This week we mainly talked about numerous political cinemas such as the Chinese Revolutionary cinema, German cinema as well as HK and Taiwan cinemas. During the 1960s-1970s, Chinese government has utilized film as a propaganda tool and to transmit the message that the government wants to deliver. It has strict control over mass media. And its films were very typical, with a lot of red lightings shrouded with traditional Chinese atmosphere. One of the films we talked about is the Red Detachment of women in 1961. It’s a revolutionary model drama and made during the loosening of the censorships. It depicts women’s role in China in that period of time.

Moreover, there’s some emphasis on the German political modernism. From 1960-1970 Germany was split up into West and East Germany separated by the Berlin War after WWII. With the importation of Hollywood films, it leads to declination of domestic film industry in Germany. Oberhausen Manifesto was thus introduced aiming to build an industry founded on artistic excellence. The films were relatively low budget and it was mostly subsidized by the government. The manifesto believed that the ‘old cinema is dead, we believe in the new,’ and the movies made do not conform to classic Hollywood style such as severlal techniques mentioned 3 point lighting, 180 degree rule and etc. One of the films mentioned significantly was the Ali: fear eats the soul 1974. It’s a film of societal class issues and the whole movie is depicting racial issues with the guest workers as well as the power balance in a relationship. Emmi, the protagonist suffers from discrimination due to her cleaner job. She later falls in love with Ali, a foreign worker, who also suffered from discrimination. And foreign workers were called dirty swines. The use of alienation Brechtian effect allows the audience to be in a position of judgement.

Then there is the Taiwan New Cinema. And one famous figure is Hou Hsiao Hsien ann. The films at Taiwan in that period focused on national identity, social and political issues. There was blending social realism with modern innovation as narratives are fractured and nativism and westernization was mixed together. Theatre as well as newspapers played important role as it fostered artistic climate and bolstered the New Cinema. Moreover, Peggy Chiaio, probably one of the most famous film critics at that time, helped mentoring Hsien and gave and gave him intellectual assistance. The government reformed the Golden Horse awards in 1978 when they found out that even though the production of new movies increased, however there was no innovation and the sales dwindled. James Soong, the head of government information office, delivered three principles, professionalism, artistry and internationalism. Hou Hsiao Hsien utilized long still takes as well as holding shots with action especially in the movie Boys from Fengkuei 1983. Hou utilized Shen’s biography as he learnt this new way of viewing the world. He leaves these events in raw form and request the camera to be moved further and further back. This begins to form Hou’s own style and is seen in his many future works.