From 'Presenting' To 'Seeking'

In the history of Chinese cinema,the family melodrama film has always been a very important genre in which the complex father-son relationship and the patriarchy have already become interesting and meaningful spectacles.From 1979 till now,the process of Reform and Opening up in China has been 40 years.The reform of political and economic system,the variety of social ideological trend,the influence of globalization and the change of family structure have already profoundly influenced the film creation.Therefore,the relationship between father and son in Chinese family melodrama films shows different features in almost every decade since Reform and Opening up.This thesis,structuring in chronological order,taking the related historical and social background as a basis,tries to analysis how and why the patriarchy and the father-son relationship evolve in Chinese family melodrama films since Reform and Opening up.There are four chapters in this thesis.Chapter one focuses on the presentation of the father-son relationship in the family melodrama films in 1980 s.Taking the political,economic background and Root-seeking culture into consideration,the son generation is disciplined by the father generation in family melodrama films,which means the patriarchy is strongly existent in this period.Through a thorough analysis of the characteristic of the ideological fathers,the rural fathers and the criticized fathers in the films,this chapter explores how the fathers represent the national morals and ethos and how they symbolize the patriarchy dominance.Chapter two discusses about the presentation of the father-son relationship in the family melodrama films in 1990 s.During the period of society transition,the patriarchy in the family melodrama films is carefully examined because of the development of industrialization and the modernization.There comes two different forms of father-son relationship: one is pursuing the historical glory of patriarchy,the other one is appealing father for being an individual but not a symbol for authority.It also explains why the patriarchy is discarded gradually by the ethics and morality in family melodrama films.In particular,this chapter makes a detailed reading of the film Que Li Ren Jia,which is of typical significance at the convergence of the two forms,and discusses how the authority and individuality of father reach a compromise.Chapter three looks on the father-son relationship in the family melodrama films in the first decade of the 21 st century.The change of family structure,the influence of youth subculture and the rise of individualism have made the tradition and authority represented by fathers begin to depreciate in contemporary society.Therefore,this chapter studies the disappearance of patriarchy,the conflict and interaction between father and son as ordinary individuals in films,by analysing the martyred fathers,comic fathers and ordinary fathers.Chapter four explores the tendency of father-son relationship in the family melodrama films from 2010 till now.In recent years,calling for the return of patriarchy has been a new theme in films.In many youth films,the son generation expects to establish ego and build self-identity by identifying tradition and authority of patriarchy.Many other films portray some modern fathers and heroic fathers,trying to look for a more advanced patriarchy which is based on the mutual care by praising the image of fathers.Finally,in the conclusion,it summarizes the whole study and answers the main questions raised in this thesis,then it sums up the genealogy of the evolution of father-son relationship in Chinese melodrama films since Reform and Opening up.