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Chinese Martial Arts Film

Course Overview

This course guides students as they critically view classic works of Chinese martial arts cinema and teaches them how to examine a variety of topics related to this genre. The topics include historical roots, ideology, worldview, cinematic aesthetics, transnationalism, globalization, spectatorship, and collective memory. The course provides students with a meaningful experience with both depth and breadth of knowledge in this genre from four perspectives: the characteristics of the genre, the director’s aesthetic choice, the actor’s stardom and film persona, and the spectator’s film viewing experience. Through viewing, discussing, interpreting, and analyzing a number of representative Chinese martial arts films from different eras, students will develop a profound understanding and appreciation of this particular cinematic expression and visual construction. Ultimately, students will apply their gained knowledge to create their own short martial arts film by developing a screenplay, a storyboard, and producing a final cut, using Adobe Premiere Pro.