Question One
The film industry of China is one of the vastest in the world. Despite this, a lot of the films they make receive little acclaim or success outside of China. My aim at the beginning of this research task was to study why some directors receive both critical, and financial success in the west, focusing on the work of Zhang Yimou, the director of such films as House of Flying Daggers, Hero and Curse of the Golden Flower. I chose this topic because I already had a fondness for Asian cinema, and specifically Zhang Yimou so I was enthusiastic to learn more about his views on his films and their success and also explore the views of different theorists of Chinese cinema. I thought it would be a good idea to keep a record of the research I did in order to get support from my teachers, and easily correlate it at the end of the project. I used www.Blogger.com and my address was http://latymermediacriticalresearch09nathan.blogspot.com.
I started my research with primary research. I decided to watch all the films that I wanted to focus on (House of flying daggers, Hero, Riding alone for thousands of miles and Curse of the Golden Flower) in order to refresh my memory of the ones I had already seen and have a primary viewing of the ones I hadn’t. By doing this I felt that I could start to form my own opinions of why the films had received relatively high success levels, and therefore give my self a starting point for my research and a line to take in my answer to the question.
After watching these films I decided to start on my secondary sources of research. I read extracts from several books including Sinascape: Contemporary Chinese Cinema by Gary G. Xu, Chinese National Cinema (National Cinemas Series.) by Yingjin Zhang and Out of Asia: The Films of Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, Abbas Kiraostami, and Zhang Yimou; Essays and Interviews by Bert Cardullo. These books were interesting, especially Out of Asia, as it contained an interview with Zhang Yimou in which he spoke in some detail about why he felt his films had been successful in the west. One problem I had, however, is that I had bought the books from www.Amazon.co.uk, which is a useful site as it provides a list of recommended books, however it is hard to gauge how much relevant information each book will have. Because of this I found some books held little relevant information. It was at times also tedious to read long bodies of texts that in many ways overlapped in content. I would probably have been better off buying fewer books and reading each in more detail. I also took a visit to the British Film Institute Library which had several magazine articles and periodicals about the work of Zhang Yimou.
I then decided to do some primary research.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
my questionairre
Name
Age
What is you favourite film genre?
What do you look for in a film?
e.g Comedy, violence...
Would you describe yourself as a fan of chinese cinema?
Why?
Have you seen any of these Zhang Yimou films-
House of flying daggers
Hero
Curse of the Golden Flower
Riding alone for thousands of miles
What other chinese films have you seen
Have you seen any you particularly remember
why?
Have you seen any you did not enjoy
why?
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN WATCHING THE REST OF ANY OF THE FILMS YUO HAVE JSUT SEEN.
why#
Thank you
Age
What is you favourite film genre?
What do you look for in a film?
e.g Comedy, violence...
Would you describe yourself as a fan of chinese cinema?
Why?
Have you seen any of these Zhang Yimou films-
House of flying daggers
Hero
Curse of the Golden Flower
Riding alone for thousands of miles
What other chinese films have you seen
Have you seen any you particularly remember
why?
Have you seen any you did not enjoy
why?
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN WATCHING THE REST OF ANY OF THE FILMS YUO HAVE JSUT SEEN.
why#
Thank you
Film Club
I did film club the other day and about 4 people turned up? maybe thats a record!!!!!!
apart from the low people count it went pretty well, i got some good stuff from questionairres to use and i can also talk about how if focus groups arnet propperly organised they can go wrong/people not turning up
also interesting that people were much more interested in the martial arts and action parts than the slower paced bits.
im about to post the quesitonairre
apart from the low people count it went pretty well, i got some good stuff from questionairres to use and i can also talk about how if focus groups arnet propperly organised they can go wrong/people not turning up
also interesting that people were much more interested in the martial arts and action parts than the slower paced bits.
im about to post the quesitonairre
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
BLK
Targets agreed Weds 11th March:
1.bulk up proposal, fill gaps
2.bring films in Thurs, choose clips for analysis
3.book film soc session with mike c
1.bulk up proposal, fill gaps
2.bring films in Thurs, choose clips for analysis
3.book film soc session with mike c
Hero
This is one of my favourite scenes from the film
the Aesthetics of the scene are very important but so are the thoughts and philosophy behind it. i think this scene would have quite different meanings for an eastern and western audience. both would find the actual fight exciting, however i think that all the stuff that they are saying might have more weight with a chinese audience as all the interviews I ave read with ZY he's mentioned that chinese people are brought up with chinese myths an mythologies. (perhaps this is why the historical groundings of his films have more of an impact on the popularity with chinese audiences than western audiences)
This scene is very stylised and the use of colour is emphasised, in the film each telling of the story is drenched in a different colour to convey the emotion pinned to that version (although im not really sure what this one is all about its colour scheme is grey)
Old fashioned chinese films of the 50s and 60s used these sort of 'flying' but actors such as bruce lee and directors such as Wei Lo in the 70s started using a lot more of a western realistic style, this is when asian cinema first started growing in popularity in the west.
I think that Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and ZY were the first directors to contemparise the style and bring to a western audience in a big way in the late 20th/early 21st century.
The fact that these types of films are having renewed success shows the skill and artistry of the directors as the films truly do feel contemporary despite their being set in the distant past. this may be to do with technology, budget and better acting aswell.
the Aesthetics of the scene are very important but so are the thoughts and philosophy behind it. i think this scene would have quite different meanings for an eastern and western audience. both would find the actual fight exciting, however i think that all the stuff that they are saying might have more weight with a chinese audience as all the interviews I ave read with ZY he's mentioned that chinese people are brought up with chinese myths an mythologies. (perhaps this is why the historical groundings of his films have more of an impact on the popularity with chinese audiences than western audiences)
This scene is very stylised and the use of colour is emphasised, in the film each telling of the story is drenched in a different colour to convey the emotion pinned to that version (although im not really sure what this one is all about its colour scheme is grey)
Old fashioned chinese films of the 50s and 60s used these sort of 'flying' but actors such as bruce lee and directors such as Wei Lo in the 70s started using a lot more of a western realistic style, this is when asian cinema first started growing in popularity in the west.
I think that Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and ZY were the first directors to contemparise the style and bring to a western audience in a big way in the late 20th/early 21st century.
The fact that these types of films are having renewed success shows the skill and artistry of the directors as the films truly do feel contemporary despite their being set in the distant past. this may be to do with technology, budget and better acting aswell.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hes Also doing a film to celebrate 60 years of ppls republic of china
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/04/zhang-yimou-peoples-republic
He started out making sorta anti govmnt films and this article from the guardian talks aobut how hes changed.
He started out making sorta anti govmnt films and this article from the guardian talks aobut how hes changed.
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce did a review of the film which wasnt particularly complimentary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/09/17/hero_2004_review.shtml
He also said
'It is also a strikingly communist picture, suggesting people should submit to a murderous state.'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/09/17/hero_2004_review.shtml
He also said
'It is also a strikingly communist picture, suggesting people should submit to a murderous state.'
Another interview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/film_award/shortlist/hero.shtml
Hero has been a huge commercial success both in China and around the world. Did you set out to make it as big a hit as possible?
I never expected that it would be so popular internationally. I am more in the habit of judging the tastes of Chinese audiences. I couldn't have predicted that so many foreigners would like it. I have been thinking about it a lot since completing the movie.
To what extent did you make this film appeal to a Western audience and their idea of China as exotic?
You can't really think that way. Appreciation of a good film is something universal. It is about feelings, characters, stories, colours, scenery, beauty - much of which is common to all human beings, especially feelings. As long as the film appeals to human emotions, all audiences will enjoy it.
Do you feel Chinese films are having an influence on Hollywood?
I used to think many Hollywood action movies were pretty stupid, but now the moves are becoming much better visually. Like John Woo's movies, the martial arts are quite poetic. Many big American movies are beginning to have Chinese Kung Fu scenes - The Matrix, for example. The action sequences in the films are more beautiful, more rhythmic. It's great to see Chinese ideology affecting Hollywood in a positive way. Kung Fu can influence people all over the world, it inspires hope, and it can help people learn about traditional Chinese art. Any Chinese person would be proud of that.
Hero has been a huge commercial success both in China and around the world. Did you set out to make it as big a hit as possible?
I never expected that it would be so popular internationally. I am more in the habit of judging the tastes of Chinese audiences. I couldn't have predicted that so many foreigners would like it. I have been thinking about it a lot since completing the movie.
To what extent did you make this film appeal to a Western audience and their idea of China as exotic?
You can't really think that way. Appreciation of a good film is something universal. It is about feelings, characters, stories, colours, scenery, beauty - much of which is common to all human beings, especially feelings. As long as the film appeals to human emotions, all audiences will enjoy it.
Do you feel Chinese films are having an influence on Hollywood?
I used to think many Hollywood action movies were pretty stupid, but now the moves are becoming much better visually. Like John Woo's movies, the martial arts are quite poetic. Many big American movies are beginning to have Chinese Kung Fu scenes - The Matrix, for example. The action sequences in the films are more beautiful, more rhythmic. It's great to see Chinese ideology affecting Hollywood in a positive way. Kung Fu can influence people all over the world, it inspires hope, and it can help people learn about traditional Chinese art. Any Chinese person would be proud of that.
Interesting interview
http://www.asiasource.org/arts/zhangyimou.cfm#
What are your favorite American movies? What do you think of Asian Americans in Hollywood?
There are many genres of American films and I spend most of my film time watching American films because American films really takes up a large part of the world film market. Wherever you go in the theaters around the world, what you see are mostly American films, especially American commercial films. There are many American directors and actors that I like a lot. But of course, there are good ones, and not so good ones. I am not against Hollywood's commercial films, and I watch them very often and often find good ones there. One can't really make a generalization about Hollywood. I am not like the French and the Italians who are hostile to Hollywood, calling it all junk. I have varied taste, and watch a lot, whatever catches my attention. The most recent one that I saw was in Hong Kong. It is a sci-fi, ghost kind of film, mixing ghosts, vampires, etc., all together. I don't really remember the name of the film because it was translated in Hong Kong. But I really like the computer animations and special effects.
There are many foreign directors who are seeking to develop in Hollywood. It is true in many countries that directors, once they make their names known in their own country, are immediately bought over by Hollywood, or rather, they are drafted to Hollywood. I think these are all the personal choices of the directors themselves. The large market that Hollywood could provide constitutes a great temptation to many directors. An audience of 20,000 is very different from an audience of 2 million. It's natural that lots of directors want to seek their development in Hollywood so they'll have a larger space and a larger audience.
There are examples of Asian American directors, such as Ang Lee and John Woo, and successful examples too. It all shows their success. I think they made the right choice in coming to Hollywood. But often, I have been asked whether I wanted to come to Hollywood myself. My answer is that I am not suitable for Hollywood. First I don't know the language. Second, the films I make are all based in China. If I come here, I can't really make the films here. I won't even be able to make a third-rate film. So I know myself, and know that I can't really be separated from the land I grew up in. I can only stay in China. There are many genres of American films and I spend most of my film time watching American films because American films really takes up a large part of the world film market. Wherever you go in the theaters around the world, what you see are mostly American films, especially American commercial films. There are many American directors and actors that I like a lot. But of course, there are good ones, and not so good ones. I am not against Hollywood's commercial films, and I watch them very often and often find good ones there. One can't really make a generalization about Hollywood. I am not like the French and the Italians who are hostile to Hollywood, calling it all junk. I have varied taste, and watch a lot, whatever catches my attention. The most recent one that I saw was in Hong Kong. It is a sci-fi, ghost kind of film, mixing ghosts, vampires, etc., all together. I don't really remember the name of the film because it was translated in Hong Kong. But I really like the computer animations and special effects.
There are many foreign directors who are seeking to develop in Hollywood. It is true in many countries that directors, once they make their names known in their own country, are immediately bought over by Hollywood, or rather, they are drafted to Hollywood. I think these are all the personal choices of the directors themselves. The large market that Hollywood could provide constitutes a great temptation to many directors. An audience of 20,000 is very different from an audience of 2 million. It's natural that lots of directors want to seek their development in Hollywood so they'll have a larger space and a larger audience.
There are examples of Asian American directors, such as Ang Lee and John Woo, and successful examples too. It all shows their success. I think they made the right choice in coming to Hollywood. But often, I have been asked whether I wanted to come to Hollywood myself. My answer is that I am not suitable for Hollywood. First I don't know the language. Second, the films I make are all based in China. If I come here, I can't really make the films here. I won't even be able to make a third-rate film. So I know myself, and know that I can't really be separated from the land I grew up in. I can only stay in China.
Hero is not a major contender for the Oscars given its late release in the US. How do you feel about it being marketed as a Quentin Tarantino film, not a Zhang Yimou?
This film's release had been delayed a long time in the US. I think this is Miramax's own plan, and I can't really intervene. My manager also told me that the contract says the timing for the release is also set by them. We could only worry. Jet Li told me that at least $20 million dollars were lost as a result of the delayed release. He did a calculation, saying that all the Chinese people in the US had all seen it on DVDs, or VCDs, so they won't go to theaters. But timing is still their commercial choice, and I can't really do anything.
Miramax asked me before whether it would be okay for them to market it as "Quentin Tarantino presents." Quentin and I are friends, and when he was making Kill Bill in Beijing, I went to see him. I found out that his staff is mostly the staff of Hero, and I joked with him that he is using my people and we are really one family. I think this is really an American marketing scheme, and I don't have any problem with it. Quentin is also a director who I really like. It is only natural that they use an American way for marketing, for each region has its own way of marketing.
What are your favorite American movies? What do you think of Asian Americans in Hollywood?
There are many genres of American films and I spend most of my film time watching American films because American films really takes up a large part of the world film market. Wherever you go in the theaters around the world, what you see are mostly American films, especially American commercial films. There are many American directors and actors that I like a lot. But of course, there are good ones, and not so good ones. I am not against Hollywood's commercial films, and I watch them very often and often find good ones there. One can't really make a generalization about Hollywood. I am not like the French and the Italians who are hostile to Hollywood, calling it all junk. I have varied taste, and watch a lot, whatever catches my attention. The most recent one that I saw was in Hong Kong. It is a sci-fi, ghost kind of film, mixing ghosts, vampires, etc., all together. I don't really remember the name of the film because it was translated in Hong Kong. But I really like the computer animations and special effects.
There are many foreign directors who are seeking to develop in Hollywood. It is true in many countries that directors, once they make their names known in their own country, are immediately bought over by Hollywood, or rather, they are drafted to Hollywood. I think these are all the personal choices of the directors themselves. The large market that Hollywood could provide constitutes a great temptation to many directors. An audience of 20,000 is very different from an audience of 2 million. It's natural that lots of directors want to seek their development in Hollywood so they'll have a larger space and a larger audience.
There are examples of Asian American directors, such as Ang Lee and John Woo, and successful examples too. It all shows their success. I think they made the right choice in coming to Hollywood. But often, I have been asked whether I wanted to come to Hollywood myself. My answer is that I am not suitable for Hollywood. First I don't know the language. Second, the films I make are all based in China. If I come here, I can't really make the films here. I won't even be able to make a third-rate film. So I know myself, and know that I can't really be separated from the land I grew up in. I can only stay in China. There are many genres of American films and I spend most of my film time watching American films because American films really takes up a large part of the world film market. Wherever you go in the theaters around the world, what you see are mostly American films, especially American commercial films. There are many American directors and actors that I like a lot. But of course, there are good ones, and not so good ones. I am not against Hollywood's commercial films, and I watch them very often and often find good ones there. One can't really make a generalization about Hollywood. I am not like the French and the Italians who are hostile to Hollywood, calling it all junk. I have varied taste, and watch a lot, whatever catches my attention. The most recent one that I saw was in Hong Kong. It is a sci-fi, ghost kind of film, mixing ghosts, vampires, etc., all together. I don't really remember the name of the film because it was translated in Hong Kong. But I really like the computer animations and special effects.
There are many foreign directors who are seeking to develop in Hollywood. It is true in many countries that directors, once they make their names known in their own country, are immediately bought over by Hollywood, or rather, they are drafted to Hollywood. I think these are all the personal choices of the directors themselves. The large market that Hollywood could provide constitutes a great temptation to many directors. An audience of 20,000 is very different from an audience of 2 million. It's natural that lots of directors want to seek their development in Hollywood so they'll have a larger space and a larger audience.
There are examples of Asian American directors, such as Ang Lee and John Woo, and successful examples too. It all shows their success. I think they made the right choice in coming to Hollywood. But often, I have been asked whether I wanted to come to Hollywood myself. My answer is that I am not suitable for Hollywood. First I don't know the language. Second, the films I make are all based in China. If I come here, I can't really make the films here. I won't even be able to make a third-rate film. So I know myself, and know that I can't really be separated from the land I grew up in. I can only stay in China.
Hero is not a major contender for the Oscars given its late release in the US. How do you feel about it being marketed as a Quentin Tarantino film, not a Zhang Yimou?
This film's release had been delayed a long time in the US. I think this is Miramax's own plan, and I can't really intervene. My manager also told me that the contract says the timing for the release is also set by them. We could only worry. Jet Li told me that at least $20 million dollars were lost as a result of the delayed release. He did a calculation, saying that all the Chinese people in the US had all seen it on DVDs, or VCDs, so they won't go to theaters. But timing is still their commercial choice, and I can't really do anything.
Miramax asked me before whether it would be okay for them to market it as "Quentin Tarantino presents." Quentin and I are friends, and when he was making Kill Bill in Beijing, I went to see him. I found out that his staff is mostly the staff of Hero, and I joked with him that he is using my people and we are really one family. I think this is really an American marketing scheme, and I don't have any problem with it. Quentin is also a director who I really like. It is only natural that they use an American way for marketing, for each region has its own way of marketing.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Oh yeah
Zhang Yimou also directed the opening ceremony for the Olympics, as this is an international event it might be quite interesting to look into.
Steven Spielberg nominated him as Time Magazine's Person of the Year (2008) which also shows his international appeal within the industry..............
Steven Spielberg nominated him as Time Magazine's Person of the Year (2008) which also shows his international appeal within the industry..............
the books
I read some of Out of Asia, (an interview of Zhang Yimou) and he said that the films he made were not aimed at a western audience, and that he didn't understand the western culture as he couldnt speak the language. This was interesting although in the interview some of the things he said contradicted although there may have just been translation issues as he was speaking through an interpreter (he began by talking about wanting to make films about the Cultural Revolution, but then later said he had no interest in politics or political films)
He also said that censorship in chinese films played a big role in what they could and couldnt do and implied that it was very limiting. this could be an interesting topic to look at (the Chinese censorship of film)
He also said that censorship in chinese films played a big role in what they could and couldnt do and implied that it was very limiting. this could be an interesting topic to look at (the Chinese censorship of film)
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