. . .
>
>can anyone recommend materials [a book or, perhaps even better,
>a number of essays] that would provide appropriate background
>reading for such a course . . . to the extent that the material touches on
>[or tackles] the latent gender issues in the genre i would be especially
>grateful
 
Have you had a look at Carol Clover's 'Men, Women and Chainsaws?'
 
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Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite
http://www.tcf.ua.edu/screensite