The New Women

The New Women

The movie The New Women is directed by Cai Chusheng and first showed to public in 1935 during Chinese New Year. When I first heard the title of the movie, I have reaction that is same with the audience from Guizhou province that mentioned in the reading. I wanted to understand how “‘New Women’ will be presented by the movie company from big city” (Harris 278) at that time. In addition, I would like to know how did women strength their position in society. From the progress of the film, I was shocked that the main character Wei Ming acted by Luan Lingyu is not that kind of “New Women” I was hoping to see. In the beginning of the movie, when Wei Ming and her schoolmate met with Yu Haitao who was from publishing company, they started to smoke cigarettes which can be consider as “New Women” behavior. Furthermore, after Wei Ming’s schoolmate left the room, she started to show her love obviously to Yu Haitao which is also not a traditional Chinese women’s action. Those behaviors give audiences brief image of “New Women” in Shanghai. The movie also showed audiences that women has participated more in society by having recreational activities such as go to ballroom to dance. However, things have changed as the movie progress. Wei Ming was forced to quit her job when she didn’t accept Dr. Wang’s proposal. She lost her source of income and didn’t have enough money to pay rent and medical care for her daughter. The piano company also took her piano back because she could not pay for the remaining balances. She was a music teacher, losing the piano is a symbol that her career was end due to a contemptible man. Wei Ming forced to become prostitute to earn living. At the end, she took medicines and tried to commit suicide. A journalist came into the room and wanted to create a news toward her since she was a famous writer. The second half of the movie showed how tragic Wei Ming is. The New Paper company and publishing company even wanted to earn money on the news of her suicide. Like what the Harris said in the reading, “Wei Ming’s own apartment walls are decorated by mirrors and photographs of herself. Does this confirm contemporary presumptions that New Women were just modern ornaments, shallow image-conscious narcissists?” (Harris 281)

Two Stage Sister

The film “Two Stage Sisters” is directed by XieJin and show to public in 1964. The movie used Shao Xing Opera (Yue Ju) as background which is a very popular Chinese Traditional Opera around 1940s in Shang Hai and Zhe Jiang area. Most film are based on famous script at that time, but this film is one of the few films that based on original screenplay. (Lu 61) In addition, this is also one of the few films of XieJin that shoot before Culture Revolution and not been destroyed completely during Culture Revolution. The film talked about two female opera actresses, one named Chun Hua acted by Xie Fang and the other one named Yue Hong acted by Cao Yindi. In the beginning of the movie, Chun Hua is a child bride who escaped and hiding in the changing room of a Shao Xing Opera group. She was accepted by the master of the Opera group and became a student. From the Lu’s reading we can know that at that time in China, “opera singing seemed to be the only alternative to the miserable life of a childbride.” (Lu 63) Soon, Chun Hua and Yue Hong were sold to an opera company in Shang Hai after death of their master. Yue Hong was attracted by the manager of the company and became master Xing’s words before death. As our lecture has said earlier, Chinese government controls Chinese movie and many contents will be examined by them. From this film, I see a great influence by Chinese government. For example, the relationship between the two sisters can be seen as communist party and Guomindang (KMT). They both have good intentions of become successful Opera actresses at beginning, this is similar that communist party and KMT both want to build a “new China”. However, Yue Hong forget their good intentions and turn against her friend. At the end, manager and Yue Hong’s plan were destroyed by Chun Hua’s braveness. In my opinion, the second of the film which I mentioned above is metaphor of conflict between communist party and KMT. The film also showed that Yue Hong escaped to village after losing on the court, but Chun Hua doesn’t mind what Yue Hong did and tried to find her in villages and continue their relationship. I believe this can consider as a signal that communist party to KMT after KMT went to Taiwan. Even though they became enemy and had civil war, but communist party believe that they were fooled by western countries (manager Tang) and still can accept them.

The Red Detachment of Women

The movie The Red Detachment of Women is directed by XieJin and released to public in 1961. The main character Wu Qionghua acted by Zhu Xijuan was being locked in a Nan Batian’s prison who is a landlord in Hainan province. Even she tried to run away few times, but never successes and will be sold as a slave. The other character named Hong Changqing who is a communist leader saved her when he is passing the village. In this movie, the director used lighting to distinguish between positive characters and negative character. I found out that those negative characters’ face usually is covered by shadow where positive characters’ face will be bright. In addition, this method is also used toward the places where they live. Nan Batian’s village and his mansion is always dark and created uncomfortable atmosphere, where communist village is “daylight filming, in bright sunshine, signifies the hope and radiant future in the liberated ‘Red’ land. (Cui 82) The movie also used a technique to show Wu Qionghua’s proletariat. After she was rescued by Hong Changqing, Hong Changqing gave her four coins for food and accommodation. However, she did not use the money and gave it back to Hong Changqing after she is confirmed to join the communist party as party membership fee. In addition, Wu Qionghua and her friend Fu Honglian didn’t accept their tragedy lives and wanted to fight back. Both example showed their good personality which conforms to image of communist party. In my opinion, this film is more conform to the idea of “New Women” compare to the first film we watched in the class. The Red Detachment of Women clearly showed how women stand up from low social status and fight against their enemy, a proletarian woman become a communist warrior.

• At least 550 words.
• You will analyze a sequence (one short scene) from one film of your choice shown in the course from Week 2 to Week 7.
• You need to cite at least two academic sources in your essay.
• Comparative perspective is highly encouraged.
• Use Turnitin.com to submit your essay.
• Choose one sequence from the following films:
• The New Women by Cai Chusheng (1935), available on Youtube.
• Two Stage Sisters by XieJin (1964), (reserved at The Visual Resource Centre, Lasserre Building, Room 206)
• Red Detachment of Women by XieJin, 1961, available on Youtube
• Yellow Earth by Chen Kaige, 1984, (reserved at The Visual Resource Centre, Lasserre Building, Room 206)
• Red Sorghum by Zhang Yimou, 1987 (available at Koerner Library)
• A City of Sadness by Hsiao-hsien Hou, 1989)
• Provide very brief details of film: title, director, producer, main actors, date. (Cite source).
• Provide very brief plot synopsis (2 sentences at most).
• Justify choice of particular scene briefly: significance to film as whole? How is the concept/theme under discussion important to this film? Discuss the ways in which filmic languages (such as mise-en-scène elements and sound and / or techniques such as flashbacks or voice-over narration and /or symbols) are used in the chosen scene to represent the selected theme. In your analysis include your thoughts on the significance of the theme to the film as a whole and how far the scene’s filmic language is representative of the film’s style, and comment on the effect of the chosen scene on you. Use academic secondary sources to back up your definition and argumentation. (assigned readings are good examples on how to formulate an argument and how to use details in films to support the argument)
• Provide thesis statement in introduction outlining your intended argument.
• Be sure to define your terms. Clear definitions help structure your argument and justify your examples, making for a better essay.
• Provide clear examples from the scene in question to back up your thesis statement in the main body of your essay. Statements need to be backed up with proof.
• Avoid too much descriptive summary of the film or scene’s content and focus on analysis: the how rather than the what.
• Provide a conclusion to reiterate the main points of your analysis.
• Use Chicago Style or MLA (be consistent and check Purdue Owl https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ for format) and provide Works Cited for the film and secondary sources. Use of secondary research sources is STRONGLY encouraged. Be sure to cite carefully.) Wikipedia, IMDb or equivalents such as Baidu are NOT acceptable peer-reviewed academic sources: please avoid using, but if you do: CITE!!
• Double space. 12 point font.
• Introduction and thesis statement: an argument
  • Criteria: clarity, concentrated, coherent
• Topic sentence #1: supports thesis
  • Subtopic of your thesis
• Topic sentence #2: supports thesis
  • Subtopic of your thesis
• …
• Conclusion: revisit the theme you discuss, the argument you have developed, and the conclusion you can draw from the argument and supporting evidence.
• Topic sentence
• Explanation of that topic sentence
• Evidence from film
  • Film form: lighting, costume, framing, editing, etc.
  • Film narrative: story structure, characterization, development
• Explain your evidence, how it links to topic sentence
• You will be graded on the presentation of a clear thesis-argument, well-organized and solid body paragraphs with good examples to back up your points, a well-defended justification for choice of scene, and a strong conclusion.
• ~ Thoughtful analysis, clarity, and original ideas will be rewarded.  Correct citations and careful proof-reading are essentials. Please do not employ or ask anyone else to write / edit your papers for you – it should be all your own work. Original ideas and thoughtful contributions are more important than correct grammar but careless proofreading is unnecessary (and annoying).
• ~ Use the essay guidelines as your basis.