Chinese Cinema and Society Final Paper. Chinese Cinema and Society

Chinese Cinema and Society
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Chinese Cinema and Society
One requires unique characteristics to develop a film that relates and impacts society in different ways. To an artist, insight, ambition, skills, and techniques are just a few inputs that must be invested in monumental artistic outputs. Works with clear insights into society are relatable and entertaining. These works also culminate in accumulating multiple awards. One then asks for the combination of factors that deliver such immeasurable success. One artistic setting that has consistently delivered high-quality works amidst turbulence in China. Rich in history through its various dynasties and value of health, China has had a consistent history of developing films that relate to society. Uniquely, some of the cinematographic and artistic inputs in various films with Chinese decent depict unrelenting attachment to the society that has become challenging to emulate. This paper critically analyzes two of the films that showcase the intrinsic relationship between Chinese cinema and society. The two films, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Ang Lee and Unknown Pleasures/Let it ride (2003) by Jia Zhangke showcase allegiance to the society through the thematic expressions of happiness and freedom that are worth exploring. A critical analysis of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Unknown Pleasures/Let it Ride” is a current necessity bearing the two films' unique exploration of the themes of happiness and freedom amidst unrivaled cinematography, styles, and representation.
Each person yearns for happiness and freedom at one point or the other in their lives. The pursuit of happiness or freedom is a consistent path that people cannot ignore until they diminish. In film, happiness is a feeling. Happiness is a feeling of contentment or pleasure. One tends to show the feeling of happiness when something good has happened or is just about to happen. While developing their films, filmmakers understand happiness and a mobile feeling. Happiness in films is not static and changes within short periods of time. In fact, happiness is in constant competition with other feelings such as sadness. Filmmakers extrapolate their expression of happiness by implying its external and internal prospects. One does not need to show happiness just externally, it can happen internally too. Those who have mastered the techniques understand that prospects such as editing, transitions, camera shots, and camera angles can play an integral role in the manner in which the audience perceives happiness. The same applies to the thematic exploration of freedom. In films, freedom triggers happiness. Combining the two detailing themes, however, does not limit their distinctions. Freedom is expressed in how one acts and what he/she speaks. As opposed to happiness that requires cinematographic elements to depict explicitly, freedom can be seen in actions and it can be heard in words. In Chinese films, both freedom and happiness are marked with ecstasy bearing the path that China has explored to reach the heights of cinematographic freedom and the amount of happiness that they manifest today. Both “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (200...