ways of reading asian cultures

Ways of Reading Asian Cultures

2005

Introduction . Both `Bollywood ' and Hong Kong cinema can be considered the phenomena of Eastern cinema culture . Obviously , the similarities and differences between them respond to the historical development of the countries . All the historical conditions that made their contribution into two cinema traditions formation are not the issue of this essay . It is helpful , however , to mention what defined the ways of cinema development in India and Hong Kong . That is why the first paragraphs of my essay tell short history to help to understand

the specialties of Bollywood phenomenon and cultural translation of Hong Kong cinema . These paragraphs describe also the genres and special movie features for both traditions , finding out their similarities and differences

The second part of the essay is analyzing the international popularity of Indian and Hong Kong movies based on their special features and historical development . Discovered similarities and differences of Indian and Hong Kong cinema tradition and international popularity are summarized in the conclusion

Bollywood cinema tradition . Both India and Hong Kong are postcolonial British societies . India proclaimed its independence in 1940th , thus Indian culture saved its national unique . It was reflected in Popular Hindi Cinema , which has become the rich mix of tradition , myth religion , history and geography specialties , as Raj Kapoor said : mix of commerce with art '4 . It should be specified here , that Bollywood is Hindi Popular Cinema , the name given by Indian English Press to refer the Bombay film Industry (Virdi , J 2003 , pp . 20 . It is a little ironic I think , because Indian cinema Industry has never had and won 't have in the nearest future either wherewithal , or , actually , the reason to compete with American cinema Olympus . In case if foreign investment in Bombay film industry should have place , it would bring also the investor 's movie making traditions and thus would harm the unique Indian national movie . When it comes about the reason to compete , it should be said , that eastern and western movie traditions are so different that the yawing chasm between them for Indian cinema will stay for many years even despite of the recent interaction tendencies . Bombay movie Industry was considered Indian Hollywood , probably , because of its dominance in the national industry and the output of films in the most wildly understood language - Hindi-Urdu (Ninian , A 2003

There was a 50-year Indian Popular cinema genre tradition . Two genres dominated in Bollywood production : love stories and gangster-action films . The first appealed to the tests of middle and high class Indians (Ninian , A 2003 , and therefore have rich decorations , sentimental plots , proclaim pure ideas and high moral , social , and national ideals (Mother India , 1957 . The main characters are either rich people belonging to upper castes , or poor but very generous heroes . These movies picture the portraits of an ideal woman (later they picture the women 's movement , as in Insaaf ka Tarazu , 1980 ) and mother (Aradhana 1960 , and male heroes . Action films appeal to the tests of poorer people belonging...