Chinese Cinema: The Role of Language in Crows and Sparrows and Hibiscus Town Films - Essay Example

1 Chinese Cinema 2 General Summary Of The Films, ”Crows And Sparrows” and “Hibiscus Town” “Crows And Sparrows” This film realistically narrates the conflicts which residents of a Shanghai building and their landlord went through on the last few days of the ruling of former president, Chiang Kai Shek (Blaise, 2010). The landlord had previously forcibly taken the building from a previous owner (Blaise, 2010). However, conflicts between the landlord and the residents of the building arose when the landlord unwillingly had to sell the building and evict the residents in it (Blaise, 2010). Numerous residents cooperated together in order to come up with a plan to resist the landlord’s eviction proceedings (Blaise, 2010). However, they failed in some ways as well to successfully implement this plan as some residents had completely different plans in resisting the proceedings (Blaise, 2010). Without common cooperation, resisting the eviction proceedings became difficult. “Hibiscus Town” This film follows the experiences and daily struggles and pleasures by a Chinese woman in a small town in rural China (Answers Corporation, 2010). The film details how the woman went through struggles to make a living and live through coping with social conflicts at the same time (Answers Corporation, 2010). The film gives moral lessons and positive insights to viewers all over the world. It makes them become aware that any dilemmas may find their resolutions as long as they stay strong and accept challenges as they come. The Role Of Language In One Or More Films In This Unit Of Study 3 Films chosen: -Crows And Sparrows -Hibiscus Town The Role Of Language In Crows And Sparrows Language is depicted more globally in this film as it seeks to reach a wider audience across the globe. This film aims to allow the international community realise the political turmoil that is taking place in China during the pre-communist revolution (Blaise , 2010). This is done through the narration of a situation which may likely happen during the pre-communist revolution times in China (Blaise, 2010). The language in the film was made more global by placing an English subtitle throughout the entire film (Blaise, 2010). The English language subtitle in the film was made more modern, in that the words used were common words used in the English speaking society (Blaise, 2010). The most significant depiction of the difficulties faced by people in China pre-communist revolution as depicted in the film was the absence of any lawful protection in the country against resident eviction proceedings during the government of President Chiang Kai Shek in the Chinese nation (Blaise, 2010). The absence of this provision entails that not too many benefits are provided to the Chinese people in the country during these days as the communistic policies prevail significantly within the Chinese territories (Blaise, 2010). As a result, numerous people suffer the difficulties of not having freedom due to the communistic policies prevalent in the country (Blaise, 2010). The Chinese people who are not happy about this situation desire the international democratic community be aware of the situation they are in for decades. Because of this, they 4 deem it important that English subtitle which can be understood easily by the international community in the movie be placed accordingly. The Role Of Language In Hibiscus Town Hibiscus is a real town that exists in China (Cao, 2010). The film, “Hibiscus Town” was created with the hopes of depicting the lives of the people in this town in its actual reality (Cao, 2010). Hibiscus is located in a southern rural area in China (Cao, 2010). Because of this, people’s ways of lives are very different from those of the people in urban areas in the country. The director of the film deems it necessary for the international community to understand people’s ways of living in the Chinese rural areas (Cao, 2010). The director deems it necessary to include modern English subtitle in the film in order to do this (Cao, 2010). The international community at times discriminate the practices of the Chinese, particularly those living in rural areas. Due to this stereotypical act, the director deems it necessary to tell Chinese people’s customs and traditions in the rural areas through this film. Hibiscus was originally called Wang Cun (Cao, 2010). The residents of this rural town make a living through river commerce (i.e., fishing) (Cao, 2010). As a result, these people incur more communist ideals hen viewing issues throughout the world. The director understands this factor possibly all the more makes the international community inculcate stereotypical views against the Chinese people, especially those living in the rural area. With this in mind, the director decides to create a movie in order to better make the international community the cultural perceptions of the Chinese people, especially those living in rural areas. The film depicts the hardships people in Hibiscus underwent when they struggled against communism even harder than their counterparts living in urban China (Cao, 2010). The director 5 wants the international community, especially those who adhere to democracy, understand the issues the Chinese people (especially those living rurally), struggle with, in order to make efforts in acquiring a little democracy in the country (Cao, 2010). The film’s director aims to transmit these messages even also to the highest political officials of the most powerful democratic countries in the world, which include the United States and the European Union countries. The director aims to construct the language used in the English subtitle in ways which would formally transmit these messages to these valued officials holding high democratic values. Martial arts were prevalently used in the film, “Hibiscus Town,” to demonstrate people’s revolution activities in the rural areas to try to acquire a little democracy in their areas and country itself (Zhang, s.y.). Martial arts activities involve several physically violent gestures in fighting the people who tries to overthrow the very ideals of democracy (Zhang, s.y.). The films of Ang Lee demonstrate struggles with the intercultural adoption and the pressure to adhere to the single native culture conformity in the society (Wei & Fung, 1997). These difficulties were also clearly demonstrated in the film, “Hibiscus Town” when residents of this rural town struggle to seek the intercultural desire of having democracy in their lives and in their country and their native society’s pressuring act of conformity to one culture that is native in the Chinese nation only. Intercultural practices adoption was encouraged throughout the Chinese nation in the last recent decades (Bordwell, s.y.). This is so much so encouraged that significant numbers of 6 Chinese people began to be more open in being inter culturally immersed (Bordwell, s.y.). When this takes place, more Chinese people begin to patronise and appreciate the movie, “Hibiscus Town”. The English subtitles of those two movies were intensified and enhanced to their perfection as this need of loser international diplomatic and cultural relations prevailed in the Chinese nation (Carson, 1995). Outdated subtitle tools were phased out of the market in order to achieve this goal (Carson, 1995). “Hibiscus Town” also relays the Chinese people’s desires in early times to free themselves from the grasp of well-known communist leader, former president Mao (Xiaoping , s.y.). The people seek to have this desire heard by the international community as well in order to request for any assistance in achieving this goal.. Different Languages In The Films: Undermining Or Strengthening The Idea Of A Chinese Nation The different languages used in the films undermine and strengthen the idea of a Chinese nation both at the same time. It strengthens this idea by encouraging Chinese people to value the advantages brought by democracy. They become more exposed to the benefits of democracy, thereby, pushing them to take more lawful actions to acquire a little democracy in their country. However, the usage of different languages in the films undermine the nation’s spirit by creating more conflicts in the Chinese society between the numerous people who unfavorably want to solely have communist ideals and the other remaining members of the population who favour a little democracy in the country. These conflicts create chaos extensively. Uses Of The Languages In The Film When Conveying The 7 Director’s Central Message -The dual languages used, Mandarin Chinese and English were used in combination in the films in order to convey the message that the films’ directors aim to send messages to the international democratic community regarding the realisation of the importance of having a little democracy in the Chinese nation. -The enhanced English subtitle systems that were used in the films convey the importance given by the directors in conveying the mentioned messages to the international democratic community. This is done so through efforts put forth in using the most enhanced subtitle systems as possible. The directors have made extensive efforts in using the most excellent subtitle systems through partnering with several world renowned subtitle providers in the world. They had the persistent goal of making films’ messages be successfully received and understood by the democratic community. They were very well aware that the only way of achieving that goal was to use the most enhanced subtitle systems they could ever use. 8 References: Blaise, J. (2010). Crows And Sparrows. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/crows-and-sparrows. CRIEnglish.com (2010). Hibiscus Town And Its Memory On Film. Retrieved from http://english.cri.cn/7146/2010/01/11/1721s541534.htm Answers Corporation (2010). Hibiscus Town. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/hibiscus-town Early Martial Arts Film In China (s.y.) Bodies In The Air. [Lecture]. University Of Sydney (1997). Transnational Chinese Cinemas: Identity, Nationhood And Gender [Lecture]. Hong Kong Cinema (s.y.) Chronology Of Hong Kong Cinema [Lecture]. University Of Texas Press Society For Cinema And Media Studies (1995). Chinese Film: Sources And Resources. Summer 1995, ed. [Lecture]. A Journey Across The Ruins Of Post-Mao China (s.y.) Jia Zhangke’s Cinematic Trilogy. [Lecture]. Read More