Abstract

The rise of 'New Wave' cinema in 1970s Hong Kong has had a significant cultural and economic impact on the film industry of China. Hong Kong New Wave Cinema presents a comprehensive picture of the films made in this vibrant era and the complexity of issues they tackle such as East-West conflict, colonial politics, the struggle of women in a modernizing Asian city and identity crisis, all portrayed in visually striking ways. Tong delves into the cinematic style and aesthetics of the New Wave directors, many of whom were graduates of Western universities, and applies auteur and genre theory to the group's work. As well as penetrating the narrative content, structure and the mise-en-scene of specific films through theoretical analysis, the book explores the development of TV and film industries in Hong Kong during the 1960s and 1970s, the elevated quality of cinema during this period and the entry of Hong Kong filmmakers, such as Tsui Hark and Ann Hui, into the mainstream and Hollywood in the 1990s. Hong Kong New Wave Cinema maps the birth and eventual decline of celebrated 'New Wave' in a fascinating and thorough manner. Tong relates the movement to a wider historical context of the developing society and culture of Hong Kong at that time. His study of the celebrated golden age of Hong Kong film contextualises 'New Wave' and describes its wide-reaching effects upon contemporary cinema in Hong Kong, the greater China region and far beyond.