Lee delves into the importance of cinema in urban Shanghainese life, discussing how early film production first came about partly because of the demand for leisure and entertainment. I think it’s really interesting how the development of modern Chinese cinema is so intertwined with the urban and cultural setting at the time. Lee discusses how cinema was first embraced by intellectuals before essentially becoming a new commodity of urban life. The arrival of cinema undoubtedly came along with the Hollywood influence, introducing an interesting “hybridity” where native cinema mimicked and served as a foil to the western film industry. He brings up how cinema, in a way, bridged the gap between “literary culture” and the “encroachment of commercialism”, which is evidenced by the fact that while many modern Chinese films had distinctly western-influenced elements, they were still uniquely Chinese, whether that be through the narrative tempo or the way nationalist messages were slipped in.
Amanda Cai
3033112121
Good analysis on the early development of Chiense cinema. You have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the different influences of the shaping of Chinese cinema. Including more personal reflections and your stance upon such hybridity will strengthen the response.