Cinema Taiwan : politics, popularity, and state of the arts

This collection presents an exciting and ambitious foray into the cultural politics of contemporary Taiwan film that goes beyond the auterist mode, the nation-state argument and vestiges of the New Cinema.Following the recent success of Taiwanese film directors, such as Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Ang Lee and Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwanese film is raising its profile in contemporary cinema. This collection presents an exciting and ambitious foray into the cultural politics of contemporary Taiwan film that goes beyond the auterist mode, the nation-state argument and vestiges of the New Cinema. Cinema Taiwan considers the complex problems of popularity, conflicts between transnational capital and local practice, non-fiction and independent filmmaking as emerging modes of address, and new possibilities of forging vibrant film cultures embedded in national (identity) politics, gender/sexuality and community activism. Insightful and challenging, the essays in this collection will attract attention to a globally significant field of cultural production and will appeal to readers from the areas of film studies, cultural studies and Chinese culture and society. With Contributions From Leading Scholars From Six Countries, Cinema Taiwan Provides Extensive Discussion Of Developments In Storytelling, Styles And Socio-political Transformation To Represent A New Maturing Of Film Theory, History And Analysis In Taiwan Scholarship. The Book Examines Complex Problems Of Popularity, Conflicts Between Transnational Capital And Local Practice, Non-fiction And Independent Filmmaking As Emerging Modes Of Address, As Well As New Opportunities To Forge Vibrant Film Cultures Embedded In Taiwanese (identity) Politics, Gender/sexuality And Community Activism. The Volume Includes A Comprehensive Filmography, Bibliography Of Essential Sources, And A Chinese-language Glossary.--book Jacket. Introduction: Cinema Taiwan, A Civilizing Mission? / Darrell William Davis -- The Vision Of Taiwan New Documentary / Kuei-fen Chiu -- Haunted Realism: Postcoloniality And The Cinema Of Chang Tso-chi / Chris Berry -- The Impossible Task Of Taipei Films / Yomi Braester -- Taiwan In Mainland Chinese Cinema / Robert Chi -- Festivals, Criticism And International Reputation Of Taiwan New Cinema / Chia-chi Wu -- The Unbearable Lightness Of Globalization: On The Transnational Flight Of Wuxia Film / Hsiao-hung Chang -- This Isn't Real! Spatialized Narration And (in)visible Special Effects In Double Vision / Ru-shou Robert Chen -- Morning In The New Metroplis: Taipei And The Globalization Of The City Film / James Tweedie -- Taiwan (trans)national Cinema: The Far-flung Adventures Of A Taiwanese Tomboy / Fran Martin -- Trendy In Taiwan: Problems Of Popularity In The Island's Cinema / Darrell William Daivs -- King Hu: Experimental, Narrative Filmmaker / Peter Rist -- I Thought Of The Times We Were In Front Of The Flowers: Analyzing The Opening Credits Of Goodbye Dragon Inn / Yung Hao Liyu (translated By Ming-yu Lee) -- This Time He Moves! The Deeper Significance Of Hou Hsiao-hsien's Radical Break In Good Men, Good Women / James Udden -- The Road Home: Stylistic Renovations Of Chinese Mandarin Classics / Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh. Edited By Darrell William Davis And Ru-shou Robert Chen. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Figures......Page 9 Contributors......Page 11 Preface: Screening contemporary Taiwan cinema......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 17 Note on transliteration......Page 18 Introduction: Cinema Taiwan, a civilizing mission?......Page 20 Part I: Politics......Page 34 1 The vision of Taiwan new documentary......Page 36 2 Haunted realism: Postcoloniality and the cinema of Chang Tso-chi......Page 52 3 The impossible task of Taipei films......Page 70 4 Taiwan in Mainland Chinese cinema......Page 79 5 Festivals, criticism and the international reputation of Taiwan New Cinema......Page 94 Part II: Popularity......Page 112 6 The unbearable lightness of globalization: On the transnational flight of wuxia film......Page 114 7 “This isn’t real!”: Spatialized narration and (in)visible special effects in “double vision”......Page 127 8 Morning in the new metropolis: Taipei and the globalization of the city film......Page 135 9 Taiwan (trans)national cinema: The far-flung adventures of a Taiwanese tomboy......Page 150 10 Trendy in Taiwan: Problems of popularity in the island’s cinema......Page 165 Part III: State of the arts......Page 178 11 King Hu: Experimental, narrative filmmaker......Page 180 12 “I thought of the times we were in front of the flowers”: Analyzing the opening credits of Goodbye Dragon Inn......Page 191 13 “This Time He Moves!”: The deeper significance of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s radical break in Good Men, Good Women......Page 202 14 The road home: Stylistic renovations of Chinese Mandarin classics......Page 222 Selected filmography: Selected Chinese-language films......Page 236 Chinese glossary......Page 239 Selected bibliography......Page 242 Index......Page 248 With contributions from leading scholars from six countries, Cinema Taiwan provides extensive discussion of developments in storytelling, styles and socio-political transformation to represent a new maturing of film theory, history and analysis in Taiwan scholarship. The book examines complex problems of popularity, conflicts between transnational capital and local practice, non-fiction and independent filmmaking as emerging modes of address, as well as new opportunities to forge vibrant film cultures embedded in Taiwanese (identity) politics, gender/sexuality and community activism. The volume includes a comprehensive filmography, bibliography of essential sources, and a Chinese-language glossary. Insightful and challenging, the essays in this collection focus attention on a globally significant field of cultural production, appealing to readers in the areas of film studies, cultural studies and Chinese culture and society Despite the high profile of contemporary masters such as Hou Hsiaohsien, Edward Yang, Ang Lee and Tsai Ming-liang, there has been little published work devoted to Taiwan cinema. Cinema Taiwan is a vigorous response to this gap, offering an exciting and ambitious foray into the cultural politics of contemporary Taiwan film that moves beyond nation-state arguments, the auteurist mode, and vestiges of the New Cinema. Rather it seeks to promote an understanding of place, history and media representations as interdependent frames Following the success of Taiwanese film directors, such as Hou Hsiao-hsien and Ang Lee, Taiwanese film is raising its profile in contemporary cinema. This book looks at the complex problems of popularity, conflicts between transnational capital and local practice, and, non-fiction and independent filmmaking as emerging modes of address