Political. Images. Poetic Flavor - 1949 To 1966, Chinese Movies

1949-1966 is an important historical period for Chinese films. What is related to film making activities in this period is customarily called Chinese films of 17 years. This paper is an attempt to analyze the historical developments related to Chinese film making during this period for the purpose of appreciating the films of 17 years against a wider historical background. The historical materials are organized in such a way----namely, that from the perspectives of arts, management, politics and culture so that the gradual progress of Chinese film making of that period is clearly presented. On this basis, the films of that period is analyzed in a hope to differentiate some special films including their historical origins, progress and variations, hence assessing objectively their aesthetic and historical values. This paper is divided into 4 parts. Part 1. A description of a political turning point that resulted in changes in arts concept, production and systems related to film making activities, so that a knowledge basis is established for firther research. This author is to divide 17 years into 4 different periods; that is, the earlier period after the People Republic of China was founded the 1st 5 year-plan period the end of the SOs and the beginning of the 60s. Part 2 and 3. This author is to review the progress of the 17 years film making, with the emphasis placed on the political movements, creation concepts and management systems of each period that affected film making, in an endeavor to find Out the internal relevance of the above mentioned factors, thus explaining the film making trends during that period. Part 4. A summary of the above analysis, which appoints to the basic characteristics of the 17-year films. This author believes that 17-year films were basically produced against an ideological and artistic criterion that had been determined. Social and political reasons more often than not limited filmmakers in their creations because their artistic methods, techniques and aesthetic styles were products of a certain age when politics and ideology prevailed. Meantime, films were created while film theory (that on films as films in particular) were scarce, at least the latter being not enough to support the film creation of that period to attain a higher artistic level. These basic characteristics determine that the films of that period were limited by the age while a new aesthetic value were also started. Signs of fine language in some cases were evident, yet the art itself of film production could only be used to a limited extent. In a word, what the 17-year films achieved in terms of aesthetic value is far away from what they could have.