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Asians in Hollywood are usually represented as Kung-fu masters acting as villains against the heroes of America. This portrayal of Asians is far removed from the representation of their culture in Asian cinema. Hollywood has always rejected other cultures and beliefs in order to retain its grip over the home market. Producers often feel that a film will do best with an American audience if the principal stars are American. The trend in modern Hollywood is for stars of Asian cinema such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Jet Li to begin new careers in Hollywood. Predominantly this means taking roles in action movies with less plot and higher budgets than the Asian equivalent. Films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” are the exceptions to this rule. Ang Lee’s Oscar winning film perhaps opened the door for future actors coming from the far east but the constant Hollywood threat of cheap imitations may mean that American audiences are bored of the Asian influences and are looking for something new.
It is therefore important to remember that the only true representation of Asian life comes from Asian filmmakers financed by Asian film companies. The best example of this is the Indian film market, Bollywood, where the true culture and spirit of the people is represented through use of strong colours and musical interludes as well as strong family based narrative. The representation of family is a crucial aspect of most Asian cinema as life is built around the family. This may be an extended family or even the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, whatever form this takes family is vitally important to most Asian cultures. This can be seen in particular in Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” which centres around the effects a wedding has on the whole of a Taiwanese family.
To say that martial arts are not an essential part of Asian cinema would be untrue but films are also produced in other genres which the American market are seemingly unaware of. For example “Beat” Takeshi’s Yakuza films have a large following in their native Japan but are practically unheard of in the UK or the US. His films such as “Hanna-Bi” and “Sonatine” deal with honour and comradeship in the Japanese criminal underworld.
Martial Arts films although usually superior in terms of stunts and fight choreography usually have deeper meanings and more complex narratives than their Hollywood counterparts. A Film such as “Once Upon a Time in China” starring Jet Li is an obvious example. While the fight sequences are far better than any seen in Hollywood the story concentrates on psychological aspects of the characters as well.
One of the most famous stars to come out of the east was Bruce Lee. However, his best work was done while he still worked in Hong Kong with films such as “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” showing his best work. In America he will always be remembered for one film “Enter the Dragon”. Although starting work in the US on the TV show “The Green Hornet” Bruce Lee only really became a star after he died and “Enter the Dragon” was released.
In Hollywood the most well known Asian films of the nineties are John Woo’s explosive action films starring Chow-Yun-Fat. These films are the closest Asian cinema has ever come to making a Hollywood action film. However, in many ways it is these films which have influenced Hollywood. The imagery of the white doves rising up through a church symbolising peace during the gunfight finale of “The Killer” to the double handed gun stand offs of “Hard-Boiled”, Woo has done more in changing the Hollywood action movie than all of the action directors for the last twenty years. This has continued with Woo’s move across the Atlantic, first with the Van Damme film “Hard target” before hitting box office gold with “Broken Arrow”, “Face/Off” and “M:I 2”. His films have influenced people like Tarantino who incidentally copied the basic narrative of Reservoir Dogs from Ringo Lam’s “City on Fire” a classic of Asian cinema.
As the representation of Asians and their culture is limited in America to what they see at the cinema and on TV then it is about time that the Hollywood producers started to show the Asians in more than their stereotypical role of gun touting villains or martial arts heroes. The role of enlightenment and religion in their lives as well as honour and respect of the family way of life are all crucial representations of Asia that Hollywood glosses over so as to make box office friendly action films, wasting the stars of the east.
It is therefore important to remember that the only true representation of Asian life comes from Asian filmmakers financed by Asian film companies. The best example of this is the Indian film market, Bollywood, where the true culture and spirit of the people is represented through use of strong colours and musical interludes as well as strong family based narrative. The representation of family is a crucial aspect of most Asian cinema as life is built around the family. This may be an extended family or even the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, whatever form this takes family is vitally important to most Asian cultures. This can be seen in particular in Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” which centres around the effects a wedding has on the whole of a Taiwanese family.
To say that martial arts are not an essential part of Asian cinema would be untrue but films are also produced in other genres which the American market are seemingly unaware of. For example “Beat” Takeshi’s Yakuza films have a large following in their native Japan but are practically unheard of in the UK or the US. His films such as “Hanna-Bi” and “Sonatine” deal with honour and comradeship in the Japanese criminal underworld.
Martial Arts films although usually superior in terms of stunts and fight choreography usually have deeper meanings and more complex narratives than their Hollywood counterparts. A Film such as “Once Upon a Time in China” starring Jet Li is an obvious example. While the fight sequences are far better than any seen in Hollywood the story concentrates on psychological aspects of the characters as well.
One of the most famous stars to come out of the east was Bruce Lee. However, his best work was done while he still worked in Hong Kong with films such as “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” showing his best work. In America he will always be remembered for one film “Enter the Dragon”. Although starting work in the US on the TV show “The Green Hornet” Bruce Lee only really became a star after he died and “Enter the Dragon” was released.
In Hollywood the most well known Asian films of the nineties are John Woo’s explosive action films starring Chow-Yun-Fat. These films are the closest Asian cinema has ever come to making a Hollywood action film. However, in many ways it is these films which have influenced Hollywood. The imagery of the white doves rising up through a church symbolising peace during the gunfight finale of “The Killer” to the double handed gun stand offs of “Hard-Boiled”, Woo has done more in changing the Hollywood action movie than all of the action directors for the last twenty years. This has continued with Woo’s move across the Atlantic, first with the Van Damme film “Hard target” before hitting box office gold with “Broken Arrow”, “Face/Off” and “M:I 2”. His films have influenced people like Tarantino who incidentally copied the basic narrative of Reservoir Dogs from Ringo Lam’s “City on Fire” a classic of Asian cinema.
As the representation of Asians and their culture is limited in America to what they see at the cinema and on TV then it is about time that the Hollywood producers started to show the Asians in more than their stereotypical role of gun touting villains or martial arts heroes. The role of enlightenment and religion in their lives as well as honour and respect of the family way of life are all crucial representations of Asia that Hollywood glosses over so as to make box office friendly action films, wasting the stars of the east.
Since Jackie Chan went Hollywood mainstream, none of his films have been as good as his old Asian made films.
Compare Rush Hour 1 & 2, Shanghai Noon to Police Story 1, 2 & 3 and Project A 1 & 2.
But Jackie's life long dream was to make it to Hollywood, but it's a shame that the Americans seem to want to put him in action comedies all the time. He can do just straight action flicks with a mild sense of fun & not over the top humour with an annoying American comedy sidekick all the time.
Compare Rush Hour 1 & 2, Shanghai Noon to Police Story 1, 2 & 3 and Project A 1 & 2.
But Jackie's life long dream was to make it to Hollywood, but it's a shame that the Americans seem to want to put him in action comedies all the time. He can do just straight action flicks with a mild sense of fun & not over the top humour with an annoying American comedy sidekick all the time.
Watch a film called "Kung Pow"
It's about a cow with kung-fu skills.
Really.
It's about a cow with kung-fu skills.
Really.
Asians in Hollywood are usually represented as Kung-fu masters acting as villains against the heroes of America. This portrayal of Asians is far removed from the representation of their culture in Asian cinema. Hollywood has always rejected other cultures and beliefs in order to retain its grip over the home market. Producers often feel that a film will do best with an American audience if the principal stars are American. The trend in modern Hollywood is for stars of Asian cinema such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Jet Li to begin new careers in Hollywood. Predominantly this means taking roles in action movies with less plot and higher budgets than the Asian equivalent. Films such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” are the exceptions to this rule. Ang Lee’s Oscar winning film perhaps opened the door for future actors coming from the far east but the constant Hollywood threat of cheap imitations may mean that American audiences are bored of the Asian influences and are looking for something new.
It is therefore important to remember that the only true representation of Asian life comes from Asian filmmakers financed by Asian film companies. The best example of this is the Indian film market, Bollywood, where the true culture and spirit of the people is represented through use of strong colours and musical interludes as well as strong family based narrative. The representation of family is a crucial aspect of most Asian cinema as life is built around the family. This may be an extended family or even the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, whatever form this takes family is vitally important to most Asian cultures. This can be seen in particular in Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” which centres around the effects a wedding has on the whole of a Taiwanese family.
To say that martial arts are not an essential part of Asian cinema would be untrue but films are also produced in other genres which the American market are seemingly unaware of. For example “Beat” Takeshi’s Yakuza films have a large following in their native Japan but are practically unheard of in the UK or the US. His films such as “Hanna-Bi” and “Sonatine” deal with honour and comradeship in the Japanese criminal underworld.
Martial Arts films although usually superior in terms of stunts and fight choreography usually have deeper meanings and more complex narratives than their Hollywood counterparts. A Film such as “Once Upon a Time in China” starring Jet Li is an obvious example. While the fight sequences are far better than any seen in Hollywood the story concentrates on psychological aspects of the characters as well.
One of the most famous stars to come out of the east was Bruce Lee. However, his best work was done while he still worked in Hong Kong with films such as “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” showing his best work. In America he will always be remembered for one film “Enter the Dragon”. Although starting work in the US on the TV show “The Green Hornet” Bruce Lee only really became a star after he died and “Enter the Dragon” was released.
In Hollywood the most well known Asian films of the nineties are John Woo’s explosive action films starring Chow-Yun-Fat. These films are the closest Asian cinema has ever come to making a Hollywood action film. However, in many ways it is these films which have influenced Hollywood. The imagery of the white doves rising up through a church symbolising peace during the gunfight finale of “The Killer” to the double handed gun stand offs of “Hard-Boiled”, Woo has done more in changing the Hollywood action movie than all of the action directors for the last twenty years. This has continued with Woo’s move across the Atlantic, first with the Van Damme film “Hard target” before hitting box office gold with “Broken Arrow”, “Face/Off” and “M:I 2”. His films have influenced people like Tarantino who incidentally copied the basic narrative of Reservoir Dogs from Ringo Lam’s “City on Fire” a classic of Asian cinema.
As the representation of Asians and their culture is limited in America to what they see at the cinema and on TV then it is about time that the Hollywood producers started to show the Asians in more than their stereotypical role of gun touting villains or martial arts heroes. The role of enlightenment and religion in their lives as well as honour and respect of the family way of life are all crucial representations of Asia that Hollywood glosses over so as to make box office friendly action films, wasting the stars of the east.
It is therefore important to remember that the only true representation of Asian life comes from Asian filmmakers financed by Asian film companies. The best example of this is the Indian film market, Bollywood, where the true culture and spirit of the people is represented through use of strong colours and musical interludes as well as strong family based narrative. The representation of family is a crucial aspect of most Asian cinema as life is built around the family. This may be an extended family or even the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, whatever form this takes family is vitally important to most Asian cultures. This can be seen in particular in Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” which centres around the effects a wedding has on the whole of a Taiwanese family.
To say that martial arts are not an essential part of Asian cinema would be untrue but films are also produced in other genres which the American market are seemingly unaware of. For example “Beat” Takeshi’s Yakuza films have a large following in their native Japan but are practically unheard of in the UK or the US. His films such as “Hanna-Bi” and “Sonatine” deal with honour and comradeship in the Japanese criminal underworld.
Martial Arts films although usually superior in terms of stunts and fight choreography usually have deeper meanings and more complex narratives than their Hollywood counterparts. A Film such as “Once Upon a Time in China” starring Jet Li is an obvious example. While the fight sequences are far better than any seen in Hollywood the story concentrates on psychological aspects of the characters as well.
One of the most famous stars to come out of the east was Bruce Lee. However, his best work was done while he still worked in Hong Kong with films such as “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury” showing his best work. In America he will always be remembered for one film “Enter the Dragon”. Although starting work in the US on the TV show “The Green Hornet” Bruce Lee only really became a star after he died and “Enter the Dragon” was released.
In Hollywood the most well known Asian films of the nineties are John Woo’s explosive action films starring Chow-Yun-Fat. These films are the closest Asian cinema has ever come to making a Hollywood action film. However, in many ways it is these films which have influenced Hollywood. The imagery of the white doves rising up through a church symbolising peace during the gunfight finale of “The Killer” to the double handed gun stand offs of “Hard-Boiled”, Woo has done more in changing the Hollywood action movie than all of the action directors for the last twenty years. This has continued with Woo’s move across the Atlantic, first with the Van Damme film “Hard target” before hitting box office gold with “Broken Arrow”, “Face/Off” and “M:I 2”. His films have influenced people like Tarantino who incidentally copied the basic narrative of Reservoir Dogs from Ringo Lam’s “City on Fire” a classic of Asian cinema.
As the representation of Asians and their culture is limited in America to what they see at the cinema and on TV then it is about time that the Hollywood producers started to show the Asians in more than their stereotypical role of gun touting villains or martial arts heroes. The role of enlightenment and religion in their lives as well as honour and respect of the family way of life are all crucial representations of Asia that Hollywood glosses over so as to make box office friendly action films, wasting the stars of the east.