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Hong Kong Cinema 1940s-1980s
The Hong Kong cinema industry has been characterized by exaggerated action-packed drama that involves swordplay and gunplay. The aspect of ghosts and dead ancestors combined with the action is what differentiates the Hong Kong cinema from the others in the world of entertainment. The film industry has been in existence for almost a century now. During the years of civil war, the film industry became very prosperous making Hong Kong the home of free markets in the region. After the Second World War, Hong Kong grew tremendously becoming one of the leading cities in the world.
In the mid 1960s, martial arts become a common genre in almost all films produced in Hong Kong. This was something that was part of the Chinese culture and that is why these films became broadly accepted especially in Hong Kong and other countries that appreciated the Chinese culture. This made Hong Kong one of the leading exporters of films in the world. These films were gaining world wide acknowledgment and were in great demand. In the United States, martial arts were discovered in the 1970s by most audiences through Bruce Lee who was one of the greatest actors of these films at that time. The interest showed by Americans was a major boost for these films. Film makers and distributors took advantage of this and started importing many films into the United States. The making of these films was easy because they were cost-effective and this was another factor that contributed to the thriving martial arts in its incorporation in the film industry.
The most significant thing about these films is that they are cost-effective and they exploit one aspect about the human experience. An example of the well-known directors in Hollywood producing Chinese films is John Woo who concentrates on the aspect of honor and bond loyalty between men which deeply affect the lives of humans. The most important thing brought out by these films is their desire for exploitation. Most people who are audiences of these films believe that they are the most fascinating as compared the others.
In the 1980s, the Hong Kong film industry started moving towards modernization. Many directors wanted to incorporate the martial arts genre in their films and so some of the well-known directors migrated to the United States to make these films. So as to fit with the modernized world, the use of emotions and women were incorporated into these films to show appreciation for marriage and family. Women were becoming more independent and they could no longer be neglected in the making of these films. The age where women were only seen as housewives was coming to an end, but this is not to say that they totally replaced the men in the film industry.
It is not possible to focus on different angles when referring to Hong Kong films. It incorporates many things including fine arts, martial arts love and honor. The Hong Kong film industry was mainly based on the Chinese culture when it started off. However with the modernization of the films, the film has taken a different turn addressing issues not only affecting the Chinese but also other parts of the world so as to relate to all its audiences. However, the films up to date are striving to maintain those elements that distinguish them from other films.
