The Dark Side of London

About

This module focuses on the visual representation of London from the Victorian to the contemporary period.

It aims to analyse how artists and filmmakers have expressed their perception of the city as a dark site of social tensions, vice, mystery, crime and detectives’ work.

The module will introduce the city through illustrations (Doré, Cruickshank) and documentaries (Ackroyd, Temple) and then concentrate on key works of crime cinema set in London (Dassin, Hitchcock, Ritchie).

It will consist of lectures on historical and theoretical subjects, seminars, screenings, and will be supplemented by visits to UCL Collections and other London museums.

Please note that some films contain graphic depictions of violence.

Week one
London: a brief history of its dark side
Representing fog, crowd and mysteries
How to interpret visual material
Visit to a London museum

Week two
The noir city
Hitchcock’s London
How to write a sequence analysis

Week three
London, crime and investigation
Watching the detectives
Visit to UCL Collections

Course leader

Dr Lucia Rinaldi

Course aim

This module aims to:

- Examine the representation(s) of London in a variety of cultural outputs, focussing on mystery, crime and detectives’ work.
- Enable you to sustain a detailed argument with supporting evidence from primary and secondary sources.
- Enable you to work independently and develop your own critical approach to the analysis of texts, films and images.
- Improve general knowledge about London in art, literature and film.

Fee info