From Script to Screen: Deconstructing Peele’s Films (day)

In a society inundated with viral media and performative allyship, Jordan Peele’s horror films demand more than just passive viewing. His films, Get Out, Us, and NOPE, go beyond conventional horror by confronting racism, identity, and the commodification of trauma. 

 

This writing-intensive course utilizes Peele’s work as critical texts to explore themes of race, identity, spectacle, and historical trauma in the United States. Students will engage with these films not only as entertainment but as complex, multilayered cultural products. Weekly film screenings will be paired with readings, historical research, and guided writing assignments to develop students' skills in analysis, academic writing, film writing, and critical thinking. The course culminates in a research-based essay and short film script that situates Peele’s work within a historical and cultural context.