Examining Hong Kong cinema from its inception in 1913 to the end of the colonial era, this work explains the key areas of production, market, film products and critical traditions. Hong Kong Cinema considers the different political formations of Hong Kong's culture as seen through the cinema, and deals with the historical, political, economic and cultural relations between Hong Kong cinema and other Chinese film industries on the mainland, as well as in Taiwan and South-East Asia. Discussion covers the concept of 'national cinema' in the context of Hong Kong's status as a quasi-nation with strong links to both the 'motherland' (China) and the 'coloniser' (Britain), and also argues that Hong Kong cinema is a national cinema only in an incomplete and ambiguous sense.

About the Author
Yingchi Chu is a lecturer in Chinese and Film Studies at the School of Asian Studies, Murdoch University, Western Australia

Reviews

'This well researched book, its exhaustive bibliography and a handy and useful glossary and filmography (in Chinese and English) - is an important tool allowing readers to grasp how, in the very particular and exceptional case of Hong Kong, its cinema both embodies and transcends our received idea of what constitutes a national cinematic art.' - Cinemaya
'Hong Kong Cinema is an ambitious, thought-provoking book and contains some fascinating material on the film industry in 1980-2000.' - China Quarterly

Book Information
ISBN 9780415546331
Author Yingchi Chu
Format Paperback
Page Count 206
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 380g