1. Picturing Chinatowns The Chinese-American Male in 20th Century Film

2. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Presentation Outline zProject Introduction zDiscussion of the Films zConclusion

3. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Presentation Outline zProject Introduction zDiscussion of the Films zConclusion

4. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Project Description zClass approach: yPerceptions of the Chinese-American community through various genres of expression zProject approach: yPortrayal of Chinese-American males in 20th century cinema

5. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Project Significance zWhy are we using film as a medium to examine the formation of identity? zWhy are we studying the Chinese- American male?

6. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong What films are we studying? zShadows (1922) zSixteen Candles (1984) zYear of the Dragon (1985) zWedding Banquet (1993) zDouble Happiness (1995) zRush Hour (1998)

7. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong How did we choose these films? zFilms cover a wide domain in cinema ydifferent time periods ymultiple genres yHollywood vs. Independent yvarious director backgrounds

8. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Presentation Outline zProject Introduction zDiscussion of the Films zConclusion

9. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Shadows (1922)

10. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Shadows (1922) zMeant to be a sympathetic portrayal of the Chinese-American male zInstead, reflects and perpetrates the idea of the heathen Chinese

11. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Sixteen Candles (1984)

12. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Sixteen Candles (1984) zChinese exchange student mocked simply because of his ethnicity zBox office success signals wide appeal of such humor, even in 1980s

13. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Year of the Dragon (1985)

14. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Year of the Dragon (1985) zChinatown as exotic, mysterious and crime-ridden zChinese villain as charismatic but effeminate zEmphasizes inability of the Chinese- American male to assimilate

15. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Wedding Banquet (1993)

16. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Wedding Banquet (1993) zOverseas perspective on the Chinese- American immigrant experience zDepicts a liberation of the Chinese- American male zLiberation, however, comes at great cost

17. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Double Happiness (1995)

18. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Double Happiness (1995) zDirected from perspective of second generation Chinese-Canadian zChinese-Canadian male reduced to one-dimensional notions of success zHis abandonment as part of the Chinese-Canadian female’s liberation

19. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Rush Hour (1998)

20. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Rush Hour (1998) zPairing of a crossover Hong Kong kung fu master with an African-American comedian zAcceptable ethnic stereotyping zYet Chinese-American male stars as master of an exoticized martial art

21. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Presentation Outline zProject Introduction zDiscussion of the Films zConclusion

22. May 10, 2002 Liza Ching & Eric Wong Themes zMore complex portrayals over time zProgression from playing into stereotypes to playing with stereotypes zContinued lack of complete representation zIdentity formation as an increasingly dynamic process

23. THE END