Third Review—Booklist!
Savvy film buffs know that Chinese directors are responsible for a disproportionate number of the most highly praised and entertaining recent movies. Others wishing to explore Chinese cinema's staggering variety will do well to consult this valuable guide. After a single chapter on the first half-century of Chinese film, Yang offers a decade-by-decade look at the cinematic output of the mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Hong Kong's crowd-pleasers, particularly the kung fu classics of the 1970s and the "poetic violence" gangster films of the '80s, predominate, but other trends get their due, including the Fifth Generation mainland directors of the '80s, such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, and the New Taiwanese Cinema, also of the '80s, exemplified by Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-Hsien. The book's second half contains succinct, informative capsule reviews of nearly 300 films. If Yang's treatment seems somewhat cursory, that may be the result of trying to chronicle three separate national cinemas. Hardcore cineastes may want more scholarly coverage, but for most filmgoers, this is just the ticket.—Gordon Flagg

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—OUATIC.com Staff, Monday, December 22 2003

Second Review! A rave from Library Journal!
With a host of contributors, Yang, former publisher of aMagazine (for Asian Americans), explores the moviemaking industries of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China—not only individually but also as parts of an intertwined film tradition. Dividing the text by eras spanning 1896 through 2000 and beyond, Yang wittily introduces Western readers to several genres (e.g., martial arts, graphic horror, and domestic comedy); throughout these discussions, sidebars tackle everything from triads (Hong Kong's mob underworld) to Chinese ghost stories. More than 250 capsule reviews of the most significant films of each era and nation follow, from Big Road to Enter the Dragon to Yi Yi. Numerous black-and-white photos add to the overall quality, as do Yang's brief FAQ section and resources list, including web sites for further information. An excellent, inexpensive introduction to the genre, this work will support more thorough (and expensive) references such as John Charles's The Hong Kong Filmography: 1977 - 1997, Yingjin Zhang and Zhiwei Xiao's Encyclopedia of Chinese Film, and Donald J. Marion's The Chinese Filmography. Highly recommended. —Anthony J. Adam, Prairie View A&M Univ. Lib., TX

Copyright 2003 Library Journal

—OUATIC.com Staff, Monday, December 15 2003

First Review! Nice words from Publishers Weekly!
Yang, the founder of the Asian-American periodical aMagazine, fell in love with the "guilty pleasure" of Chinese movies as a child, when his uncle took him to see "epic tales of blood, thunder, and magic." His account, enlivened by his innocent enthusiasm and his eye for pertinent detail, begins with a 1905 one-reeler, Dangjun Mountain. With a keen historical perspective, Yang introduces such early film icons as Ruan Lingyu, a "mistress of melodrama" who starred in the eerily prophetic Suicide Contract and then killed herself. He describes the evolution from women's pictures to martial arts movies, from the late 1910s to today. Action star Chang Cheh said in the 1960s that he wanted to put the spotlight on "real men who'd tear off their own legs and gleefully use them to beat their enemies to death," and this macho stance is reflected in Enter the Dragon and others in the Bruce Lee series. Yang crisply chronicles Lee's career from his minor Hollywood success, loss of the lead in TV's Kung Fu and eventual Hong Kong stardom. The contrast between the "vengeful, stone-faced" Lee, who died of cerebral edema at 32, and the mischievous, clownish Jackie Chan provides enjoyable reading. Yang also extensively covers John Woo's "bullet-riddled mayhem," the popularity of Hong Kong sex films featuring Chinese mythology, and a battle against piracy that made Chan take to the streets in protest. Capsule reviews offer an all-inclusive portrait of releases over half a century, and Yang clinches his case by reminding readers "they've had only the merest taste of the banquet that is yet to come. Save room for dessert." Photos.

Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

—OUATIC.com Staff, Wednesday, December 10 2003