UCJAJNP065 Film and Drama Club

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Winter 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Libor Práger, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Libor Práger, Ph.D.
Institute of Foreign Languages – Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Timetable of Seminar Groups
UCJAJNP065/A: each odd Wednesday 13:05–14:40 H2, L. Práger
Prerequisites
Basic familiarity with Anglophone culture, the ability to discuss and write in English, and a willingness to watch films and read short dramatic texts outside class.

Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 16/15, only registered: 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives

The aim of the course is to develop students’ ability to critically analyse film adaptations of literary and dramatic works and to understand adaptation as a distinct process of interpretation rather than merely as the transfer of a work from one medium to another.


The course enables students to deepen their understanding of the basic principles of film narrative and cinematic language and to apply them when interpreting the relationship between text and film. Particular emphasis is placed on narrative structure and the use of image, space, sound, music, performance, and editing.


A further aim is to develop students’ ability to formulate and defend independent interpretations, use relevant critical terminology and secondary sources, and engage in critical discussion of literature, film, and other media.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • demonstrate familiarity with the basic concepts of film analysis, including composition, editing, and narrative structure
  • identify meanings conveyed through the visual and auditory elements of film
  • analyze and interpret the relationship between a literary or dramatic text and its film adaptation
  • discuss the cultural, social, and political contexts of selected films
  • independently present an analytical perspective on a film or dramatic work
  • collaborate effectively in seminar discussions and group presentations
Syllabus
(The course outline is provisional; the final syllabus, including the selection of films, is always specified at the beginning of the semester.)

  • Introduction: Watching, Reading, Adapting
      What is adaptation? Typologies, aesthetics, and the reasons for comparison.
    • From Stage to Screen: Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan 
      • How film handles dramatic structure, performance, and censorship.
    • Classics on Screen
      • Style, shifts in genre, narrative pacing, and the use of space and visual composition.
    • Modernism and Fragmentation
      • Adapting stream of consciousness: what the image can achieve and what it loses. Narrative layering, time, and music.
    • Postmodern Play
      • Perspective, narration, taboo, and cinematic language. Humor and irony in adaptation.
    • Hardboiled and Noir
      • Stylized dialogue and the camera as an extension of language.
    • Contemporary Novel, Contemporary Cinema
      • Literary language and the cinematic image: guilt, time, and the construction of reality.
    • Drama Returns: Minimalism and Moral Argument
      • A single setting and the tension between language, performance, and camera. Ethics as drama.
    • Political Allegory and Adaptation
      • Visual metaphor, atmosphere, and the adaptation of dystopia. The adapter as ideologue.
    • The Writer on Film: Adaptations about Writing and Writers
      • Autofiction, metanarrative, and the tension between reality and construction.
    • Student-led Screening and Discussion I
      • A selected film or text introduced by students and followed by critical discussion.
    • Student-led Screening and Discussion II
      • Why do we adapt? How does film transform the experience of literature?
    • Student-led Screening and Discussion III
      • Film, theatre, and other forms in screen adaptation: future directions.
    • Literature
      recommended literature
    • Bordwell, D. & Thompson, K. (2016). Film Art: An Introduction
    • Hutcheon, L. (2013). A Theory of Adaptation
    • Corrigan, T. (2011). Film and Literature: An Introduction and Reader
    Teaching methods
  • Joint viewing and guided analysis of films and selected film scenes
  • Interactive discussions, both instructor-moderated and student-led
  • Reflective work in the form of blog posts, vlogs, questionnaires, or short written responses
  • Analysis of film adaptations of literary and dramatic works
  • Final student presentations in the form of stylized podcasts
    • Assessment methods
  • Active participation and preparation, including watching assigned films and reading assigned texts
  • Ongoing reflective work, such as discussion posts, short essays, or vlogs
  • A final presentation focusing on a selected film or topic
    • Language of instruction
    Czech
    Teacher's information

    The maximum number of students in the course is 15.

    When enrolling in the course, absolute priority is given to students in the Master’s programme in English Language.
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Information on course enrolment limitations: absolutní přednost mají studenti magisterského studia "Anglický jazyk"
    • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fpf/winter2026/UCJAJNP065