some of the greatest westerns from the 1930s to the 1960s -- John Ford. Diving into those influences is one of the goals of this class as we watch some of the greatest samurai films and their western counterparts. The other goal of this class is to categorize and analyze the many aspects of these films, from the protagonist¿s psyche to the evolution of civilized society, to see why these two seemingly disparate movie genres resonate so deeply. Finally, we will critique these films and discuss their merit in the twenty-first century. All Japanese movies will have subtitles. No knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language is required for this course. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (History Minor)(History) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
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