Synopses & Reviews
Celebrating Shanghaiand#8217;s rich cinematic history, the films covered here represent a lengthy time period, from the first Golden Age of Chinese Cinema in the 1930s to the cityand#8217;s status as an international production hub in 2013. Given the enduring status of Shanghai as the and#147;Paris of the East,and#8221;and#160;
World Film Locations: Shanghaiand#160;emphasizes the cityand#8217;s cosmopolitan glamour through locations that are steeped in cinematic exoticism, while also probing the reality behind the image by investigating its backstreets and residential zones. To facilitate this study of Shanghaiand#8217;s dual identity through reference to film locations, the book includes films from both the commercial and independent sectors, with a balance between images captured by local filmmakers and the visions of Western directors who have also utilized the city for their projects.
With numerous essays that reflect Shanghaiand#8217;s relationship to film and scene reviews of such iconic titles asand#160;Street Angel,and#160;Temptress Moon,and#160;Kung Fu Hustle, andand#160;Skyfall,and#160;World Film Locations: Shanghaiand#160;is essential reading for all scholars of Chinaand#8217;s urban culture.
Synopsis
World Film Locations: Shanghai celebrates Shanghai's rich cinematic history, covering films from the 1930s to 2013. With essays that reflect the city's relationship to film and scene reviews of iconic titles, this book shows the cosmopolitan glamour through locations steeped in cinematic exoticism while also probing the reality behind the image.
Synopsis
In-keeping the format of the World Film Locations series, the Shanghai book explores how the city has been represented by cinema. Due to Shanghaiand#8217;s rich cinematic history, the volume spans a lengthy time period from the Golden Age of national production in the 1930s, to the international production hub of 2012. Due to the enduring status of Shanghai as the, and#145;Paris of the Eastand#8217;, the World Film Locations: Shanghai emphasises the cities glamour and internationalisation through locations that are steeped in cinematic exoticism, yet also probes the reality behind the image through study of its back-streets and residential zones. To facilitate this examination of Shanghaiand#8217;s dual-identity through reference to film locations, the book includes films from both the commercial and independent sectors, with a balance between images captured by local filmmakers and the visions of Western directors who have also utilised the city for their projects.
About the Author
John Berra is a lecturer in film studies at Nanjing University.
Table of Contents
Shanghai: City of the Imagination
Isabel Wolte
Republican Era Shanghai: Hollywood of the East
Donna Ong
Scenes 1-8
1932-1947
Fists of Bruce Lee: Shanghaiand#8217;s Martial Arts Film Legacy
Paul Bowman
Scenes 9-16
1984-2000
Lou Yeand#8217;s Shanghai Cinema: Love and Loss in the Urban Labrynth
John Berra
Scenes 17-24
2001-2005
Sixth Generation Shanghai: Politicizing the Aesthetic
Dave McCaig
Scenes 25-32
2005-2007
and#160;
Sci-fi Shanghai: City of the Future
John Berra
Scenes 33-39
2007-2010
The Great Divide: Depths and Peaks of Shanghai Life
Mariagrazia Constantino
Scenes 40-46
2011-2013
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