GEJC1020 Lecture 6 Movie Industry and Popular Culture 2023-2024 PDF

GEJC1020 L6 Hollywood of the East: cultural industry and popular culture in Hong Kong Acknowledgement and Contributors of the topic: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Lecture Outline Part I: Legacies of Hong Kong movie : Its impact on the global action cinema Part I...

GEJC1020 L6 Hollywood of the East: cultural industry and popular culture in Hong Kong Acknowledgement and Contributors of the topic: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Lecture Outline Part I: Legacies of Hong Kong movie : Its impact on the global action cinema Part II: Sociological understanding of the Booming of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD Part III: Sociological understanding of the Decline of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD Part I: Legacies of Hong Kong movie : The global action cinema  Part I: Legacies of Hong Kong movies : The global action cinema Later‐ Korean movie: 1993 Seopyeonje REPLY 1988 (episode 1) English Subtitle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjchvjM8Ys (A Better Tomorrow 2; 英雄本色 2; 1987) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i‐zBbuLgMI 張曼玉 王祖賢 Maggie Cheung Man‐ yuk; Joey Wong  A brief timeline of local and global action cinema (the case of Kung Fu) Phase 1: The building of a Kung Fu movie base in Hong Kong (around 1949 – 1973) – Movie training in China and the Nanyang connection. Phase 2: The ‘international co‐production’ as an industrially innovative form (1973‐1985) (Morris 2004) Phase 3: Golden age of ‘direct to tape’ industry with rapid spread of video technology (1985‐1993) (Morris 2004) Morris, Meaghan. 2004. “Transnational imagination in action cinema: Hong Kong and the making of a global popular culture.” Inter‐Asia Cultural studies 5(2): 181‐199.  Phase 1: The building of a Kung Fu movie base in Hong Kong (around 1949 – late 1970s) Wong Fei‐hung (黃飛鴻) >100 films featuring this late Qing dynasty Chinese folk hero (Canton area). Earliest actor: Kwan Tak‐ hing關德興 (Huang Fei‐ hong zhuan 1949) Gordan Liu and Jacky Huang Fei‐hong zhuan黃飛鴻正傳上集 鞭風 Chan: young version of 滅燭 Wong F.H. in later movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrRq‐ VmP2Sk (Morris 2004) Kwan Tak‐hing關德興 (1905‐ 1996) 77 times in movie as Wong Fei‐hung – a world record. Born in Guangzhou (Canton). Worked in construction, later entered Cantonese opera and learnt opera martial art. First film debut in US 1932. First martial arts film 1936. The ‘standard’ villain – Shih Kien (石堅,奸人堅), also the Villain in Enter the Dragon (龍爭虎鬥). https://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=aw4dTY2mPOg  ‐ Southern China linkage (Hero of Canton) ‐ Post Chinese civil war era. ‐ Kwan taught martial art in Malaysia 1953‐1957. Film sold to Nanyang (南洋). ‐ Confucian virtues, patriarchal authority, stopping violence with ‘martial art’ (never kill the Kung Fu ‐功夫 villain but to teach him). Martial art ‐ 武 military ‐ Notably, Kwan’s movie acting as a ‘part‐time’ job. + 術 (art/discipline/skill) ‐ No politics.  The new Wuxia world (武俠 1953‐70s) Source: Wikipedia Louis Cha Leung‐yung (金庸) & Liang Yusheng (梁羽生) began ‘New’ Wuxia (武俠martial arts and chivalry) literature in newspapers (Cha: 1955‐1973). Tracing the ‘origin’ of Kung Fu to Shaolin monks (1970s). Mostly TV series. Chang Cheh (張徹 1923‐2002) Graduate from Chungking (politics), moved to HK. Directed 100 films at Shaw Brothers Studio. Known for initiating the masculine martial art form: blood, kill (vs. teach), muscles, brotherhood / loyalty. E.g. One Armed Swordsman (獨 臂刀1967); The Blood Brothers (刺馬 1973); and 1970s Shaolin series (martial art monks). Discovered John Woo, Lau Kar Leung (martial artist, also act in Wong Fei‐hung series) The Blood Brothers (刺馬 1973) One Armed Swordsman (獨臂刀1967) 1 vs 9 www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Gox0CF5SY www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHsi8DGHNs0 Gordon Liu (Actor 劉家輝) 36th Chamber of Shaolin (少林三十六房 1978) https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=VyPjLiZ988o (1hr03) Heroes of the East (中華 丈夫), also known as ‘Shaolin Vs. Ninja’. https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=zJMhnyvgNYE Also played in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill 1&2. https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=XCgop5X35yw  Introducing the Shaw Brothers Studios Streamlined and mass production era of the Shaw Brothers Studio. (Fordism?) From Nanyang back to HK since 1957, 1000+ movies. Script writer, actor, directors. The Hollywood of the East. How about the Hong Kong society? Industrializing, baby‐boom, Kung Fu became marketable as Movie theatre in Saigon, 1967 (wiki) element of youth ‘identity’, rising consumer culture. (Morris 2004) Phase 2: The ‘international co‐production’ as an industrially innovative form (1973‐1985) HK as regional/Asian ‘hub’ of movie. The hybrid culture of HK also traded with Hollywood film styles and narratives – apart from ‘Kung Fu’ or superstar like Bruce Lee. E.g. Featured the ‘two schools’ rivalry form (Shaolin vs. Ninja; Kung Fu vs. Karate) (vs. two worlds views?) E.g. Emulation – but not ‘the same’. E.g. Masters were often drunk, aloofness, harsh, but for students emulating ‘actions’ (to comprehend); rather, the villains copied to be ‘the same’. E.g. The ‘Master’ ‘Students’ hierarchy ‐ villain also = bad students who wanted to be / surpassed ‘master’. Shaw Brothers took the lead in co‐production (Japan, Korea, Australia) Famous actor: Jimmy Wang Yu (born in Shanghai) (Morris 2004) Zatoichi and the One‐Armed Swordsman 獨臂刀 The Man from Hong Kong直搗黃 大戰盲劍客 1971 龍 1975 ‐ Hong Kong Japanese ‐ ‘Xuzial’ vs. ‘Samurai’ HK – Australia co‐production (1st) ‐ Japanese production and distributed by Golden https://www.youtube.com/watch? Harvest Company. Two Endings! v=fS‐wUJv2AqU  Enter the Dragon龍爭虎鬥 1973 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD7Q8 MXWtQ (9mins) Black Belt Jones 1974 No Retreat No Surrender 1985 Hybrid Kung Fu – disciplined/righteous + economic hardship. White working class suburbia / African American vs. Mafia acquisition of land  Phase 3: Golden age of ‘direct to tape’ industry with rapid spread of video technology (1985‐1993) (4 25pm) Spread of home video technology (copy copy copy). Globalized ‘HK action movie style’. American director, Israeli producers, finance from Luxembourg, supporting cast from Asia. Speed is important – quickly made, largely ‘two‐ways’ story foregrounding a cultural or ethical conflict (local‐ migrants) – easy to follow and understand. Straight to the tape for ‘global action movie audience’. But soon challenged by the internet / vcd / dvd. Hollywood blockbuster outdid HK cinema. HK stars and directors directly worked in Hollywood. (Morris 2004) End of Part I 10mins break Part II: Sociological understanding of the Booming of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD Acknowledgement and Contributors of the topic: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. See: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. 2014. “Global Distribution Networks, Local Exhibition Alliances: Hollywood’s New Map in Hong Kong.” Regional studies 0034‐3404:1‐13; Shin, Victor K.W. Hollywood of the East: The Rise and Fall of the Hong Kong Film Industry since the 1970s. M.Phil. Thesis. CUHK The Booming of the Hong Kong Film Industry The “puzzle”? What caused the “booming” of the Hong Kong film industry? Box Office of Hong Kong Movies > Box Office of Imported Films What is the “context”? Who are the “agents” and what have they done? Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  The “Booming” of the Hong Kong Film Industry Box-office Takings of Local and Imported Films in Hong Kong, 1975-2012 1,800 Total Box Office 1,600 1993 Hong Kong Movies Imported Films 1,400 1,200 HK$ m illio n 1,000 800 600 400 200 Turn 0 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 Year Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Sources: C&SD (2003, 2008, 2013); E&IA (2003); HKTDC (2001); Chan (2000). Standard Definition: Conventional Understandings of the “Booming” of Hong Kong’s Film Industry Three Common Sense: 1) “Content is King” 2) The “Bigger” the Better 3) Overseas Market and Film Exports Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  Content is King and Bigger the Better Early days: big movie studios like Shaw Brothers dominated – 1. artists and creative personnel by long contract; 2. own ‘schedules’ of production, 3. vertical integration ‐ owned or controlled distributors and exhibition (e.g. One A class movie + 5‐10 B class movie). Pearl 2014 01 29 The Legend of Run Run Shaw part1 (@ 5min) and part 2 (0‐2mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXJ65XI7GBk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0TCr9DZotU See also: http://www.classichollywoodcentral.com/the‐studio‐system/  High Definition: Understanding Media and Culture in Sociological Perspective A “Tripartite” Mind Map: Critical Evaluation of the Media and Culture Production and Reception of Dissemination of Construction of Cultural products Media and Media messages and Media Cultural products messages Content analysis, Media effects analysis, Political Economy, Semiotics, Media marketing, Production of Formal and Gratifications research, Culture, Field discursive analysis, Ethnography of theory, etc. etc. reception, etc. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Source: Shin and Chiu modified from Thompson (1990, p. 307). Stephen W.K.  Demand Side (1970s-1980s): Emergence of local “Hong Kong Identity” & New Middle-Class Film Culture Michael Hui ‐ Private Eyes trailer 1976 Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOwob5XNafg Rising Population of Teenagers and Young Adults in Hong Kong during the 1970s and the 1980s Total Population in Hong Kong between the Ages 15 to 29, 1961-1981 Number Percentage Share of Percentage of Persons Change Population Change Year % % % 1961 621,834 - 19.9 - 1971 957,921 54.05 24.3 22.47 1981 1,694,972 76.94 32.7 34.38 Sources: Tabulation compiled from Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics (Census and Statistics Department, various years). Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Increasing Educational Attainment of Teenagers and Young Adults in Hong Kong since the 1970s Educational Attainment of the Population Aged 15 and Over at Matriculation Level or Taking Degree Courses, 1971-2001 Number Percentage Share of Percentage of Persons Change Population Change Year % % % 1971 111,660 - 4.4 - 1976 158,340 41.81 5.3 20.45 1981 261,350 65.06 7.0 32.08 1986 374,675 43.36 9.1 30.00 1991 414,350 10.59 9.1 0.00 1996 706,239 70.45 13.5 48.35 2001 955,536 35.30 17.0 25.93 Sources: Tabulation compiled from Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics (Census and Statistics Department, various years). Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  The Industrial Dynamics of Movie Supply Context Context (A1) (A2) (A3) Increasing 1967 Riots, Struggles between Educational Economic Growth, Shaw Brothers and Attainment of and Social Reforms Golden Harvest the Population Golden Harvest (嘉禾院線 1970‐2009) (B1) ‐ Formed by Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho, Emergence of former Shaw Brothers. Left in 1970. “Hong Kong Identity” & ‐ Different approach: less centralized as Shaw, Middle-Class Film Culture more autonomy for independent producers and talents, by ‘contract’ and pay. ‐ Exporting HK films (Kung Fu stars) like Bruce Lee Demand (Big Boss唐山大兄1971; Enter the Dragon 1973 with Warner Brothers etc.) and later Jackie Chan. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  The Industrial Dynamics of Movie Supply Context Context (A1) (A2) (A3) (A4) Increasing 1967 Riots, Struggles between Restructuring in Educational Economic Growth, Shaw Brothers and the Television Attainment of and Social Reforms Golden Harvest Sector the Population (B1) (B2) Emergence of Distributor-led “Hong Kong Identity” & Independent Production System Middle-Class Film Culture became the Dominant Model in the Hong Kong Film Industry Demand Supply Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  Supply Side: Distributor-led Independent Production System (B2) & The rise of the “New Wave”(新浪潮) and a “New” Generation of Filmmakers (A4) Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  Deregulation (1980s) and restructuring of the TV Sector Initially, TV licensing included: to broadcast at least a certain number of imported western TV programmes. Such requirement was abolished in 1980. Expansion in TV productions absorbed but also trained large number of local creative personnel. Rise of independent producers (e.g. New Wave新浪潮) and more choices for distributors! E.g. Tsui Hark徐克 (TVB, Commercial TV 1978), Ann Hui許鞍華, Patrick Tam譚家明 (1st wave), Wong Kar‐Wai王家衛and John Woo 吳宇森(2nd wave) Rise of Cinema City Company Ltd.新藝城影業有限公司 (1981‐1991) Nomad 烈火青春 (1982) by Patrick Tam, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjLUsQjLELQ Directors skills developed in overseas, polished in TV production. Localized issues: social problems, family, Hong Kong culture etc. See also: artsonline.monash.edu.au/film‐tv/files/2014/12/James‐Wham‐Hong‐Kong‐New‐ Wave.pdf Growing Number of Cinemas showing Hong Kong Movies (C) Cinemas in Hong Kong that showed Local Movies or Imported Films, and Both, 1970-1985 Y ear E xhibited L ocal M ovies E xhibited Im ported F ilm s E xhibited E xclusively E xclusively B oth T otal N um ber of % # N um ber of % # N um ber of % # N um ber of T heatres T heatres T heatres T heatres 1977 23 N.A. 29 N.A. 16 N.A. N.A. 1978 14 18.67 24 32.00 24 32.00 75 1979 16 20.00 18 22.50 26 32.50 80 1980 27 32.53 30 36.14 5 6.02 83 1981 29 35.37 24 29.27 23 28.05 82 1982 33 37.08 19 21.35 28 31.46 89 1983 48 53.33 14 15.56 22 24.44 90 1984 56 58.95 17 17.89 14 14.74 95 1985 39 37.50 14 13.46 45 43.27 104 Source: Tabulations from cinematic advertisements in Mingpao Daily News and Singtao Daily; Economic Information & Agency (various years) Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  (A1) (A2) (A3) (A4) Increasing 1967 Riots, Struggles between Restructuring in Educational Economic Growth, Shaw Brothers and the Television Attainment of and Social Reforms Golden Harvest Sector the Population (B1) (B2) Emergence of Distributor-led “Hong Kong Identity” & Independent Production System Middle-Class Film Culture became the Dominant Model in the Hong Kong Film Industry Demand (C) Growing number of cinemas Supply showing Hong Kong movies (Y) Hong Kong movies Outperformed Imported Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Films in the Box Office Chiu, Stephen W.K. Core Insights from the Case Study The social forces in the wider society create challenges and opportunities for the maintenance and disruption of the prevailing order in the “field” of cultural production. The creation, mobilization, and deployment of resources are necessary conditions for “cultural entrepreneurship”. We may better understand how a “field” of cultural production emerged and evolved if we could draw an intersection between “biographies” and “history” within society. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Part III: Sociological understanding of the Decline of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD Acknowledgement and Contributors of the topic: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. See: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. 2014. “Global Distribution Networks, Local Exhibition Alliances: Hollywood’s New Map in Hong Kong.” Regional studies 0034‐3404:1‐13; Shin, Victor K.W. Hollywood of the East: The Rise and Fall of the Hong Kong Film Industry since the 1970s. M.Phil. Thesis. CUHK The “Decline” of the Hong Kong Film Industry The “puzzle”? What caused the “decline” of the Hong Kong film industry? Box Office of Hong Kong Movies < Box Office of Imported Films What is the “context”? Who are the “agents” and what have they done? Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  Box-office Takings of Local and Imported Films in Hong Kong, 1975-2012 1,800 Total Box Office 1,600 1993 Hong Kong Movies Imported Films 1,400 “Waning” 1,200 HK$ m illio n 1,000 800 600 400 200 Turn 0 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 Year Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Sources: C&SD (2003, 2008, 2013); E&IA (2003); HKTDC (2001); Chan (2000). The “Myth”: Some Common Sense Spread of Video Piracy in Hong Kong “Content is King” “Hasty and Unpolished” Hong Kong movies (粗製濫造) Overreliance on Presales of Distribution Rights (賣片花) to overseas film markets, particularly Taiwan. ¤ Surging (overseas) demand for Hong Kong films. ¤ Shortened production time by using repetitive formulae such as typical casts and plots – fewer innovations Hollywood’s “Global” Dominance  “Cultural Imperialism” Thesis Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. The “Myth”: Cultural Imperialism Thesis Herbert I. Schiller (1976) Communication and Cultural Domination “Cultural imperialism” refers to the dominance of the U.S. and a few European nations in the one-way flow of media and cultural products, as an integral component of Western imperialism. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  The “Myth”: Cultural Imperialism Thesis Assumptions: Dominance of the “prosperous” nations of the “West” One-way flow of media and cultural products Media & Cultural Products Non-“West”/ “WEST” Rest of the World Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  The “Myth”: Cultural Imperialism Thesis Industry Cluster United International Pictures (UIP) Established in 1981. To collude abroad and pry open overseas market. Handled the overseas distribution of movies from Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Universal and DreamWorks in countries outside North America. Constructed channels for movie distribution and screening. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  High Definition: Understanding Media and Culture in Sociological Perspective A “Tripartite” Mind Map: Critical Evaluation of the Media and Culture Production and Reception of Dissemination of Construction of Cultural products Media and Media messages and Media Cultural products messages Content analysis, Media effects analysis, Political Economy, Semiotics, Media marketing, Production of Formal and Gratifications research, Culture, Field discursive analysis, Ethnography of theory, etc. etc. reception, etc. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Source: Modified from Thompson (1990, p. 307). Stephen W.K.  High Definition: Understanding Media and Culture in Sociological Perspective Narrow Down the Focus 1) What is the “context”? ¤ What are the social conditions that enabled Hollywood to expand its global distribution networks and to capitalize on its competitive advantages in Hong Kong? ¤ What are the institutional settings that engendered the challenges and opportunities for Hollywood in prying open overseas markets? 2) Who are the “agents” and what have they done? Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Year Distributor-led Independent Production System Distributor-led Production Distributor-led Exhibition 1970 Exclusive Exhibition + Cinema Chain mid- The major distributors of Hong Kong movies achieved the economy of Turning Point 1980s scale necessary for cost recovery in film production. 1987 Influx of foreign capital from Taiwan (regional impact) Stage 1 Newport Circuit(新寶院線, e.g.總統戲院) was established. 1988 It wrenched some cinemas from the existing major distributors. Stage 2 early The major distributors still had to produce a large amount of movies 1990s to fill up their cinema chain but there were fewer cinemas in Hong Kong due to the rising price of retail space (rise of shopping mall) Stage 3 mid- 1990s Multiplex cinemas (MCL) retrieved the “movie-booking rights” Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. and cooperated with the distributors of foreign movies.  Answering the Puzzle: What caused the “Decline” of the Hong Kong Film Industry since 1993? Number of Cinemas in Hong Kong, 1984-2012 (fewer and smaller in size!) 140 Total Number of Cinemas Turn Broadway 120 UA 100 MCL Golden Harvest Number of Cinemas 80 60 40 Proportion 20 0 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 1993 Year Sources: Hong Kong Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd. (MPIA) (various years); Cinema Treasures (2013). Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K.  What are the Implications? How did the “New” Logic affect the “New” Major Distributors of Hong Kong Movies? The “New” Major Distributors of Hong Kong Movies, 1997 - Present Control Cinema(s) Do Not Control Cinema Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Core Insights from the Case Study The social forces in the wider society create challenges and opportunities for the maintenance and disruption of the prevailing order in the “field” of cultural production. In spite of Hollywood’s competitive advantages, it is the local institutional settings of the film industry in the receiving country that determine whether Hollywood could expand its dominance in a film market. We may better understand how a “field” of cultural production emerged and evolved if we understand the relationship between the critical changes at the global or regional level, and the interactions among players in the “field” (such as, film companies) at the local/national level. Acknowledgement: Shin, Victor K.W. and Chiu, Stephen W.K. Lecture Outline Part I: Legacies of Hong Kong movie : From HK to Hollywood ‐ the global action cinema Part II: Sociological understanding of the Booming of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD Part III: Sociological understanding of the Decline of Hong Kong Movie: SD & HD