If I were to teach a film-literature course, I would use employ of the same combinations that we used in class. Probably the one that I would most likely use would be Wuthering Heights. The 1847 novel Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë, and both film adaptations--the 1939 film Wuthering Heights, by director William Wyler, and the 1954 film Los Abismos de Pasion, by director Luis Buñuel--are effective film-literature combinations. The Wuthering Heights novel and films not only display very interesting and controversial elements but also show aspects of human nature that gave way to an exciting story line. Another combination I would definitely utilize is the 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, and the 1951 film adaptation A Streetcar Named Desire, by director Elia Kazan. This thrilling story contains many elements that are beneficial for students to understand.
First, the Wuthering Heights film-literature combinations would give students a better understanding of different adaptations that vary from the original novel. The novel Wuthering Heights is so breathtaking, that it would be very hard for any director to duplicate. The film adaptation by director William Wyler was a far cry from the novel but contained about the same story line and a lot of the some elements that the novel contained. On the other hand, the film by director Luis Buñuel was a magnificent adaptation. I felt Buñuel captured the true tone of the novel, but with sort of a European theme that impressed me more than Wyler's version.
Secondly, the film-literature combination of A Streetcar Named Desire would give students an example of almost an exact adaptation. The play is great, but the film is better. I felt that the film depicts the play brilliantly, especially the characters' emotions. It is a true example of an effective adaptation. It is important for future film-literature students to get a sense of combinations that are similar and different to receive a better understanding of film and literature.
Lastly, I felt that the agenda of the class was excellent. The works that followed each other seemed to have increasingly better or more similar adaptations; this allowed students to decide which type of adaptation they preferred. It also gave students examples of many different kinds of effective adaptations, which is very important. Overall, I felt this course was very successful; the knowledge I gained in the area of film and literature makes reading and watching films much more entertaining.