This document discusses the commodification and globalization of Chinese cinema through an analysis of Zhang Yimou's film Hero and other films. It outlines Zhang's career trajectory from the Fifth Generation director who received early support from the Chinese government but was later banned, forcing him to seek international funding. His later films like Hero were financially successful but also conveyed a message supporting strong central authority that was controversial among critics. The document examines how Chinese cinema has become an international commodity and whether directors like Zhang have lost commitment to examining Chinese social issues.
This document provides an overview of Asian cinema, with a focus on Chinese cinema. It discusses the beginnings of cinema in China in the early 1900s, including the first Chinese films from 1905. It summarizes several important early Chinese silent films from the 1910s-1920s. It then covers the development of Chinese cinema through the 1930s-1940s, including the first Chinese sound film in 1931. The document concludes with brief biographies of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, two iconic figures in martial arts cinema.
This document contains a multiple choice midterm exam for an online course on Asian American studies. It includes 20 multiple choice questions covering topics like the history of Asian immigration to the US, Japanese internment in WWII, Asian American activism and civil rights, and representations of Asians in film. The student affirms that they will complete the exam without outside help or resources.
FAQ U 25 College Quiz Prelims with AnswersLobotomizer
This document contains 24 trivia questions with answers about various topics including music, movies, history, science and more. Some of the questions identify people like Jay-Z and Hemingway, events like the Bay of Pigs invasion, places like the Berlin Wall and brands like Tang. The questions require identifying terms, connecting ideas, and naming people, places, things or ideas based on provided clues and context.
Media in the Online Age - Film PromotionMissMoore866
The viral marketing campaign for The Blair Witch Project made people believe the found footage film was real. Missing posters were distributed for the actors. A website presented the film's footage and story as real events. Trailers released on college networks added to the authenticity. Details like interviews and fake crime scene photos further sold the fiction that the student filmmakers had actually gone missing.
The 1964 film A Hard Day's Night documents a day in the life of The Beatles. It stars the band members George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr as themselves, along with other actors. Directed by Richard Lester, the film follows The Beatles dealing with fans and media obligations while also trying to perform a concert. Critically acclaimed for its humor, music, and depiction of Beatlemania, A Hard Day's Night is considered a groundbreaking and innovative rock musical film.
Elliott Erwitt: 'Photography is pretty simple. You just react to what you see'Ram Chary Everi
Elliott Erwitt is a 92-year old photographer who discusses his storied 70-year career capturing iconic moments in history as well as everyday scenes around the world. While now letting his photographs speak for themselves, Erwitt's photos documented important figures like JFK, Fidel Castro, and Richard Nixon. Currently, Erwitt is working with non-profits on a campaign using one of his photos from 1965 of plastic gloves on a clothesline in Sicily to raise awareness about providing PPE to healthcare workers during the pandemic. Throughout his career, Erwitt found the best photos occurred when he was traveling with his camera and happened upon interesting scenes.
This document outlines leverage points for effecting change in systems, ranked from least to most effective. The most minor leverage points are parameters and numbers in the system, while the most powerful are the mindset or goals that drive a system. The document recommends transcending paradigms by remaining unattached to any single way of viewing a system, as no one paradigm can fully capture its dynamics.
This document provides an overview of Asian cinema, with a focus on Chinese cinema. It discusses the beginnings of cinema in China in the early 1900s, including the first Chinese films from 1905. It summarizes several important early Chinese silent films from the 1910s-1920s. It then covers the development of Chinese cinema through the 1930s-1940s, including the first Chinese sound film in 1931. The document concludes with brief biographies of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, two iconic figures in martial arts cinema.
This document contains a multiple choice midterm exam for an online course on Asian American studies. It includes 20 multiple choice questions covering topics like the history of Asian immigration to the US, Japanese internment in WWII, Asian American activism and civil rights, and representations of Asians in film. The student affirms that they will complete the exam without outside help or resources.
FAQ U 25 College Quiz Prelims with AnswersLobotomizer
This document contains 24 trivia questions with answers about various topics including music, movies, history, science and more. Some of the questions identify people like Jay-Z and Hemingway, events like the Bay of Pigs invasion, places like the Berlin Wall and brands like Tang. The questions require identifying terms, connecting ideas, and naming people, places, things or ideas based on provided clues and context.
Media in the Online Age - Film PromotionMissMoore866
The viral marketing campaign for The Blair Witch Project made people believe the found footage film was real. Missing posters were distributed for the actors. A website presented the film's footage and story as real events. Trailers released on college networks added to the authenticity. Details like interviews and fake crime scene photos further sold the fiction that the student filmmakers had actually gone missing.
The 1964 film A Hard Day's Night documents a day in the life of The Beatles. It stars the band members George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr as themselves, along with other actors. Directed by Richard Lester, the film follows The Beatles dealing with fans and media obligations while also trying to perform a concert. Critically acclaimed for its humor, music, and depiction of Beatlemania, A Hard Day's Night is considered a groundbreaking and innovative rock musical film.
Elliott Erwitt: 'Photography is pretty simple. You just react to what you see'Ram Chary Everi
Elliott Erwitt is a 92-year old photographer who discusses his storied 70-year career capturing iconic moments in history as well as everyday scenes around the world. While now letting his photographs speak for themselves, Erwitt's photos documented important figures like JFK, Fidel Castro, and Richard Nixon. Currently, Erwitt is working with non-profits on a campaign using one of his photos from 1965 of plastic gloves on a clothesline in Sicily to raise awareness about providing PPE to healthcare workers during the pandemic. Throughout his career, Erwitt found the best photos occurred when he was traveling with his camera and happened upon interesting scenes.
This document outlines leverage points for effecting change in systems, ranked from least to most effective. The most minor leverage points are parameters and numbers in the system, while the most powerful are the mindset or goals that drive a system. The document recommends transcending paradigms by remaining unattached to any single way of viewing a system, as no one paradigm can fully capture its dynamics.
Multi-stakeholder Approach to Advance Fair Trade ObjectivesEuforic Services
Presentation given by Christopher Wunderlich (Sustainable Commodity Initiative IISD/UNCTAD) at the 5th Brussels Development Briefing - Brussels 16 April 2008
The Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Yucatan (CI-UADY) in Mexico began operations in 2007. It offers 48 Chinese language courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels, with over 500 students total. In 2012, CI-UADY increased cultural activities and organized the first Chinese weekend camp. It also sent two local teachers for training to help develop new teaching materials and activities. CI-UADY aims to continue improving teaching quality and expanding its Chinese language and cultural programs in the coming years.
UADY's Confucius Institute 2013 Activities Reportuadyglobal
The Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Yucatan in Merida, Mexico provides Chinese language courses ranging from introductory to advanced levels with over 400 students enrolled total. It organizes cultural events celebrating Chinese holidays and teaches local Mexican students and teachers about Chinese culture. Some major events included conferences on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Chinese economy, Chinese poetry and literature. The institute aims to promote learning of Mandarin Chinese and the exchange of culture between China and Mexico.
Newsletter for the General Coordination of Cooperation and Internationalization of the Autonomous Univeristy of Yucatan for the January-July 2016 period.
The document summarizes a group presentation on the topics of globalization, localization, and their impact on popular culture. The group members are Zhang Haipei, Hu Yangzhou, Li Yongchang, Min Jiayi, and Wang Zihan. Zhang will discuss the globalization of the Korean song "Gangnam Style" as a case study. Hu will analyze Walmart's localization strategies in China. Li will examine the factor of glocalization. Min will address the positive impacts and Wang will discuss the negative impacts. The overall aim is to better understand globalization, localization, and their effects on popular culture.
This document discusses the history and evolution of Chinese cinema from 1949 to the present. It covers major periods and movements, including films during the Cultural Revolution, the rise of 5th generation filmmakers in the 1980s, and differences between 1950s films and more recent Chinese films. The document also analyzes genres from different eras and the politics of filmmaking in China over time.
1) Western cinema has historically featured Westernized adaptations of Asian stories and Western actors playing Asian roles, but recent years have seen greater acceptance of Asian cinema and actors.
2) Major Asian directors like Akira Kurosawa and genres like martial arts films have influenced and been remade by Hollywood.
3) Barriers to Asian actors and filmmakers working in the West have gradually broken down, though the journey has been difficult.
4) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a breakthrough that paved the way for other Asian films to find global audiences without Hollywood remakes.
The document provides an overview of the history and development of Chinese cinema. It discusses the three main threads of Chinese cinema from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It notes that cinema was introduced in China in 1896 and the first films with sound and color were created in the 1930s and 1940s. Popular genres included historical dramas, comedies and action films. Box office sales in China have grown significantly in recent decades making it one of the largest film markets in the world. The document also examines characteristics of Chinese romance, comedy and action films.
Zhang Yi Mou is considered the most talented film director in China. He was born in 1951 and grew up in poverty due to his family's association with the Kuomintang party. After experiencing hardship during the Cultural Revolution, he studied filmmaking at the Beijing Film Academy. His films often portrayed the struggles of pre-Communist China and were frequently censored, but also achieved international success, winning awards at Cannes and Berlin. Though sometimes criticized for pandering to the Chinese government with his later martial arts films, Zhang Yimou has overcome significant challenges to become one of China's most renowned directors.
Commentary requirement• Purpose to cultivate the habits oLynellBull52
Commentary requirement
• Purpose: to cultivate the habits of critical reading by making arguments and providing
evidence
• Content: identify an argument (not merely a topic) from a required reading (with direct
quotations and page numbers) and discuss it in relation to the designated film of the day
• Focus: your ability to articulate someone else’ argument and state your interpretation of a film
in relation to that argument; mere factual information or plot summary won’t count as argument
• Length: 1 double-space page or 350 words for each short paper; the portion in excess of the
limit will not be graded for credit
• Grading: out of 10 points for each commentary, 3 for identification of an argument and logical
transition, 3 points for film discussion focused on details, and 4 for writing (grammar, expression,
coherence, style)
Commentary : further clarifications
Make sure you have a clear argument or statement: find a focus to organize your writing
A general plot or characterization summary earns little credit
Analyze film in detail (e.g., mise-en-scene, smiles or other facial expressions, camera angles)
Rephrase key words for better connection between the reading and your film analysis (e.g.,
metaphor, allegory, realism)
Always use the readings assigned in the same week as primary films; the same formula for
commentaries 2-3
You only need to quote from 1 reading in the week, NOT 1 from each reading in the week
Your quote must be relevant to the rest of your discussion
Avoid a long quote or 2 or more quotes in a commentary
Similarly, avoid discussing 2 or more ideas because there is no space to do that adequately
Proofread your paper or grade yourself to improve before submitting
No need for a separate Works Cited page, but use in-text reference (e.g., Teo, page #)
Writing Style Sheet
• always indicate your name on the first page of your writing (upper left corner)
• in general, use the MLA reference style
• for commentaries, no separate reference items are needed; but for the term paper, a complete
list
of works cited is required, and any incomplete listing would cost points
• format the title of a film, a book, or a journal in italic or underline
• indicate the title of an article in a journal or a volume with quotation marks
• add in a parenthesis the author’s name (if not identified in the text), a short title (if an author
has
more than one cited work), and page numbers after all direct quotations: “…” (L. Lee, “Cinema”
37-38); use the author’s name, NOT the volume editor’s
• be sure proper names are spelled out correctly
• in the Chinese case, remember the family name goes before the given name:
• reduce superfluous phrases like “I believe” or “in Leo Lee’s article, Lee writes …”
• spell-check grammar and fix typographic errors
• read your paper one more time before submitting on Canvas
• for those in need of assistance with English writing, seek help from campus resources and your
native-speaking friends
BESIDES FISTS AND ...
1) Chinese film director Jia Zhangke was once banned from the state film authority building due to his unapproved films, but his latest film "The World" is his first approved by the government, marking a major shift that has seen him go from pariah to accepted.
2) Directors from the underground "Sixth Generation" movement are now working within the system and with censors to get their films screened in China rather than being restricted to international festivals and pirated DVDs.
3) Jia believes working with the system allows directors to push for reforms and have a dialogue with censors to establish a long-term change, and he and others want to show Chinese audiences their perspective on China and
Understanding cinema:french new wave,italian neorealism and indian parallel c...Faiqa Dabir
Italian Neorealism emerged in post-WWII Italy in response to the difficult economic conditions and desire to portray realism over fascism's rejection of realism. Key directors like Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica filmed on location using non-professional actors and a documentary style. De Sica's 1948 film Bicycle Thieves is considered the pinnacle of the movement. The French New Wave of the late 1950s rejected classical Hollywood styles through techniques like jump cuts and handheld cameras, influenced by writers at Cahiers du Cinema and the auteur theory. Parallel Indian Cinema emerged in the 1970s as an alternative to commercial Indian cinema, addressing social and political realities through serious themes and naturalism
Comenius project sinema grubu funda irem meydan merve doğanpacrucru
The document discusses the history of cinema. It begins by introducing important early figures in cinema history like the Lumiere brothers, Georges Melies, and Thomas Edison. It then outlines several important film movements and trends that developed in the early 20th century in places like Germany, France, Italy, and Brazil. These include Expressionism, Poetic Realism, Neorealism, the French New Wave, Free Cinema, and the Brazilian New Cinema. The document concludes by discussing the impact and influence of cinema on society through its ability to educate, reflect social issues, and spread ideas and values.
This lecture introduces a film English course that aims to strengthen students' English communication skills through exploring film from a cross-cultural perspective. The course will combine English language education, film theory, and basic filmmaking techniques. It will develop students' critical thinking abilities in a multicultural context and allow them to apply what they learn through a microfilm project. The course will cover the history of film development, analysis and reading of English novels adapted into films, comparisons between Taiwanese and Western films, and making a microfilm in groups. Students will be evaluated based on group discussions, script writing and film adaptations, and their final microfilm projects.
Planet China is a collection of interviews and insights with experts, directors, designers, photographers, journalists, critics, and artists. Interviews with Jia Zhangke, Daniel Lee Postaer,William L. Gibson and Paul Bruthiaux,Robert G. Price, Shadow Chen, Guoke, Chi Wang, Ben Randall, Kevin Tallon, Duran Levinson.
Justin Lin is a Taiwanese-American film director known for directing several Fast and Furious films. He was born in Taiwan and grew up in California, earning an MFA from UCLA film school. His debut film Better Luck Tomorrow was a success at Sundance and his work on the Fast and Furious franchise has grossed over $2 billion worldwide, establishing him as one of the most successful action directors working today.
FRANCIS PHAN VINH PHUC Film making textbook Phúc Phan Vĩnh
The document provides an overview of the history of filmmaking and the movie industry. It discusses the development of techniques from early silent films to the introduction of sound. It describes the rise of the major Hollywood studio system between the 1930s-1940s and its decline due to factors like the emergence of television and changing business models. The text also outlines the seven ages of film and provides a case study on the production process involved in making a movie.
THẦY FRANCIS PHAN VĨNH PHÚC Film making textbook Phúc Phan Vĩnh
THẦY FRANCIS PHAN VĨNH PHÚC Film making textbook
- Nguyên là giám đốc sản xuất chương trình tại công ty Cát Tiên Sa, giám đốc công ty CMS MULTIMEDIA, huấn luyện đào tạo tại rất nhiều trường đại học lớn.
- Nghiên cứu sinh tiến sĩ ngôn ngữ báo chí - truyền thông.
- Tham gia sản xuất và điều hành những chương trình lớn trên VTV, HTV, THVL.
- Trực tiếp điều hành các event của các nhãn hàng với những đối tác lớn và chuyên nghiệp.
- Kinh nghiệm giảng dạy 10 năm.
- Kinh nghiệm làm việc thực tế 12 năm.
- Giám đốc điều hành Hoa Hậu Hoàn Vũ Việt Nam
The Chinese film industry began in the early 20th century and has gone through several periods of development. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the film industry entered a new period of development with state-owned film studios established in Shanghai, Beijing, and Changchun. Some of China's most famous films include Lifetimes Living from 1994 and The Dream Factory from 1997. The document provides a brief history of China's film industry and some of its most notable films.
21st Century Chinese Cinema Hip flicks for sinophileschinapolicy
This document provides an overview of 21st century Chinese cinema, beginning with how film production changed after Mao's death in 1976 with the founding of the Beijing Film Academy. It highlights several acclaimed films from the late 20th century that brought Chinese film to a global audience but encountered stigma domestically. As commercialization and globalization increased in the 1980s and 90s, Chinese cinema explored new styles and modes of moneymaking both at home and abroad. The document then summarizes several notable 21st century Chinese films that have won international acclaim, covering a range of genres and themes.
Multi-stakeholder Approach to Advance Fair Trade ObjectivesEuforic Services
Presentation given by Christopher Wunderlich (Sustainable Commodity Initiative IISD/UNCTAD) at the 5th Brussels Development Briefing - Brussels 16 April 2008
The Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Yucatan (CI-UADY) in Mexico began operations in 2007. It offers 48 Chinese language courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels, with over 500 students total. In 2012, CI-UADY increased cultural activities and organized the first Chinese weekend camp. It also sent two local teachers for training to help develop new teaching materials and activities. CI-UADY aims to continue improving teaching quality and expanding its Chinese language and cultural programs in the coming years.
UADY's Confucius Institute 2013 Activities Reportuadyglobal
The Confucius Institute at Autonomous University of Yucatan in Merida, Mexico provides Chinese language courses ranging from introductory to advanced levels with over 400 students enrolled total. It organizes cultural events celebrating Chinese holidays and teaches local Mexican students and teachers about Chinese culture. Some major events included conferences on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Chinese economy, Chinese poetry and literature. The institute aims to promote learning of Mandarin Chinese and the exchange of culture between China and Mexico.
Newsletter for the General Coordination of Cooperation and Internationalization of the Autonomous Univeristy of Yucatan for the January-July 2016 period.
The document summarizes a group presentation on the topics of globalization, localization, and their impact on popular culture. The group members are Zhang Haipei, Hu Yangzhou, Li Yongchang, Min Jiayi, and Wang Zihan. Zhang will discuss the globalization of the Korean song "Gangnam Style" as a case study. Hu will analyze Walmart's localization strategies in China. Li will examine the factor of glocalization. Min will address the positive impacts and Wang will discuss the negative impacts. The overall aim is to better understand globalization, localization, and their effects on popular culture.
This document discusses the history and evolution of Chinese cinema from 1949 to the present. It covers major periods and movements, including films during the Cultural Revolution, the rise of 5th generation filmmakers in the 1980s, and differences between 1950s films and more recent Chinese films. The document also analyzes genres from different eras and the politics of filmmaking in China over time.
1) Western cinema has historically featured Westernized adaptations of Asian stories and Western actors playing Asian roles, but recent years have seen greater acceptance of Asian cinema and actors.
2) Major Asian directors like Akira Kurosawa and genres like martial arts films have influenced and been remade by Hollywood.
3) Barriers to Asian actors and filmmakers working in the West have gradually broken down, though the journey has been difficult.
4) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a breakthrough that paved the way for other Asian films to find global audiences without Hollywood remakes.
The document provides an overview of the history and development of Chinese cinema. It discusses the three main threads of Chinese cinema from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It notes that cinema was introduced in China in 1896 and the first films with sound and color were created in the 1930s and 1940s. Popular genres included historical dramas, comedies and action films. Box office sales in China have grown significantly in recent decades making it one of the largest film markets in the world. The document also examines characteristics of Chinese romance, comedy and action films.
Zhang Yi Mou is considered the most talented film director in China. He was born in 1951 and grew up in poverty due to his family's association with the Kuomintang party. After experiencing hardship during the Cultural Revolution, he studied filmmaking at the Beijing Film Academy. His films often portrayed the struggles of pre-Communist China and were frequently censored, but also achieved international success, winning awards at Cannes and Berlin. Though sometimes criticized for pandering to the Chinese government with his later martial arts films, Zhang Yimou has overcome significant challenges to become one of China's most renowned directors.
Commentary requirement• Purpose to cultivate the habits oLynellBull52
Commentary requirement
• Purpose: to cultivate the habits of critical reading by making arguments and providing
evidence
• Content: identify an argument (not merely a topic) from a required reading (with direct
quotations and page numbers) and discuss it in relation to the designated film of the day
• Focus: your ability to articulate someone else’ argument and state your interpretation of a film
in relation to that argument; mere factual information or plot summary won’t count as argument
• Length: 1 double-space page or 350 words for each short paper; the portion in excess of the
limit will not be graded for credit
• Grading: out of 10 points for each commentary, 3 for identification of an argument and logical
transition, 3 points for film discussion focused on details, and 4 for writing (grammar, expression,
coherence, style)
Commentary : further clarifications
Make sure you have a clear argument or statement: find a focus to organize your writing
A general plot or characterization summary earns little credit
Analyze film in detail (e.g., mise-en-scene, smiles or other facial expressions, camera angles)
Rephrase key words for better connection between the reading and your film analysis (e.g.,
metaphor, allegory, realism)
Always use the readings assigned in the same week as primary films; the same formula for
commentaries 2-3
You only need to quote from 1 reading in the week, NOT 1 from each reading in the week
Your quote must be relevant to the rest of your discussion
Avoid a long quote or 2 or more quotes in a commentary
Similarly, avoid discussing 2 or more ideas because there is no space to do that adequately
Proofread your paper or grade yourself to improve before submitting
No need for a separate Works Cited page, but use in-text reference (e.g., Teo, page #)
Writing Style Sheet
• always indicate your name on the first page of your writing (upper left corner)
• in general, use the MLA reference style
• for commentaries, no separate reference items are needed; but for the term paper, a complete
list
of works cited is required, and any incomplete listing would cost points
• format the title of a film, a book, or a journal in italic or underline
• indicate the title of an article in a journal or a volume with quotation marks
• add in a parenthesis the author’s name (if not identified in the text), a short title (if an author
has
more than one cited work), and page numbers after all direct quotations: “…” (L. Lee, “Cinema”
37-38); use the author’s name, NOT the volume editor’s
• be sure proper names are spelled out correctly
• in the Chinese case, remember the family name goes before the given name:
• reduce superfluous phrases like “I believe” or “in Leo Lee’s article, Lee writes …”
• spell-check grammar and fix typographic errors
• read your paper one more time before submitting on Canvas
• for those in need of assistance with English writing, seek help from campus resources and your
native-speaking friends
BESIDES FISTS AND ...
1) Chinese film director Jia Zhangke was once banned from the state film authority building due to his unapproved films, but his latest film "The World" is his first approved by the government, marking a major shift that has seen him go from pariah to accepted.
2) Directors from the underground "Sixth Generation" movement are now working within the system and with censors to get their films screened in China rather than being restricted to international festivals and pirated DVDs.
3) Jia believes working with the system allows directors to push for reforms and have a dialogue with censors to establish a long-term change, and he and others want to show Chinese audiences their perspective on China and
Understanding cinema:french new wave,italian neorealism and indian parallel c...Faiqa Dabir
Italian Neorealism emerged in post-WWII Italy in response to the difficult economic conditions and desire to portray realism over fascism's rejection of realism. Key directors like Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica filmed on location using non-professional actors and a documentary style. De Sica's 1948 film Bicycle Thieves is considered the pinnacle of the movement. The French New Wave of the late 1950s rejected classical Hollywood styles through techniques like jump cuts and handheld cameras, influenced by writers at Cahiers du Cinema and the auteur theory. Parallel Indian Cinema emerged in the 1970s as an alternative to commercial Indian cinema, addressing social and political realities through serious themes and naturalism
Comenius project sinema grubu funda irem meydan merve doğanpacrucru
The document discusses the history of cinema. It begins by introducing important early figures in cinema history like the Lumiere brothers, Georges Melies, and Thomas Edison. It then outlines several important film movements and trends that developed in the early 20th century in places like Germany, France, Italy, and Brazil. These include Expressionism, Poetic Realism, Neorealism, the French New Wave, Free Cinema, and the Brazilian New Cinema. The document concludes by discussing the impact and influence of cinema on society through its ability to educate, reflect social issues, and spread ideas and values.
This lecture introduces a film English course that aims to strengthen students' English communication skills through exploring film from a cross-cultural perspective. The course will combine English language education, film theory, and basic filmmaking techniques. It will develop students' critical thinking abilities in a multicultural context and allow them to apply what they learn through a microfilm project. The course will cover the history of film development, analysis and reading of English novels adapted into films, comparisons between Taiwanese and Western films, and making a microfilm in groups. Students will be evaluated based on group discussions, script writing and film adaptations, and their final microfilm projects.
Planet China is a collection of interviews and insights with experts, directors, designers, photographers, journalists, critics, and artists. Interviews with Jia Zhangke, Daniel Lee Postaer,William L. Gibson and Paul Bruthiaux,Robert G. Price, Shadow Chen, Guoke, Chi Wang, Ben Randall, Kevin Tallon, Duran Levinson.
Justin Lin is a Taiwanese-American film director known for directing several Fast and Furious films. He was born in Taiwan and grew up in California, earning an MFA from UCLA film school. His debut film Better Luck Tomorrow was a success at Sundance and his work on the Fast and Furious franchise has grossed over $2 billion worldwide, establishing him as one of the most successful action directors working today.
FRANCIS PHAN VINH PHUC Film making textbook Phúc Phan Vĩnh
The document provides an overview of the history of filmmaking and the movie industry. It discusses the development of techniques from early silent films to the introduction of sound. It describes the rise of the major Hollywood studio system between the 1930s-1940s and its decline due to factors like the emergence of television and changing business models. The text also outlines the seven ages of film and provides a case study on the production process involved in making a movie.
THẦY FRANCIS PHAN VĨNH PHÚC Film making textbook Phúc Phan Vĩnh
THẦY FRANCIS PHAN VĨNH PHÚC Film making textbook
- Nguyên là giám đốc sản xuất chương trình tại công ty Cát Tiên Sa, giám đốc công ty CMS MULTIMEDIA, huấn luyện đào tạo tại rất nhiều trường đại học lớn.
- Nghiên cứu sinh tiến sĩ ngôn ngữ báo chí - truyền thông.
- Tham gia sản xuất và điều hành những chương trình lớn trên VTV, HTV, THVL.
- Trực tiếp điều hành các event của các nhãn hàng với những đối tác lớn và chuyên nghiệp.
- Kinh nghiệm giảng dạy 10 năm.
- Kinh nghiệm làm việc thực tế 12 năm.
- Giám đốc điều hành Hoa Hậu Hoàn Vũ Việt Nam
The Chinese film industry began in the early 20th century and has gone through several periods of development. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the film industry entered a new period of development with state-owned film studios established in Shanghai, Beijing, and Changchun. Some of China's most famous films include Lifetimes Living from 1994 and The Dream Factory from 1997. The document provides a brief history of China's film industry and some of its most notable films.
21st Century Chinese Cinema Hip flicks for sinophileschinapolicy
This document provides an overview of 21st century Chinese cinema, beginning with how film production changed after Mao's death in 1976 with the founding of the Beijing Film Academy. It highlights several acclaimed films from the late 20th century that brought Chinese film to a global audience but encountered stigma domestically. As commercialization and globalization increased in the 1980s and 90s, Chinese cinema explored new styles and modes of moneymaking both at home and abroad. The document then summarizes several notable 21st century Chinese films that have won international acclaim, covering a range of genres and themes.
1) Some Chinese protested the movie Kung Fu Panda, arguing it exploited Chinese culture and martial arts or had ties to Hollywood figures who criticized China.
2) However, many Chinese argued against boycotting the film, saying the links to controversial figures were too tenuous and that banning all foreign profits from China was unrealistic.
3) While nationalism motivated some protests, most Chinese saw the debate as minor and enjoyed the movie, showing that China can have balanced discussions on such issues.
The document discusses the differences between the terms "movie", "film", and "cinema". It explains that while "movie" suggests popular culture, "cinema" implies art. However, both terms refer to the same medium - the moving pictures. Great artistic works can still be considered movies. The key difference is that "film" refers more broadly to the medium and history, while "cinema" is associated more with art films. Ultimately, all three terms discuss the same concept of moving pictures on screen.
Movies have evolved from their early beginnings to become a major part of society. Society influences the types of movies that are popular, as filmmakers create movies on themes that will attract wide audiences. For example, during times of war society demanded war movies, and after innovations like sound films and CGI, musicals and science fiction became popular. Movies also influence society by conveying life lessons and perspectives that shape viewers' morals and worldviews. They can be used for propaganda to educate populations or spread government ideals. The relationship between movies and society is reciprocal, as they continually impact one another over time.
Chapter 5 of a university course in media history by Prof. Bill Kovarik, based on the book Revolutions in Communication: Media History from Gutenberg to the Digital Age (Bloomsbury, 2nd ed., 2015).
Similar to Globalization And Commodification Of Chinese Cinema (20)
Globalization And Commodification Of Chinese Cinema
1. THE COMMODIFICATION AND GLOBALIZATION OF
CHINESE CINEMA:
A STUDY OF ZHANG YIMOU’S HERO
AND OTHER FILMS
ELEANOR HISAYE TANIGUCHI
“AESTHETICS AND ETHICS” CONFERENCE
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
APRIL 8, 2006
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China in the 21st century has become an economic powerhouse, replacing
European nations like France and Italy as one of the highest-grossing economies in the
world. Not coincidentally, it has also become one of the largest importers of movies in
the world, not yet surpassing India or the United States, but enough to make an impact on
American markets and Hollywood specifically. Action movie directors like John Woo
and stars like Jackie Chan have become household names in the U.S., while Zhang
Yimou’s Hero has grossed over $177 million internationally since its release in 2004.
These successes have made it “safe” for Hollywood to back films by other non-traditional
Asian directors like Ang Lee, the recent recipient of an Oscar for best director. China has
“arrived” in American cinema.
Some critics like Christina Klein have hailed this moment as the birth of a hybrid
cinema, neither purely American nor Chinese, and point to popular collaborations like
Jackie Chan’s series of American-produced films like Shanghai Knights (2003) and Rush
Hour (1998) (1). Others however, like the Marxist feminist critic Dai Jinhua have
deplored what they see as a threat to indigenous Chinese cinema, particularly with the
increasing growth in foreign investment in big-budget Chinese films like Hero and
House of Flying Daggers (2005) (2). As Chinese cinema and the globalization of the
Chinese economy continue to rapidly develop, no one side can say conclusively what will
come of these cultural and economic transactions. What both sides seem to agree on is
that Chinese cinema has become a commodity for international trade, as much as home
electronics, clothing, and precious metals. With the collusion of the Chinese government,
which sees the opening of the indigenous entertainment market as a way of saving it from
collapse as well as a means of bringing in foreign capital, even Chinese art house movies
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are being sold to American distributors like Miramax, Sony Classics, and Columbia
Pictures, to be shown in shopping-mall cineplexes to American mainstream audiences;
and, while scholars and critics had already scourged filmmakers like Chen Kaige and
Zhang Yimou back in the 90s for making movies tailored to Euroamerican audiences on
the film festival circuit, current films from the People’s Republic of China are beginning
to possess the cachet of Hollywood blockbusters, with slick, sophisticated production
values, internationally-known casts and technical staff, and big-budget special effects.
Whether these films and their directors will also lose their original commitment to a
cinematic stance that examines Chinese traditions, history, and social and political
problems in a critical light is the topic I will attempt to explore today, examining as a test
subject the recent and past work of the now internationally-famous director Zhang
Yimou.
Zhang Yimou is perhaps the best known of the Fifth Generation directors, those
graduates of the Beijing Central Film Academy who grew up during the Cultural
Revolution of the 60s. Like most of his classmates, Zhang was taken out of school as a
teenager and forced into a “ruralization” program, first working in an agricultural
collective and later in a spinning mill, part of a textile factory that resembled the one
portrayed in his film Ju Dou. As a young adult he took up photography, and after
establishing a modest career as a photojournalist, applied to the film academy in 1979,
where he studied cinematography. After graduation he took a job with the state-run
Guanxi Film Studios, which at the time was run by Wu Tianming, who supported
experimental art cinema and encouraged Zhang and his classmates to produce films that
broke from the socialist realism of the 60s and 70s. Zhang worked as a cameraman on
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Zhang Junzhao’s The One and the Eight (1984) one of the earliest of the Fifth Generation
films; later that year, he was cinematographer for Chen Kaige’s Yellow Earth, which
became the first Fifth Generation film to catch the attention of international critics. It
wasn’t until 1987, however, when he moved with Wu Tianming to Xian Studios, that
Zhang was finally able to direct his own film, Red Sorghum, which won the Berlin Film
Festival’s Golden Bear Award the following year, and became the first movie of the Fifth
Generation to become popular with Chinese audiences. (3)
It was fortunate that Zhang received international attention at that point, as in
1989 came the June 4 Incident, the mass arrest and execution of demonstrators at
Tiananmen Square. His boss and supporter, Wu Tianmeng, was abroad at the time and
denounced the Chinese government for its actions, but as a result he was forced into exile
in the United States. Xian Studios was taken over by the central Film Bureau, whose
director denounced the Fifth Generation filmmakers for “national nihilism” and blind
worship of Western film theory (which ironically, Zhang says he has never studied) (4).
Bereft of state support, Zhang made his next film, Ju Dou, with funding from a
Japanese production company. The film, though not popular in China, was submitted by
the Chinese government in 1991 for an Oscar in the foreign film category, then was
quickly withdrawn and censored because its two central characters, the wife of an abusive
textile factory owner and his nephew, have an affair, which to Chinese audiences was
considered incestuous. By this point, Zhang had already started production of Raise the
Red Lantern with funding from a Taiwanese distributor. Again his film was banned, since
the Chinese government considered any transaction with Taiwan illegal, even though the
money was sent to Zhang through the distributor’s Hong Kong subsidiary. Abroad,
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however, Raise the Red Lantern garnered so many international awards from critics and
the Venice Film Festival that Zhang was regarded as an embarrassment by the Chinese
Film Bureau and its government cohorts.
A pattern might seem evident at this juncture: government support for
experimental film directors is withdrawn after 1989, forcing them to seek funding for
their productions from commercial venues in other nations. Zhang, after winning a film
festival award in Germany, finds his best options for funding in Japan and Taiwan, and is
rewarded for his efforts in Europe and the United States. He is also criticized at this time
by Chinese journalists and critics, as well as film scholars in other countries, for creating
movies “for the casual pleasure of foreigners” (5), that are “self-Orientalizing” or allow
Westerners to revel in the films’ exoticism and brutality towards women (6).
This seems to lock Zhang in a Catch-22 position: he is denied the opportunity to
make films with Chinese government support, but under the new open-market rules of the
90s, he is allowed to seek financing from foreign companies, which opens him to the
charge of commercialism. He is also encouraged to show his films at festivals abroad, but
any approval by Euroamerican critics and audiences is seen as evidence that he has sold
out to an Orientalist/masculinist gaze.
Zhang does have his critical supporters, most notably in Rey Chow and Jerome
Silbergeld, who regard his films as critiques of Orientalism and of Chinese historical
traditions and current problems, particularly in regards to the status of women (7). He
also has been redeemed in the eyes of the Chinese government, who in its fickleness has
presented Zhang’s other films, such as The Story of Qiu Jiu (1992), with state-sponsored
awards, then unbanned his previously censored films, then banned his 1994 film To Live
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and his 1997 film Keep Cool. To Live, which is about a family whose fortunes rise and
fall with the history of China from the 1920s to the late 60s, was made again with
Taiwanese money, which would explain its ban; however, it was briefly released in the
United States and shown commercially through an American distributor. Keep Cool
however is still nearly impossible to find in video and few people outside of China have
seen it since it was withdrawn from the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. One of his few
films set in contemporary China, one of the core scenes is where the protagonist is beaten
up by the co-workers of a woman he has fallen in love with. Chen Kaige, speaking from
exile in New York, speculated the film was banned because of the then-upcoming
handover of Hong Kong by the British to China: the Chinese government didn’t want any
image released that might suggest that the Chinese were irrational, barbaric, violent, etc. ,
causing the British to back out of the deal (8).
Zhang’s true redemption in the eyes of the Chinese government however, came
with the release of Hero in 2002. Co-produced by the Beijing New Picture Film
Company and Hong Kong’s Elite Group Enterprises, both state-run companies, Hero had
its Chinese premiere at The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and was said to be the
most coveted invitation in town (9). The film cost US$31 million to produce, making it
the most expensive film to date in Chinese history, and some 18,000 members of the
People’s Liberation Army were used as extras. Hero also became China’s highest
grossing film, taking in almost $54 million in the United States alone, over $26 million in
Hong Kong, and $20 million in China (10).
The movie is stunningly gorgeous: a martial arts epic combined with historical
drama, characters float through color-themed sets, fight on water, pursue one another
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over trees bathed in autumn gold, ride through yellow deserts with blue mountains in the
background. The lead character is played by Hong Kong action film hero Jet Li, with
Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung and Donnie Yen, all familiar names in Hong Kong cinema,
starring as his fellow assassins. (One thing Zhang Yimou learned from directing Hero
was that northern audiences were put off by the Cantonese accents of the Hong Kong
actors. In House of Flying Daggers, the Hong Kong actors’ voices are dubbed.) Zhang
Ziyi, fresh from her star turn in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is largely wasted as the
servant and sometimes lover of the assassin Broken Sword (Tony Leung). There is no
doubt however, that the $31 million in production costs were well spent.
What is profoundly troubling, however, and what Zhang’s usual critics are
surprisingly silent about, is the message intoned by the film, that a strong, central
authority is good, and all means are justified if it done for the good of “our country.” The
Emperor Qin, known to every Chinese schoolchild as being a brutal tyrant who unified
China and created a centralized government, language, and rule of law, is portrayed in the
film as being a wise, even sympathetic character with a “grand vision” for his future
nation. He is a brilliant warrior himself, able to match the skills of Jet Li’s nameless
assassin. He is also able to persuade Broken Sword and Nameless into believing that his
vision is the correct one, that the individual should sacrifice his own selfish desires for
the good of the whole. Interestingly, the female assassin, Flying Snow, will have none of
this, and attacks her co-conspirators rather than give up her desire to avenge her father’s
death at the hands of the Qin emperor. In the tradition of Zhang Yimou’s strong female
protagonists, she refuses to submit to the status quo, and becomes the unruly, destructive
force within the film. Like her sisters Ju Dou and Jiu’er from Red Sorghum, she pays with
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her life for defying the patriarchy, though in this case, Zhang seems to infer that Flying
Snow is in the wrong, and this time it is the men who do know better.
Zhang in subsequent interviews refused to address his colleagues’ complaints
about the inherent message of his film, though he acknowledged he toned down the blood
and gore for sake of his audience, whom he saw as the average Chinese citizen (11). He
insisted, as he always has, that his intended audience was Chinese, not waiguoren,
foreigners. However, Hero seems to follow a pattern that Zhang has kept to since the
government banning of Keep Cool, when he was ordered to make movies only in China
using Chinese production companies (read state-run, state-funded). The movies that
followed were uncontroversial by Zhang’s previous standards: The Road Home, made in
1999, is a sweet tale about the romance between a peasant girl and the young
schoolteacher sent to her village. Not One Less, also made in 1999, is about a 13-year-old
girl who is left in charge of the impoverished village school and who goes to the city to
find one of her students, who has quit school in order to support his ailing mother. Happy
Times, the film preceding Hero, is an oddball comedy about an unemployed steelworker
who claims to own a hotel in order to impress a greedy divorcee, and ends up caring for
her blind stepdaughter. These films, while not bad, lack the bite and fury of Zhang’s
earlier films. They are easier to watch and harder to criticize---for they are well-made
movies, if oddly saccharine for Zhang---and perhaps this is the point. Zhang, following
the strictures of the Chinese government, has stuck to movies made in China and funded
by the state. They do not offend, they do not shock, and they do not criticize, not anyone
directly, at any rate. And as a reward for these and a promotional film made to sell
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Beijing to the International Olympics Committee, the strictures were lifted by the
Chinese government and Zhang was allowed to make Hero.
At this point it is difficult to say where Chinese cinema is going, with the
appearance of a new Sixth and even Seventh Generation whose attitudes are urban,
postmodernist and ironic. The films of this new generation have not been as well received
by critics in the West as the Fifth Generation’s were, perhaps because they are not unlike
urban, postmodern Euroamerican filmmakers---they are not “exotic,” as Zhang Yimou’s
critics would put it, there is no “difference.” It is interesting to note, however, that Zhang
Yimou’s most recent completed project, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, is set in
contemporary Japan, using Japanese actors and is distributed by corporate media giant
Sony Pictures Classics and the recently revived Toho Studios. The budget is tiny by
Hero’s standards, using a small cast and focusing on the attempted reconciliation of a
semi-literate fisherman and his dying filmmaker son. The focus however is on an actor
from Chinese opera whom the son is obsessed with and wants to interview before the son
dies. One senses that Zhang is exploring a familiar subject in a new venue, albeit with no
strong female protagonist to disturb and rile the status quo. That seems to be reserved for
Zhang’s work in process, The City of Golden Armor, which will star his old muse, Gong
Li, and which is another historical drama featuring martial arts choreography. It is being
produced by Beijing New Pictures, Hero’s production company, and doubtless will be
spectacular.
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WORKS CITED
[1] Klein, Christina. “The Asia Factor in Global Hollywood: Breaking down the notion of
a distinctly American cinema.” Literature at MIT (originally pub.YaleGlobal
Online, 2003.)
<http://web.mit. edu/lit/www/spotlightarticles/hollywood.html>
-“Martial Arts and the globalization of US and Asian Film Industries.”
Comparative American Studies 2.3 (2004): 360-384.
[2] Dai Jinhua. Cinema and Desire: Feminist Marxism and Cultural Politics in the Work
of Dai Jinhua. Ed. Jing Wang and Tani E. Barlow. London: Verso Books, 2002.
[3] Gateward, Frances, ed. Zhang Yimou: Interviews. Jackson: University of Mississippi
Press, 2001. xiii-xiv.
[4] Gateward. 83.
[5] Dai-dai, Qing. “Raised Eyebrows for Raise the Red Lantern.” Trans. Jeanne Tai.
Public Culture. 5:2. Winter 1993. 336.
[6] Dai Jinhua. 57-59.
[7] Chow, Rey. Primitive Passions: Visuality, Sexuality, Ethnography, and Contemporary
Chinese Cinema. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.
Silbergeld, Jerome. China Into Film: Frames of Reference in Contemporary
Chinese Cinema. London: Reaktion Books Ltd., 1999.
[8] Corliss, Richard. “Asian Sweep: Films from Iran and Japan took the big honors at
Cannes, but where were China’s top contenders?” Time Magazine. June 2, 1997.
149:22.
[9] muzi.com “Beijing Goes Hollywood at ‘Hero’ premiere.” 15 December 2002.
< http://news.muzi.com/ll/english/1238629.shtml>
[10] imdb.com “Ying xiong (2002): box office and business.”
< http://imdb.com/title/tt0299977/business>
[11] imdb.com “Yang xiong (2002): trivia.”
< http://imdb.com/title/tt0299977/trivia>
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