Details
About the Book
To write about a film industry that adds 10 screens per day and expands by an average of 30 percent in box- office revenue annually is like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. Everything changes so fast that whatever finds its way into a book risks being outdated when the book is printed.
This book is an attempt to chronicle the amazing rise of Chinese cinema since 2002 that has propelled what's arguably the world's fastest growing film industry -- how it awoke from a decade-longhiatus; how it incorporated film industries from Hong Kong and Taiwan; how it deals with growing competition from Hollywood; and what roadblocks send it swerving as it hurtles toward modernization and globalization.
The book highlights major industry players, dynamics and conflicts; types of movies and their places in the business;and fascinating tidbits that connect to the past and point to the future. It is a perfect primer for anyone interested in China's film industry or with a desire for a deeper appreciation of Chinese-language movies. This book is based on the numerous interviews and reports Raymond Zhou has conducted in his capacity as the most influential Chinese film critic over more than a decade.It also draws extensively from his vast experience and knowledge as a cinema expert, for which he is constantly in demand by media, film festivals and other events.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: Filmmakers
The Power Game
ZHANG YIMOU: Finding Common Ground with Spielberg.
JIANG WEN: The Maverick Filmmaker
FENG XIAOGANG: The Money Maker
WUERSHAN: The Visual Stylist
ANG LEE: A Pinch of Tao, a Dash of Zen
JOHNNIE TO: The Gangster Buster
WANG CHANGTIAN: The Man Who Bankrolled
China's Biggest Movie
Star Power
Chapter Two: Movie Types 69
The Triumphant Triumvirate
A Hong Kong Odyssey
Cannes and the Chinese Mentality
Golden Horse Searches for New Positioning
J|A ZHANGKE: Attempt to Recreate a Western Model
Winning Foreign Audiences
A Comedy About Expats
The Fourth Dimension
Microfilms: Short Shrift and Long Odds
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