This eight-week course explores some of the most iconic American films of the 1980s, from Do the Right Thing and E.T. to Out of Africa and more. Through film clips, discussion, and analysis, we’ll examine a variety of genres—science fiction, drama, and sequels—while uncovering what made these movies distinctive. The course highlights the filmmakers’ artistic visions and connects their work to the cultural and social atmosphere of the 1980s, inviting students to reflect on their own experiences of this vibrant era in cinema and history.

Moderator: Rachel Lyon served as a professor of media and has made 65 movies and documentaries.