CHINESE CINEMA

& THE 5TH GENERATION

THE 3 CHINESE CINEMAS

SILENT

ERA

Movies introduced to Mainland China, late 1890s American & European films, very popular Interpreted by a live Chinese narrator

THE 3 CHINESE CINEMAS

NATIVE

PRODUCTION

Production began in China about 1905 1908, 1st feature film, Tingchun Mountain 1908, the 1st Chinese studio founded
Asia

Motion Picture Company Begun by American Benjamin Polaski & 2 Chinese businessmen

THE 3 CHINESE CINEMAS

By 1910, thriving Chinese film industry In 1917, rival company, Commercial Press

Foreign-owned company located in Shanghai Sophisticated system of production & distribution

1922, 1st wholly-owned Chinese film studio, Ming Hsing (or Min-Xin, Star)

THE 3 CHINESE CINEMAS

THE SOUND/LANGUAGE PROBLEM

Different dialects spoken, resulted in regional cinemas Most successful Cantonese, based in HK & Canton

Early sound films technically primitive Concerned with:

Social issues (oppression of peasants & women) Political issues (growing aggression of Japanese)

THE 3 CHINESE CINEMAS

Japanese invasion (1937) forced production companies south

HK, Taiwan, Singapore & Malaysia Some remained, collaborated with Japanese

1945 production resumed, interrupted by civil war Communists won, Chinese cinema split into 3 directions:

PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC) HONG KONG TAIWAN

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

1949-66:

nationalization & collectivization

Ministry of Culture set up Film Administration Bureau with 2 divisions
Production

& processing of prints Distribution & exhibition

Chairman Mao created problems

Didn't

especially support the industry Often banned films he didn't like

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Even so, 10 major studios established, 1 in each major city Films produced before 1956 films of Socialist Realism 1956-66 (Hundred Flowers campaign) control loosened, many films stylistically interesting & mildly critical of government In 1964, over 480 feature films, 3000 newsreels, 200 cartoons

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

1966 beginning of 10-year Cultural Revolution

Industry ceased operations, filmmakers sent for re-education Production resumed in 1970 with untrained amateurs

In 1976, moderates gained power, industry liberalized Ended in 1989 with Tiananmen Square massacre

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

1966 beginning of 10-year Cultural Revolution

For 3 years, industry ceased operations, filmmakers sent to countryside for reeducation Production resumed in 1970 with untrained amateurs making overblown epics glorifying the Revolution

1976, moderates gained power, film industry liberalized politically & financially (process known as fang)

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Films

affected by Cultural Revolution

Audiences tired of Socialist Realism Many filmmakers had bad attitudes

1980s,

new relationship between studios & government

State no longer provided full funding Studios forced to make their own money New emphasis on the audience

THE 5TH GENERATION

State

still operated censorship section of Film Bureau

Wanted movies to support modernization politics Allowed relatively high degree of criticism

THE 5TH GENERATION

THE

WOUND OR SCAR GENRE

Immediately after Cultural Revolution, based on works of wound or scar literature About 2 types of problems:
Disruption

of romantic relationships Disappointment of those loyal to China & Revolution, unjustly persecuted

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Flashbacks, voice-over narration, fairly low-key Rejected styles & conventions of earlier Chinese films

No glamorization of peasant life Differentiated between peasants & the govt. More sympathetic portrayal of intellectuals

Genre had run its course by about 1983

THE 5TH GENERATION

1984-85,

group of filmmakers emerged to make optimistic films Focus on individuals & problems, instead of characters as representative of social classes or ideological positions Broke away from rigid studio system

THE 5TH GENERATION

In

Yamaha Fishstall (1984), Chiang Liang used amateur actors & location shooting In Juvenile Delinquents (1985), used inmates of juvenile disciplinary centers Female director, Lu Xiaoya, who made Girl in Red (1985)

THE 5TH GENERATION

5th

Generation became known internationally with Yellow Earth (Chen Kaige, 1985)

Yellow Earth (Chen Kaige, 1985)

THE 5TH GENERATION

The

films of Zhang Yimou solidified the international reputation of the 5th Generation

Raise the Red Lantern (Zhang Yimou,1992)

Red Sorghum (Zhang Yimou,1987)

Shanghai Triad (Zhang Yimou,1995)

Hero (Zhang Yimou,2002)

THE 5TH GENERATION

Before

Tiananmen Square, 6th Generation emerged

Tian Zhuangzhuang, Wu Ziniu & Influenced by Chinese culture, CHC, AC & 3rd World cinemas Not as concerned with Communist Party or commercial success

Horse Thief (Tian Zhuangzhuang, 1986)

The Blue Kite (Tian Zhuangzhuang, 1993)

National Anthem (Wu Ziniu,1999)

The Hero Zheng Cheng Gong (Wu Ziniu,2001)

The Hero Zheng Cheng Gong (Wu Ziniu,2001)

Frozen (Xiaoshuai Wang,1996)

So Close to Paradise (Xiaoshuai Wang,1998)

Beijing Bicycle (Xiaoshuai Wang, 2001)

THE 5TH GENERATION

To a certain extent, characteristics of 5th Generation

Debate about how to categorize directors & their films More similarities among these films than differences 5th Generation style emerging, embraces different talents with different influences

A Chinese Cinema of Quality?

Father (Lou Jian, 2001)

Purple Sunset (Feng Xiaoning, 2001)

A Love of Blueness (Huo Jianqi, 2001)