This is a bibliography of Chinese language film history studies published in 2009. No claim is made for its being complete, and if further publications from that year are found later, this list will be updated. Titles of books and articles have been translated into English, and abstracts are provided for those I have been able to examine personally. In addition to their Chinese titles, most Chinese film journals and magazines carry an English title, and that is what is used here.
Books:
Feng, Qun. A Critical History of Li Minwei. Beijing: Cultural Arts Press, 2009. ISBN 7-50393-692-0.
--Li Minwei [Cantonese: Lai Man-Wai] was the father of Hong Kong cinema.
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Liu, Shu and Ma Zhongxing. The Absolute Beauty: a pictorial biography of Wang Danfeng. Beijing: CCP History Press, 2009. ISBN 7509800080.
--Wang Danfeng 王丹凤 (1925- ) was a major Shanghai and later Hong Kong star from the 1940s-1970s.
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Wang, Jianqiang. Using Life to Warm Art: the biography of Qin Yi. Nanjing: Jiangsu People's Press, 2009. ISBN 7214056038.
--1930s-50s actress Qin Yi 秦怡 (1922- ) was the leading lady in such successful films as 《Faraway Love》, 《Mother》and《Woman Basketball Player No.5》, and the widow of "Movie Emperor" Jin Yan.
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Ying, Ruocheng with Claire Conceison. Voices Carry: the autobiography of Ying Ruocheng Beijing: CITIC Press, 2009. ISBN 7508616154.
--Chinese translation of the deathbed recollections of the Chinese film and theater actor-director-official 英若诚 (1929-2003). Originally published in English as: Voices Carry: behind bars and backstage during China's revolution and reform. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009.
Articles:
Ai, Qing (Fudan Univ., Shanghai). "Zhang Shichuan: Chinese cinema's pioneer of the 'commercial aesthetic' film." New Films No.6 (2009), pp.48-54.
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Chen Hua (Zhonghua Univ.). "Feminism and the images of women in the films of Wong Kar Wai" Art, No.8 (2009), pp.68-69.
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Chen, Mo (China Film Art Research Center). "'The Light of East Asia': on the movies and life of He Feiguang." Contemporary Cinema no.3 (2009), pp.84-92.
【Abstract】He Feiguang (1913-1997) was a famous writer-director in the 1930s, maker of such classics as《Light of Mother》and《Evil Neighbors》, as well as such resistance films as《Protect Our Homeland》and《Light of East Asia》. His films were noted for their humanity as well as their patriotism. Yet in spite of this, he has been largely forgotten and his achievements consigned to the dustbin of history. This paper attempts to find the reasons for this.
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________. "Talking about the growth of film historiography: details and structure." Contemporary CinemaNo.4 (2009), pp.66-69.
【Abstract】Remarks by a Chinese film historian at a 2008 forum on the status of film history in China.
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Ding, Yaping (Inst. of Film and TV, China Art Academy). "Liu Qiong and his movies." Contemporary Cinema No.8 (2009), pp.32-39.
【Abstract】A review of the 60-year career of the actor-director (1913-2002).
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____________."The rise and growth of movie history." Contemporary Cinema No.4 (2009), pp.69-71.
【Abstract】A film historian's reflections at a 2008 forum on past trends in the profession and his projections on where it might be headed in the digital age.
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Feng, Qun (Dept. of Chinese, Wuyi Univ., Guangdong). "《Zhuangzi Tests His Wife》: the academic controversy over the first Hong Kong film." Contemporary Cinema No.1 (2009), pp.48-52.
【Abstract】The 1913 Li Minwei/Benjamin Brodsky collaboration has long been regarded as the first Hong Kong film, but recently some scholars wrote articles disputing this, arguing that the first was Liang Shaobo's《Stealing the Roast Duck》(1909). The author reviews the documentation and presents his reasons for still considering the 1913 film the first.
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Gao, Shan. "On the use of common language modernism in《Two Stars of the Milky Way》." Contemporary Cinema No.1 (2009), pp.37-42.
【Abstract】Analyzes the Lianhua Film Company's 1931 silent for its theoretical vernacular modernism, from three angles: first, through comparison of the original novel and the film; second, the film's strong sensory characteristics, and compares it with those of other early films; third, placing it in the movie industry (a film within a film), it has a certain self-referential meaning.
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Gao, Xiaojiang ((Inst. of Film and TV, China Academy of Art). "Reflections on Chinese film history studies." Contemporary Cinema No.4 (2009), pp.81-84.
【Abstract】 Remarks by a Chinese film historian at a 2008 forum on the status of film history in China.
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Guo, Haiyan (Dept. of Chinese as a Foreign Language, Nanjing Auditing Univ.). "Luo Mingyou and relearning the 'National Renewal' film movement." Contemporary Cinema No.2 (2009), pp.93-97.
【Abstract】Argues that Luo Mingyou (1902-1967), founder of the Lianhua film studio, was solely responsible for this patriotic film movement of the 1930s, and analyzes the reasons for it, including Luo's clear understanding of the industry's place in the context of the times, his dedication to China, and his religious conversion.
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Hu, Zhifeng (China Communications Univ.) "The 60 year road and experience of New China's film art." Film Art No.6 (2009), pp.88-89.
【Abstract】An overview of Chinese cinema's development since 1949, which the author divides into five phases: (1) construction (1949-1955); (2) extreme leftism (1966-1976); (3) opening to the multi-dimensional (1976 through the 1980s); (4) exploration and transition (the 1990s); (5) revival and restructuring (the 21st century to date).
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Huangfu, Shaohua (Shanghai Library). "Chen Juanjuan grew up overnight." New Films No.5 (2009), pp.48-52.
【Abstract】Chen Juanjuan was a major child star of the 1930s, billed by her studio as the "Eastern Shirley Temple." She was also a relative rarity in successfully making the transition to adult roles, and eventually to directing. But her life was not a happy one overall, with a unhappy marriage, and poor health which led to her early death in 1976. This article looks back at her life and career.
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__________________. "The silent era's last star actress: Li Lili." New Films No.1 (2009), pp.42-47.
【Abstract】Reviews the life and career of the last silent diva (1915-2005).
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Jiang, Chen (Beijing Film Academy). "Zhou Jianyun: Chinese cinema's scholar-turned-businessman." Film Art No.4 (2009), pp.139-145.
【Abstract】From 1922, when he was one of the three original founders of the Mingxing (Star) studio in Shanghai, until his retirement to Hong Kong in 1949, Zhou Jianyun was continually involved in Chinese cinema, combining a passion for theater with a personal business drive that resulted in many outstanding theoretical and practical contributions to the Chinese film industry.
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Kwak SuKyung 郭树竞 (Korean scholar). "On suspicions of male text in 《Goddess》and 《New Woman》" Contemporary Cinema 2009-01, pp.43-48.
【Abstract】《Goddess》and 《New Woman》are classics of 1930s realism having oppressed women as their heroines, sympathizing with them and accusing society. But the films are limited by the times and the thought of their writers and directors, revealing a masculine vision and support for the male order and patriarchal ideology. This was reflected chiefly in its shaping the image of the heroines, and this paper analyzes the films' texts from three aspects: the enjoyment of viewing and sympathy; prostitute and wife; mother-son, mother-daughter. From this, it investigates how the films' anti-feminist content is presented, while also examining the prevailing social outlook and people's views.
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Li, Daoxin (College of Arts, Beijing Univ.). "A scholarly model for doing historical research on Chinese film." Contemporary Cinema No.4 (2009), pp.75-78.
【Abstract】 Remarks by a Chinese film historian at a 2008 forum on the status of film history in China.
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Li, Suyuan (China Film Art Research Center). "Approaches to film; approaches to history." Contemporary Cinema No.4 (2009), pp.61-63.
【Abstract】 Remarks by a Chinese film historian at a 2008 forum on the status of film history in China.
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__________. "Rhetorical art in Yuan Muzhi's movies." Contemporary Cinema No. 2 (2009), pp.79-84.
【Abstract】Yuan Muzhi (1909-1978) was an outstanding early Chinese film director, an artist whose rich and sophisticated film rhetoric was an important feature of his directing. In《Cityscape》(1935) and 《Street Angel》(1937), his use of figurative language to express emotions transformed the films and their structure, forming a unique way of speaking and language style.
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Liu, Yang (College of Humanities, North China Electric Power Univ.). "Sifting through and researching the pre-1937 Chinese movie production industry." Journal of Beijing Film Academy No.3 (2009), pp.78-83.
【Abstract】This article attempts to show how, in the short period of time from the first exhibition of film in China until the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the Chinese movie industry grew and developed as a modernized industry. There is much worth investigating and studying in the data related to the industry's growth, and this article sorts out and analyzes that data.
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Lu, Junhang (School of Literature, Jinan University). "On the artistic features of 《Dragon Inn》. Movie Review No.11 (2009), pp.36-37.
【Abstract】《Dragon Inn》(1967) is King Hu's masterpiece, in both its commercial as well as its artistic achievements. The film's artistic characteristics are reflected mainly in its plot structure, which was greatly influenced by Peking Opera.
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Lu, Wei (College of Literature, Nanjing Univ.). "On feminist consciousness in the movie 《Woman - Demon - Human》." Movie Review no.3 (2009). pp.21-24.
【Abstract】The 1987 film 《Woman - Demon - Human》told a story of Kunqu opera actress Qiu Yun's maturation, and how her emotional attachment to playing one character, the ghost demon Zhong Kui, was the cry of a woman "in search of a good man." In the post-Cultural Revolution era, the film awakened a strong gender consciousness response. While the film was not really a feminist movie, its overall female consciousness approached that level.
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Luo, Ka (Hong Kong Film Archive). "On some questions of 100 years of Hongkong [sic] film." Contemporary Cinema No.7 (2009), pp.88-92.
【Abstract】 This paper examines such early Hong Kong movie history issues as: which was the earliest film produced,《Stealing the Roast Duck》or 《Zhuangzi Tests His Wife》? The article questions past research and provides some new information and clues. The intention is not to reverse the verdict, but to seek more reasonable evidence for a decision.
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Qin, Xiaolin (Art Inst. of Xi'an Univ. of Architecture and Technology; College of Arts, Beijing Univ.). "On close-ups of objects in Chinese silent movies." Journal of Beijing Film Academy no.3 (2009), pp.68-73.
【Abstract】In silent films, close-ups of various objects were often employed to convey significance in a scene or to help in the overall plot development. This paper systematically sorts out and analyzes the use of close-ups shots of four kinds of obects in 18 major Chinese silents: clocks; writing (as on a document); sound sources (e.g. bells) and photographs.
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Qin, Zhongsheng (Hechi College). "On the wit and reimaged legacy of the Zhuang minority in《Third Sister Liu》." Movie Review No.14 (2009), pp.66-67.
【Abstract】The 1959 film 《Third Sister Liu》jumped from a folk tale to the stage, then onto the silver screen. It was popular both in China and abroad, and its legacy of such witty Zhuang characters as Third Sister Liu, the old fisherman and others, did much to make this a classic of ethnic culture.
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Tang, Jialin (Zhejiang Media College). "Focus on the language situation of Chinese film during the 1920s and 1930s." Contemporary Cinema No.6 (2009), pp.68-72.
【Abstract】In the 1920s, "Europeanized" was a term used in [Chinese] film criticism to indicate that in its appearance and creative concepts a film lacked [Chinese] "national character." By the 1930s the critical vocabulary had shifted from a cultural reference to a more political level, with the term "Europeanized" connected to the "anti-imperialist," anti-capitalist road, struggle. In the left-wing film vocabulary, "Europeanized" had become a synonym for "bourgeois." It was out of the process of opposing "Europeanization" that Chinese films created their own "national character."
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Wang, Jianping and Liu Liping (Faculty of Arts, Xiaogan Institute). "The dragon image and dragon culture in "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio." Movie Review No.12 (2009), pp.96-98.
【Abstract】There are many images of dragons and dragon culture in "Strange Stories," and there have been numerous films and TV segments based on that story collection. These have taken the form of dragons and dragon gods, images which have extremely important literary value and cultural significance.
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Wang, Qi. "Choosing the 'Empress of Film'." Joy No.2 (2009), p.77.
【Abstract】Popular account of the 1934 election.
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Wang, Tian (Doctoral candidate, China Communications Univ., Beijing). "Images of the Chinese in European films." Contemporary Cinema no.3 (2009), pp.107-110.
--The films discussed are all from the modern era, 1967-date.
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Wu, Yingjun (Institute of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan Univ.). "Interpreting Fei Mu's 《Regrets in Life and Death》: the aesthetic form of China's first color film. Journal of Beijing Film Academy No.2 (2009), pp.84-88.
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Xu, Le. "The changing road of Shaws' film." Contemporary Cinema No.8 (2009), pp.74-77.
【Abstract】The Shaw Brothers films were of considerable worth, but by the late 1970s the great vision and innovative ideas the studio had shown earlier declined due to the studio's rigid system, which lagged behind the rapid development of Hong Kong. It could also be said that Shaw Brothers movies were never really part of Hong Kong.
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Yan, Kailei (Tongji Univ. Film School). "1930-1933: initial completion of Chinese cinema's star system." Film Art No.6 (2009), pp.114-119.
【Abstract】For the star, the years 1930-1932 marked the maturity of the basic social and media environment for completing Chinese cinema's star system, a process completed by 1933. The author attributes much of this to changes in the film audience, which saw many intellectuals and young students becoming interested in film and the people making them, which in turn raised the film market to a new high level of prosperity.
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Yang, Ju (Faculty of Arts, Nantong Univ.). "The powerful voice of left-wing film." Journal of Beijing Film Academy No.1 (2009), pp.50-53.
【Abstract】Analyzes the reasons why the 1930s left-wing film movement's not only stubbornly survived under a hostile government but became the dominant intellectual ideology of the time.
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Ye, Xixi. "Wang Renmei's lost love." Legend (Biographical edition) No.4 (2009), pp.67-68.
【Abstract】Popular recounting of the 1930s star's romance and failed marriage to matinee idol Jin Yan.
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Yuan, Qingfeng (School of Media Management, Communications University of China).
"1920s Chinese film's cultural ecology and its vulgar empirical reading." Journal of Hangzhou Normal University (Social Science edition) No.4 (2009).
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_______________. "1933-1935: from left-wing films to new urban films - the evolution of Chinese domestic filmmaking, with five existing films as examples." Journal of Zhejiang Media College No.5 (Pt.1), No.6 (Pt.2), (2009).
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_______________. "Development of the screen image of traditional resources and the shared movie tastes of old urban film audiences and intellectuals -- taking the 1927 production 《Romance of the West Chamber》as an example." Journal of Yangtze River Teachers College No.2 (2009).
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_______________. "Evolution of Chinese films from 1922-1936 -- with supporting documentation drawn from existing films the public can see today." Academia No.5 (2009).
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_______________. "Historical implantation of violence in early Chinese left-wing movies--1932's《Loving Blood of the Volcano》 as a case study." Journal of Hebei Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition) v.32, no.5 (2009), pp.59-63.
【Abstract】Although early left-wing movies basically already had a relatively complete, radical left-wing ideology and revolutionary posture, they continued to share certain characteristics with the old urban films when it furthered their goal of raising class consciousness. Sun Yu's 《Loving Blood of the Volcano》is a notable example, inserting sexual and other violence to further its revolutionary aims.
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_______________. "《Laborer's Love》: traditional opera's movie image -- the earliest and most complete Chinese film the public can see today." Journal of Bohai University (Philosophy and Social Sciences edition) No.4 (2009).
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_______________. "Mainstream 1930s political discourse conveyed in film production and art:《National Customs》as a "reactionary" example in Chinese film history." Journal of Zhejiang Media College No.2 (2009).
【Abstract】
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_______________. "New urban films: highest example of left-wing movies --《Boatman's Daughter》as a case study." Journal of Jianghan University (Humanities Sciences) No.2, 2009, pp.26-30.
______________. "New wave: a historical look back at 1930s Chinese film--《Gold and Sand》 as a case study." Journal of Nanjing Arts Institute No.1 (2009), pp.100-108.
【Abstract】Places this 1936 classic in the context of left-wing filmmaking, which by this time was in the mainstream of Chinese cinema.
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____________. "Old urban films against the background of 1920s culture -- 1929's 《My Son is a Hero》as an example." Journal of Shantou University (Humanities and Social Sciences section). No.5 (2009). [NEED PAGES]
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______________. "《Orphan in the Snow》: Old morality in a new era, a new image in an old school--a case study of an old urban movie at the end of 1920s China." Journal of Huainan Normal University No. 1 (2009), pp.26-28.
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_______________. "《Peach Blossom's Tears of Blood》: an existing model of a newly emerging trend -- an example of the early 1930s new urban film." Journal of Zhejiang Media Institute No.3 (2009), pp.28-30.
【Abstract】Prior to 1932, old urban movies were the sole representative of early Chinese film. They began to decline in the early 1930s, to be replaced by left wing and new urban films. 《Peach Blossom's Tears of Blood》(1932), as with two other existing movies produced by the Lianhua studio that same year (《Two Stars of the Milky Way》and 《A Spray of Plum Blossoms》), are representative of the old mainstream's decline and the new mainstream's rise.
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_______________. "The role of the market in transforming the style and improving the quality of left-wing movies -- taking《Soaring Aspirations》as an example." Journal of the School of Chinese Language and Culture, Nanjing Normal University No.2 (2009), pp.121-124.
【Abstract】To the maximum degree, 1936's 《Soaring Aspirations》peeled off the relationship between the elements of left-wing movies and left-wing thought and entered the market as a national defense movie, in order to attract different types of audiences. In its development of the market for progressive films, the Xinhua Film Company replaced the leadership of the Lianhua Film Company.
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_______________. "Vulgar sexuality in late 1920s old urban films: Da Zhonghua Baihe's 1928 film《Kisses Once》as a case study." Journal of Zhejiang Media Institute No.4 (2009), pp.30-32, 36.
【Abstract】Until the emergence of left-wing films in 1932, advanced cultural ideology and social philosophy did not enter Chinese films, specifically the old urban films of the 1920s. Therefore, the old urban films in the 1920s were still being made under the guidance of traditional views, the old ideology, and old viewpoints. But these films still appealed to specific segments of society. The 1928 film《Kisses Once》is used as a case study to point out how these films, with their easily understood stories and strong moralistic content, were loved by people at the lower ranks of society.
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Zhang, Binning (Northwest Normal Univ.). "Social ethics, popular aesthetic sense and the market: on the old Chinese film magazine Star Special." Contemporary Cinema No.5 (2009), pp.62-65.
【Abstract】From 1925 to 1928, the Mingxing (Star) film company would publish a "Star Special" of its regular "Star" magazine in conjunction with release of a film. This article explores the "Star Special" as a cultural resource for the study of early films.
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Zhang, Donggang (Dept. of Film, Beijing Film Academy). "The significance of Xie Jin." Journal of Beijing Film Academy No.6 (2009).
【Abstract】This article focuses on the intrinsic and close relationship between Xie Jin's film creations and contemporary Chinese cinema, and by combining his films' historical context, political discourse and character actions, analyzes in-depth the director's political work and aesthetic value, to show how his work conformed to the development and significant trends of China's social ideology.
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Zhang, Wei (Shanghai Library, Historical Documents Centre). "The ROC movie community's first 'professional returnees' -- Cheng Shuren, the man and his work." Film Art no.3 (2009), pp.92-99.
【Abstract】China's first generation of 'professional returnees' [overseas students who returned home after having received rigorous foreign film training and experiences in film production] played irreplaceable roles in the early development of the domestic movie industry. This paper looks at the contributions of one of these returnees, cinematographer Cheng Shuren (1895- ?).
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Zhao, Shi (Deputy Director, State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. "Address to the conference celebrating Yuan Muzhi's centennial." Contemporary Cinema No.7 (2009), pp.4-5.
【Abstract】The keynote address at a March, 2009 conference marking the birth centennial of Yuan Muzhi (1909-1978), actor, director and writer of several 1930s film classics, including 1937's《Street Angels》.
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Zhao, Shufang (Henan Vocational College).《Lust, Caution》: Zhang Ailing's nightmare." Movie ReviewNo.4 (2009), pp.97-98.
【Abstract】《Lust, Caution》came out of Eileen Chang/Zhang Ailing's own nightmare. Female protagonist Wang Jiazhi seduced and then fell in love with the enemy while deploring what he represented, and this story actually built upon her personal story of her love for a traitor, the writer Hu Lancheng, and in the end her story also had a sad ending. Given the era in which it was set, any disregard of《Lust, Caution》's political ideas and methods is undesirable, indeed they cannot be avoided.
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Zhao, Weifang (Inst. of Film and TV, China Academy of Art). "A historical martial arts figure in Hong Kong films: Wong Fei Hong." Arts Criticism No.4 (2009), pp.40-44.
【Abstract】The martial arts legend on screen and in real life.
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_____________. "Thoughts on One Hundred Years of Hongkong [sic] Film." Contemporary Cinema No.7 (2009), pp.93-94.
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【Abstract】Looks at three controversies regarding early Hong Kong film.
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Zhong, Jin and Jin Guanjun. (Shanghai Film and TV Document Library). "On the ROC's 1927-1937 Film Inspection System." New Films No.5 (2009), pp.40-47, 61.
【Abstract】In April, 1927 the ROC government in Nanjing directed its Ministry of the Interior to develop "Film Inspection Rules" as a first step toward formulating a movie censorship system. That system went into effect in November, 1931. This article traces the formulation process and looks at the system's implementation and its consequences.
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Zhu, Anping. "《Bridge》: New China's movie foundation work." Popular Cinema 2009-19, pp.38-40.
【Abstract】《Bridge》premiered on May 1, 1949, after Communist forces had taken control of Northeast China. As the first feature film produced by a studio in a CPC-controlled area, and the first film presenting a red image of the working class, 《Bridge》was a landmark in the history of Chinese film.
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__________. "《Crows and Sparrows》: from suffering to renewal." Popular Cinema No.23 (2009), pp.38-40.
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____________. "《This Life of Mine》: new blossoms from an old tree." Popular Cinema No.20 (2009), pp.38-30.
【Abstract】On the making of the 1950 film, the last made by an independent, commercial studio under the new regime on the mainland.
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____________. "Xia Yan's enthusiasm for 《Five Golden Flowers》." Popular Cinema No.24 (2009), pp.38-40.