From the syllabus: Midterm paper counts towards 20% of the final grade. You will be required to
write a short critical essay of about 1,000 words on one aspect of one of the
films. Comparative studies about two films covered in class or one class film and one outside film are welcome. It is difficult to write good short papers. I have high expectations for
your papers. Work with the Writing
Center early on and make the best use of A Short Guide to Writing about Film.
Please post your midterm paper updates here by Monday October 7th at 10 pm. Your paper update should include the film(s) you want to focus on, the approach(es) you plan to take, the class (or external) readings you want to make use of, and a tentative argument.
I plan to focus on one aspect of the film Rouge in regards to the character Fleur and her artificial qualities throughout the movie. The character of Fleur is artificial in every aspect of her being, regardless if the director intended for her to be that way. I will be using the essay “Love at Last Site” by David L. Eng in which he brings up this aspect of artificial beauty. I will use the beginning three shots to begin my argument, and then I will choose a few other scenes to dissect throughout my essay. I hope to dig in to who Fleur really is through her artificial qualities such as makeup as a cover-up, relationship as a tool, and her work as a prostitute being the most artificial work on the planet.
ReplyDeleteWorking Bibliography
Rouge (Yanzhi kou, 1988, dir. Stanely KWAN, 93min.)
Yingjin Zhang, “The Hong Kong New Waves,” Chinese national Cinema, 249-258
David Eng, “Love at Last Site: Waiting for Oedipus in Stanley Kwan’s Rouge,” in Camera Obscura (Bloomington), no. 32, September/ January 1993/1994, 75-101.
I am going to write about the the differences and the things in common between the required movie Rouge, and a classic American movie called Ghost, because they both talk about the love between a human and a ghost. I am going to analyze the movies together and copare with each other to talk about love and responsibility.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese film I choose is Red Sorghum, which is a traditional film directed by Yimou Zhang in 1988. When writing about this film, I would like to choose two approaches. One is national cinemas approach to consider the background culture about this film, and national character in this film is strong and could be discuss deeply in my midterm paper; the other approach is formalism, which is special and singular in this traditional Chinese film. Using these two methods to analysis Red Sorghum is clear and significant, because this film has rich national impress and exhibit obvious time spirit in China at film’s age. To compare this film with one we covered in class, Rouge. Rouge is directed in Hong Kong in 1987, with same age like Red Sorghum. And also, both of these two films have main love stories happened in 1930s. But different tract, different culture and directors made totally diverse films. Comparing and discussing the different and reason would be interest. I will use the class reading – Six Approaches to Writing about Film and the book Chinese National Cinema to help me discuss the film Red Sorghum.
ReplyDeleteSummary: From his initial trajectory as a director of kung fu and comedy films to his ultimate debut in Hollywood, thematic evolution and conceptual consistency have ruled John Woo's films and the style that has since been dubbed "Woo-esque" (Sandell, 24). Images and symbols significant to Woo have appeared consistently in his films, as well as those of other like-minded directors. Certain stylistic traditions that may attribute their popularity to Woo have been copied by those in Hong Kong and Hollywood alike. And yet, during the shift from Hong Kong to Hollywood, the types of characters created by John Woo changed dramatically, fracturing the formula that had thusfar proved so consistently productive for this particular director, but certainly not damaging his overall success.
ReplyDeleteThesis: Part of a key moment in Hong Kong cinema history, John Woo's films have revolutionized not only elements of Chinese language cinema, but those of Hollywood as well. However, in his films, there is a definite boundary between East and West when it comes to John Woo stories and characters and a distinct intermingling of the imagery customarily associated with said characters.
Sources:
Scene analysis from John WOO's The Killer and Face/Off, as well as the Quentin Tarantino films Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs
Jillian Sandell's "Reinventing Masculinity: The Spectacle of Male Intimacy in the Films of John WOO"
"Enough To Make Strong Men Weep" from Planet Hong Kong by David Bordwell
The Projector Film and Media Journal Volume 1, Issue 1 "Borrowed Bloodshed: Appropriation in Hong Kong and American Cinema" by James Eldred (http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/theatrefilm/current/projector/vol1issue1folder/vol1issue1art2.htm)
I think I would like to analyze the idea of innocence as depicted by the movies The Killers and Woman Demon Human. I want to compare and contrast what the directors have to say about innocence by in depth scene analysis. I'm currently in the process of looking for sources and research and would appreciate any feedback on the idea.
ReplyDeleteIn the film "the killer," the theme song appeared for several times when the plots became important, which left me a deep impression. The conflicts between the scene of Gang firing and the soft voice of theme song is quite shocking. So my topic is about the power of the background music.
ReplyDeleteFor the case to touch the audience, the 3-D experience cannot do it, the high resolution ratio cannot do it, but music can do it. The moving melody never be lost in the history of the film.
is a very romantic film for me, Fleur is a traditional woman in that period, the mainly i will talk about in this paper is the characteristic of Fleur and the behavior of Fleur. In that peropd, the society is full of dark, the people live in the bottom of the society is full of hardships and they all lived hard, Fleur is one of them, she try to live so she works in the brothel, it is a good insinuate to that society. Fleur’s love is her hope to this world, she want die with her “12th young master”, this love through the life, how true her love is, she would rather die than live without the admit of 12th young master’s family.
ReplyDeleteI want to focus on the film ‘The Killer’. This is a classic Hong Kong gunfight film. The lead role of this film was acted by Chow Yun Fat. And it was directed by John Woo. He is a representative person to use violence aesthetics in the film. I want to talk more information about violence aesthetics and Chow Yun Fat. I also want to talk another film. The film called ‘A Better tomorrow’ was also directed by John Woo. The lead role of this film was also acted by Chow Yun Fat. This is also a Hong Kong gunfight film. This film was played earlier than The Killer. I think they have something that similar with each other. I will compare with two films. I want to talk about same things and different things between two films. I will use the reading ‘Spectacle of Male Intimacy’ and ‘Enough to make strong men weep’.
ReplyDeleteI will talk about the film "Stage Sisters" and "Woman Demon Human" in my paper. Both of the film described feminism and how female survive by themselves in the back time of China. There are some similar scenes about love, respects, and female status in that two films.
ReplyDeleteI will focus on the analysis of two types of Chinese Films including romatic and horror films. For example, I am very intersting about the Chinese director Tsui Hark makes his horror films and make them romatic. Additionally, I will give two films example such as “A Chinese Ghost Story” (1987) and “Rouge”(1988). The two films have similarities point, and also have their different places.
ReplyDeleteWorked Cited
Interview with Tsui Hark
"A Chinese Ghost Story – Classic of Hong Kong's Ghost Films." A Chinese Ghost Story – Classic of Hong Kong's Ghost Films. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013.
http://movies.cultural-china.com/movie.php?movie_id=10
"BLACK HOLE REVIEWS: ROUGE (1987) - a Very Different Chinese Ghost Story."BLACK HOLE REVIEWS: ROUGE (1987) - a Very Different Chinese Ghost Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013.
http://blackholereviews.blogspot.com/2008/05/rouge-1987-very-different-chinese-ghost.html
Rouge movie left me a deep impression; this is a film about ghosts love. Early in Hong Kong, there are too many movies about ghosts, including the zombie movie series starring Lam Ching Ying is the most famous. However, Rouge did not publicize horror movie elements, but tells a love for us. Compared to other films or roles, Ru Hua has died 50 years as a ghost, has a kind heart more than others. I loved this movie about a ghost, because this movie is not about the terrible spirits, but about people's feelings. In the film's final, sad if, chose to leave, but did not hurt anybody, I would like this; it is not everyone can do.
ReplyDeleteI can compare for example, a lesson in the end of the film, we watched from the Mei and Zhang starred in a concert. Was issued a scornful laughter, I do not understand why this is? I only know of two concert performer has died, and we should give them respect?
I am going to compare the film "Once Upon a Time in China " and " let the bullet fly". these two film are my favorite films. I am going to talk about how this film reflect "change" and revolution. Mean while, I will talk about the two director, their different opinions and attitude to the aggression. XuKe more look forward to a hero like in American carton book( cheng zhen, huayuanjia), to save the old china. But Jianwen more prefer a way use peoples power. we can find the same idea for jianwen film (guizi lai le ).
ReplyDeleteYingjin Zhang, “The Hong Kong New Waves,” Chinese national Cinema, 249-258
Kew-cheung liu "Technology Comes to Presence in China" P1-10
I'm planning to examine the roles of Ah So and Auntie 13 in Once Upon a Time in China. Working with the film, Zhang's historical information about Hong Kong during the time of the film, the article "Technology Comes to Presence in China" and one other article about the film specifically, in a book in the Library to see how those two characters interact with technology, and represent the influence of Western powers on China.
ReplyDeleteI believe that these two characters can be taken as a metaphor for some of the approaches taken towards western technology during the time period of the filming, Ah So as the individual who has focused too much on foreign information, that he has missed out on his own native culture, and Auntie 13, who while having found new power(technology) remains unable to consummate her desire for acceptance within the old, patriarchal order.
I plan to focus on the film “The Killer”. I want mainly talk about the friendship. I will analysis the ideal changing of An Hong to his friend Fung Sei, from trust to distrust, distrust to trust. What events happened to him and let he change his mind. Also, I will talk about the changing of cop Li Ying to Ah Jong. Li Ying tried to catch him at the first but he helped him to fight in the end. I think “the killer” might represent the low ebb of the director John Woo while the time he stayed in Taiwan, got help from his friends and succeed finally. I will do some research from the book and talk about it.
ReplyDeleteI am really intrigued by the parallel father-son relations in "The Killers" describe in the reading, so i will be writing about that. I will most likely analyze the importance of Sidney and Chang, as well as their influence to the characteristic development of John (or Jeff) and Li Ying. I will also be discussing their importance to the plot of the movie. I may also compare this fatherly-figure concept to other similar figures in the movies we have watch, possibly in "Woman Demon Human"
ReplyDeleteI want to compare two movies: The first one being the Chinese film, The Killer, and the other being The American film, “Windtalkers,” also directed by John Woo. Both films involve two main male characters who have a unique bond. I want to compare and contrast the masculinity portrayed in the two separate cultures. These two films from two different cultures having the same intimate male bondage will show that this change in male gender roles didn't only happen in just China. I’m going to read over some articles about masculinity in American films, and the article on John Woo that we read in class (Spectacle of male intimacy . . .), in order to better my argument.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to examine the films Woman Demon Human and Rouge, specifically the main female roles and how feminism is portrayed in modern(ish) China. Both of the females are strong characters, and I'd like to explore their personalities more in depth and how they fit within modern society.
ReplyDeleteBibliography:
Yingjin ZHANG, “Regional Revival in Hong Kong,” Chinese National Cinema, 163-188
Love at Last Site, 75-101
Rouge
Woman Demon Human
Cinema And Desire; Dai Jinhua
I want to the focus on John Wu’s movies specifically about the theme brotherhood. We have watched “The Killer” or the class, but I am very interested in his other films such as “a better tomorrow” and etc. Brotherhood plays an important role in Chinese culture where I don’t see much of it in the fast food culture and capitalist society. I will watch more John Woo’s films regarding brother hood and link it to his personal life experience.
ReplyDeleteI plan to focus on "Woman, Human, Demon" and analyze it with a focus on gender and the notion of female mobility. I hope to utilize the article "Human, Woman, Demon: A woman's Predicament" to highlight my argument. My argument is that the female protagonist is largely utilizing her own agency to combat gender norms.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to write a paper about: "Once Upon a Time in China" and "A Better Tomorrow". It will describe thedirector Johnwoo how to create a hero in the hearts of the people, and how to use these pictures or plot to describe the friendship between man and man. And I will focus on Johnwoo's shooting techniques and methods, so as to realize the connotation of the director wants manifested by these films. Finally, I will combine the above to write a paper。
ReplyDeleteI plan focus on the drama about the film “Woman Demon human” and “stage sisters” Explain the two women different encounters in the two films, and introduce about the film’s background. To further tap the essence and the movie to express the truth .After that I will use the book name of “A Short Guide to Writing about Film” to explain how to write a good review, and summarized the basic point of the author's views. And an example of what method we can use in the usual writing, not only that I will use the beginning of the book “A Short Guide to Writing about Film” the French writer Christian Metz’s question to begin my article. Then I will select some chapters(Maybe 2 chapters) in the book “A Short Guide to Writing about Film” to further explain the method how to write review and how to analyze the movie. For another I will Comparison of the two films “Woman Demon Human” and “stage sisters” list of different between them, such as the background and The psychology of the characters in the film!
ReplyDeleteThis is my Bibliography:
1. Two films name of “Woman Demon Human” and “Stage sisters”
2. The book “A Short Guide to Writing about Film”
I will do a comparative analysis on Once Upon a Time in China (1991) and Last Hero in China (1993). Last Hero in China is a spin-off of the series that also stars Jet Li as Wong FeiHung, but is not written nor directed by Tsui Hark but rather by a different director by the name of Wong Jing. It would be interesting to compare the cinematic approach and story elements employed by these directors given the same source material. As for readings, I will reference Hark's interview and any external interview with Wong Jing. I will try to argue that Hark's role as director is a what made the series a success by examining a film in the same series that does not see his involvement.
ReplyDeleteI would like to do a comparative analysis between the two films Rouge and Woman Demon Human. More specifically though, I would like to highlight the differences in gender issues in these film, and the rise of the female protagonist. I will be utilizing the national cinema and ideological approaches from the reading.
ReplyDeleteFor my essay i would like to analyze John Woo's film, "The Killer", "Woman Demon Human," and perhaps stage sisters. I would like to focus on the portayal of different genders and how they do or dont forfill their gender roles. I will use sources from our readings like enough to make a strong man weep and the readings from the other movies too.
ReplyDeleteMy essay will focus on feminism in Chinese culture. I plan to analyze the stories of the protagonists in "Woman, Demon, Human" and "Stage Sisters" and use specific scenes from the movies to support my ideas about what the producers are trying to communicate to their audiences. I want to incorporate information from our outside reading to better support my thesis and to demonstrate thorough analysis of the topic.
ReplyDeleteStage Sisters is both a charming and powerful movie. Shaoxing Opera, an integral part of the film provides us with a cultured and fun backdrop against which the film presents us with very emotional, sometimes melodramatic scenes and ideas. It can easily be taken at first glance to simply be a propaganda piece. After all, a cursory glance at the film reveals several ideological themes, namely: lower class people are being exploited by the capitalists, the Nationalist government allows this behavior or even supports it, and the Communists are the cure to all of societies ills. Viewing it in such black and white terms, however, leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
ReplyDeleteOne topic for further exploration is the censorship that goes on off the set. The film was made at a time when the seeds of the cultural revolution were being sewn and China was on the precipice of surge in revolutionary thought and action. Why then, was this revolutionary film subject to strict censorship until after the cultural revolution? What did the director lose from revisions to his original script? To what extent is the film still 'his'?
Finally I'd like to dissect the not so obvious themes in the film. Is the film a product of communism or a product of the director? What about redemption amongst the characters? Why are some characters salvageable who are caught up in the terrible world the film begins in, and why do we suppose others are irredeemable? Who are the minor characters that appear in many scenes but have little to no lines? Do they represent an idea or ideal, and if so what are they there to represent? There's also the interesting intersection of classes. Are they as sturdy and structured as we like to think they are, or are they more nuanced as in the case of the 'monitor'?
In sum, I'd like to take a primarily 'ideological' approach to writing about this film, and perhaps explore the notion of auteur if time permits.
I'd like to examine the role of theater (Opera) in the films "Women Demon Human" and "Stage Sisters." Some of the main questions I'd like to explore are the relationship between the industry itself and the participants, the way it affects their relationships off the stage, what theater may mean for the characters (and the plot of the film itself) and how Opera interacts and relates with the directors of the films.
ReplyDelete