Difference between revisions of "Chinese Film Timeline"
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==Invention== | ==Invention== | ||
| − | + | [[File:wheeloflife.jpg|70px|thumb|left| Wheel of Life Click [http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmotionpictures.htm here] for original source.]]The “Wheel of Life” was the first machine to show moving drawings. This device was patented by William Lincoln in 1867. | |
| − | [[File:wheeloflife.jpg| | ||
| − | The “Wheel of Life” was the first machine to show moving drawings. This device was patented by William Lincoln in 1867. | ||
Filmmaking was introduced to China in 1896. | Filmmaking was introduced to China in 1896. | ||
==Beginning of Chinese Film== | ==Beginning of Chinese Film== | ||
| − | [[File:conqueringjunmountain.jpg| | + | |
| − | + | "Western motion pictures" were first shown in Shanghai in 1896. Shanghai was also the place of beginnings for the production of Chinese film.The first attempt at motion picture in China was Conquering Jun Mountain, in 1905. [[File:conqueringjunmountain.jpg|150px|thumb|right| Tan Xinpei in Conquering Jun Mountain Click [http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/film/84966.htm here] for original source.]] In the 1920s, American film specialists trained chinese technicians in Shanghai.There was great American influence on the early chinese filmmaking, which would be felt for the next twenty years. | |
| − | + | ||
The Songstress, Red Peony was the first talking motion picture by the Chinese. | The Songstress, Red Peony was the first talking motion picture by the Chinese. | ||
In the 1930s, many films reflected resistance against imperialism and feudalism such as, Torrents. There were also many films that brought out attributes of art and literature. Street Angel being one example. | In the 1930s, many films reflected resistance against imperialism and feudalism such as, Torrents. There were also many films that brought out attributes of art and literature. Street Angel being one example. | ||
| + | The current president of SFG is REN Zhonglun and he stated, "Shanghai became an important base of Chinese film and “held up half the sky”, as the Chinese idiom says." | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Chinese Film During the Mid 1950s== | ||
| + | [[File:whitehairedgirl.jpg|200px|thumb|left| The 2008 production of the White-haired Girl ballet Click [http://en.cnci.gov.cn/HtmlFiles/News/2011-7-3/14303.shtml here] for original source.]]Between 1938 and 1940, here were many debates on the topic of tension between Chinese and Western art forms in film. Because the basics of the film industry was imported from Americans, it is understandable that Chinese filmmakers would search for their own style of Cinema. Seeing as the cinema was first introduced to the Chinese in 1896, it is evident that these debates went on for near half | ||
| + | a century. | ||
| + | Much of early Chinese film was based on opera. White-haired Girl was an opera produced in 1945. This was described as a “model for revolutionary cinema”. This film is about a peasant girl, Xi’er, who is abducted by a landlord. She is raped and becomes pregnant. When the landlord tries to kill her, she escapes to a cave and lives there for nine years. Her hair becomes white during this time and when people see her, they believe her to be a goddess. | ||
| + | One outtake of the tale is that it’s not about the “victimized” character, but it’s “an embodiment of the unyielding, anti-feudal fighting spirit of China’s laboring people.” It seems as if the films made during this time period have this same underlying theme of civil revolution. | ||
| + | ==1980s and ‘90s Exploration of Film Subjects== | ||
| + | Filmmaking that occurred during this time was considered “fifth generation”. This was because filmmakers in China really started to work with things that hadn’t really been used before in the industry. One example is a film called “Mama”, made in 1990. This story is about the relationship between a mother and her mentally handicapped son. | ||
| + | Another film made during this time was, Chen Kaige’s Yellow Earth. It starts with a CCP military cadre shows up in the Shanbei area to collect songs for the soldiers. A young girl is forced to marry an older man that she has never seen, and later grasps freedom after hearing stories of the south told by this young military man. | ||
| + | ==Modern Chinese Film== | ||
| + | Modern Chinese cinema has done quite well over the past couple of years. | ||
| + | [[File:houseofflyingdaggers.jpg|200px|thumb|right| Poster of House of Flying Daggers]] A good example of this, is Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers. A young girl brings woe to two men after tricking them to believe that she is blind and helpless. Turns out she is part of the House of Flying Daggers and she falls in love with one the of the men. This movie is suggested to be more of a love movie than one based on martial arts. | ||
| Line 22: | Line 33: | ||
<http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/film/84966.htm> | <http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/film/84966.htm> | ||
<http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmotionpictures.htm> | <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmotionpictures.htm> | ||
| + | <http://www.sfs-cn.com/node3/node1828/u1a27.html> | ||
| + | Lu, Sheldon H., and Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh. Chinese-Language Film. University Hawai'i Press, 2005. Print. | ||
Latest revision as of 11:27, 11 December 2012
Invention
The “Wheel of Life” was the first machine to show moving drawings. This device was patented by William Lincoln in 1867.
Filmmaking was introduced to China in 1896.
Beginning of Chinese Film
"Western motion pictures" were first shown in Shanghai in 1896. Shanghai was also the place of beginnings for the production of Chinese film.The first attempt at motion picture in China was Conquering Jun Mountain, in 1905.
In the 1920s, American film specialists trained chinese technicians in Shanghai.There was great American influence on the early chinese filmmaking, which would be felt for the next twenty years.
The Songstress, Red Peony was the first talking motion picture by the Chinese. In the 1930s, many films reflected resistance against imperialism and feudalism such as, Torrents. There were also many films that brought out attributes of art and literature. Street Angel being one example. The current president of SFG is REN Zhonglun and he stated, "Shanghai became an important base of Chinese film and “held up half the sky”, as the Chinese idiom says."
Chinese Film During the Mid 1950s
Between 1938 and 1940, here were many debates on the topic of tension between Chinese and Western art forms in film. Because the basics of the film industry was imported from Americans, it is understandable that Chinese filmmakers would search for their own style of Cinema. Seeing as the cinema was first introduced to the Chinese in 1896, it is evident that these debates went on for near half
a century.
Much of early Chinese film was based on opera. White-haired Girl was an opera produced in 1945. This was described as a “model for revolutionary cinema”. This film is about a peasant girl, Xi’er, who is abducted by a landlord. She is raped and becomes pregnant. When the landlord tries to kill her, she escapes to a cave and lives there for nine years. Her hair becomes white during this time and when people see her, they believe her to be a goddess. One outtake of the tale is that it’s not about the “victimized” character, but it’s “an embodiment of the unyielding, anti-feudal fighting spirit of China’s laboring people.” It seems as if the films made during this time period have this same underlying theme of civil revolution.
1980s and ‘90s Exploration of Film Subjects
Filmmaking that occurred during this time was considered “fifth generation”. This was because filmmakers in China really started to work with things that hadn’t really been used before in the industry. One example is a film called “Mama”, made in 1990. This story is about the relationship between a mother and her mentally handicapped son. Another film made during this time was, Chen Kaige’s Yellow Earth. It starts with a CCP military cadre shows up in the Shanbei area to collect songs for the soldiers. A young girl is forced to marry an older man that she has never seen, and later grasps freedom after hearing stories of the south told by this young military man.
Modern Chinese Film
Modern Chinese cinema has done quite well over the past couple of years.
A good example of this, is Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers. A young girl brings woe to two men after tricking them to believe that she is blind and helpless. Turns out she is part of the House of Flying Daggers and she falls in love with one the of the men. This movie is suggested to be more of a love movie than one based on martial arts.
Sources
<http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/film/84966.htm> <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blmotionpictures.htm> <http://www.sfs-cn.com/node3/node1828/u1a27.html> Lu, Sheldon H., and Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh. Chinese-Language Film. University Hawai'i Press, 2005. Print.