Tradition and Modernity & Women in Asian Society Asian Film Analysis Paper

You are to select three films of your choice from the provided list below (no more than two from the same category for the sake of variety).

In the Film Analysis you must include:

• The title of the film (with the year of release in parentheses)
• The category the film is listed under
• The film’s country of origin (China, Japan, the USA, etc.)
• The country/countries the film is set in
• Time period the film takes place (specific dynasty or era, and/or century)

You must also pick one of the following questions to answer (200 words minimum) for each film. (You don’t have to use the same question for each film.)

1. How does this film depict a specific event in Asian history or a historical figure? (A war, a historical person or folk hero, a specific era of history, etc.)
2. How does this film depict a specific aspect of Asian culture? (Examples: a particular cultural norm or attitude, religious practices, fashion, etc.)
3. How does the film depict one culture’s view of another culture? (Examples: how the Japanese are depicted in Chinese cinema, or how the Chinese are depicted in American culture, etc.)
4. How does the film depict a conflict between two cultures?

1. Tradition & ModernityThese films focus on changes and evolutions within various aspects of Asian societies, and reflect attitudes towards those changes. Beauty (2007)The Cup (1999)Ghost in the Shell (1995)The Hidden Blade (2004)Ohayo (Good Morning) (1959)Ode to my Father (2014)Platform (2000)The Road Home (2000)Shadow Magic (2000)Spring Summer Fall Winter…And Spring (2003)Sympathy for the Underdog (1971)Those Who Make Tomorrow (1946)Tokyo Story (1953)Asian Culture, Society, & Social CommentaryThese films explore various aspects and facets of Asian societies, as well as give us an idea of values, ideas, and concerns of these societies that were contemporary to the time they were filmed.47 Ronin (1962)A Brighter Summer Day (1991)Akira (1988)Balzac & the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002)Battle Royale (2000)Blue Kite (1994)Chungking Express (1994)Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)Departures (2008)Dying to Survive (2018)Early Spring (1956)Floating Weeds (1959)Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)Gangnam Blues (2015)Harakiri (1962)The Human Condition Part 1: No Greater Love (1959)The Human Condition Part 2: The Road To Eternity (1959)The Human Condition Part 3: A Soldier’s Prayer (1961)Hush! (2001)In the Heat of the Sun (1994)In the Wild Mountains (1986)Mothra (1961)Nagasaki: Memories of my Son (aka Living With My Mother) (2015)No Regrets For My Youth (1946)Office (2021)One Wonderful Sunday (1947)Painted Faces (1988)Parasite (2019)Peninsula (2020)Ponyo (2008)Ran (1985)Rashomon (1950)Samurai Rebellion (1967)Seven Samurai (1954)Shall We Dance? (1995)The Story of Qui Ju (1992)The Sword Identity (2011)Ten Years (2015)To Live (1994)Together (2002)Tokyo Godfathers (2003)Tokyo Sonata (2008)Twilight Samurai (2002)Whisper of the Heart (1995)Yi yi (2000)Youth (2017)

1. Women in Asian SocietyThese films examine the various roles and attitudes towards women in Asian societies. A Geisha (1953)A Good Lawyer’s Wife (2003)Aftershock (2010)Café Lumiere (2004)Center Stage (1991)Come Drink With Me (1966)Early Summer (1951)Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (1994)Flowers of Shanghai (1998)Kamikaze Girls (2004)King of Masks (1996)Late Spring (1949)The Life of Oharu (1952)The Love Eterne (1963)The White Silk Dress (2007)Moshidora (2011)Stolen Life (2005)Ugetsu (1953)Wing Chun (1994)Woman on the Beach (2006)Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (1998)
3. Supernatural & HorrorSome of these films demonstrate what Asian audiences consider to be scary, while others deal with key aspects of religion, mythology, and folklore.Art of the Devil (2004)Bangkok Haunted (2001)Bride With White Hair (1993)Chinese Ghost Story (1987)Dark Water (2002)Encounter of the Spooky Kind (1981)Ghost Money (1981)Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)Ju-on (2000)Kwaidan (1964)The Maid (2021)Mr. Vampire (1985)Ringu (1998)Shikoku (1999)Spirited Away (2001)Shutter (2004)Train to Busan (2016)Yokai Daisenso (1968)
4. Historical Events & PeopleThese films are based on historical events and figures, and they reveal how Asian societies perceive those events.36^th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)Barefoot Gen (1983)Black Rain (1989) – NOT THE MICHAEL DOUGLAS MOVIEChallenge of the Masters (1976)Drunken Master (1978)The Emperor & the Assassin (1999)The Emperor’s Shadow (1996)Forever Young (2018)Grave of the Fireflies (1987)The Great War of Archimedes (2018)Heaven & Earth (1990)Heroes Among Heroes (1993)Heroes Two (1974)Hwanasanbul (2003)Kagemusha (1980)Man Behind the Sun (Black Sun 731) (1988)The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1945)Musa (The Warrior) (2001)Operation Red Sea (2018)The Opium War (1997)Purple Sun (2001)Red Cliff (2008)Red Sorghum (1987)Rhapsody in August (1991)Rise of the Legend (2014)Rurouni Kenshin:Tsuiokuhe (Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal) (1999)Samurai: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)Shaolin Temple (1982)Suriothai (The Legend of Suriothai) (2001)Taegukgi (2004)The Tai Chi Master (Twin Warriors) (1993)Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008)The Warlords (2008)
5. Nationalism/East & West RelationsThese films reflect nationalist sentiments on the part of the main characters, and/or focus on conflicts between Asian nations and Easters vs. Western conflicts from Asia’s point of view.A Jewish Girl in Shanghai (2010)Born to Defense (1988)Cape No. 7 (2008)Champion (2002)Chinese Zodiac (2012)Death Duel of Kung Fu (1979)Dragon Fight (1989)Drunken Master II (The Legend of Drunken Master) (1994)Duel to the Death (1982)Eastern Condors (1987)Fearless (2006)Fighter in the Wind (2004)Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection) (1972)Fist of Legend (1994)Gojira (1954)Hapkido (Lady Kung Fu) (1972)Heroes of the East (Shaolin Challenges Ninja) (1978)The Host (2006)In the Line of Duty IV (1989)Ip Man (2008)Ip Man 2 (2010)Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010)Martial Arts Master Wong Fei-hung (Great Hero From China) (1992)Once Upon a Time in China (1991)Once Upon a Time in China II (1992)Railroad Tigers (2016)The Rebel (2006)Shaolin Fist of Fury (Ninja Over the Great Wall) (1987)Under the Flag of the Rising Sun (1972)Warriors of the Nation (2020)The Way of the Dragon (Return of the Dragon) (1972)Zegen (1987)
6. Western Portrayals of AsiaThese films reveal American and European attitudes and perceptions towards Asian societies and people, as well as Asian-American perceptions and experiences. Any Charlie Chan movie1941 (1979)Blood on the Sun (1945)Bloodsport (1988)The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1953)Crazy Rich Asians (2018)Destination Tokyo (1943)Dien Bien Phu (1992)Empire of the Sun (1987)The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)Go For Broke! (1951)Good Morning Vietnam (1987)The Green Berets (1968)Gung Ho (1986)Hell in the Pacific (1969)Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)Inception (2010)Isle of Dogs (2018)The Farewell (2019)The Joy Luck Club (1993)The Karate Kid (either the 1984 original or the 2010 remake)The Killing Fields (1984)Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)The Last Emperor (1987)Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)Lost in Translation (2003)Mao’s Last Dancer (2009)Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)Mr. Baseball (1992)Mulan (1998 or 2020 version)Objective Burma! (1945)The Phantom of Chinatown (1940)Pork Chop Hill (1959)The Purple Heart (1944)Ramen Girl (2008)Raya & The Last Dragon (2021)Rising Sun (1993)Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)Romeo Must Die (2000)Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)The Shadow (1994)South Pacific (1958)Teen Titans: Trouble In Tokyo (2006)The Thief of Baghdad (1924)Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)The Wolverine (2013)You Only Live Twice (1967)