Product Description

Film directors from East Asia frequently win top prizes at international film festivals, but in the West little is known about them nor about the cultures that produced them.

It is not all martial arts, flying warriors, historical pageants and tea ceremonies. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and North and South Korea went through periods of great political turmoil and rapid modernisation in the 20th century. The films of these countries reflect these changes and the conflicts between modern lifestyles and traditional values. In some cases it is capitalism versus communism, in others materialism versus spiritual concerns.

This book provides an ideal reference work on all the major directors, with details of their films and checklists for the films of each country, useful for both ardent fan and serious student alike. Covers filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, Wong Kar Wai, Kon Ichikawa, Takeshi Kitano, Shohei Imamura, Kim Ki-deok, Tsui Hark, Zhang Yimou, Takeshi Miike. It explores the common cultural heritage of the countries and their mutual influence. The films of China, Japan and Korea, for example, reflect their shared Buddhist and Confucian heritage. The films of China and North Korea are conditioned by Communist ideology. Early Korean cinema was dominated by the effects of Japanese colonial domination, and the Japanese cinema greatly influenced that of Taiwan.

Includes exclusive DVD featuring Cinema on the Road: A Personal Essay on Cinema in Korea by Jang Sun-woo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64498 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 254 pages

About the Author
Dr. David Carter has taught at several UK universities and presently teaches at Yonsei University, Seoul. He has published on psychoanalysis, literature, drama, film history and applied linguistics, and is also a freelance writer and journalist. He has more than 30 years experience with amateur drama, as actor, director and for many years as chairman of a leading group in the South of England. He has written Pocket Essentials on Georges Simenon, Literary Theory and Kamera Books on East Asian Cinema and the forthcoming The Western