The French Revolution is one of history’s most important political events marking as it did the sudden and complete sweeping away of the entrenched feudal order in France. And yet, the Revolution’s attempt to fashion a new political and social order, founded upon Enlightenment principles, ultimately descended into a period of domestic tumult and protracted international warfare. In this course, World Film will examine some cinematic masterpieces set in this fascinating period: In 1989, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of their revolution in 1989, the French Government commissioned La Révolution Française, a star-studded epic (François Cluzet; Jane Seymour; Klaus Maria Brandauer; Sam Neill, to name a few), on-location film masterpiece that covers the entire revolution. The two parts of this epic cover the heady first years of the revolution, characterized by a largely cooperative effort to establish a constitutional monarchy (Part 1: Les Années lumières/The Years of Light), as well as the subsequent years where internal dissention coupled with external threats fostered a climate of almost paranoid distrust and concomitant bloodletting (Part 2: Les Années terribles/The Terrible Years). Farewell My Queen is the story of Sidonie Laborde, a lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette who is entirely devoted to her mistress, and the traumatic collapse of the world around her. Un Nuit de Varennes/A Night In Varennes captures the clandestine June 1791 effort of the French royal family, concerned about its safety, to flee France – an effort that almost succeeded, until they arrived in the border town of Varennes. Danton is the chronicle of Georges Danton, one of the principal revolutionary leaders during the “Terreur,” a champion-of-the-people, who originally partners with, but ultimately clashes with, Maximilien de Robespierre and his extremist party. Scenes from 1938’s Marie Antoinette with Norma Shearer and 2006’s Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst will also be included. 5 sessions @3hrs each.