Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Amadeus

This class offers an in-depth examination of two of Milos Forman’s films, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Amadeus.” Special attention is paid to Forman’s artistic and aesthetic development as a Hollywood director, exploring dramaturgy, use of camera, staging, character and plot development, casting, sound and music. An emphasis is placed on the director’s focus on the individual’s rights and responsibilities within societal laws, resulting in clashes between a solitary person and a restrictive society, as well as confrontation between genius and mediocrity. Forman’s socio-cultural message is transmitted through his European and American characters, role of the music, costume design and staging.

Karen von Kunes holds a Ph.D. degree in literary studies and linguistics from McGill University. For over three decades, she has taught at Yale and Harvard and currently is teaching film, literature and Czech language courses at the University of Toronto. Professor von Kunes has published a number of scholarly books, critical articles and delivered lectures at conferences and professional meetings. Her specialties are Milan Kundera’s works and Milos Forman’s films, and she also taught comparative literature at Yale-NUS in Singapore, and published an award-winning novel on diaspora “Among the Sinners.” In December 2024, her book “Milan Kundera Known and Unknown” was published by Bloomsbury Academic Publishers. Professor von Kunes resides in Newport, Rhode Island.