The Study On Criticism About Chinese-language Cinemas Of Cahiers Du Cinéma

The criticism on Chinese-language cinemas of the French magazine Cahiers du Cinéma is an important landscape for oversea propagation of Chinese cinemas. Famous for its film studies in the world, Cahiers du Cinéma remains connected in style with the French critics in 1950 s, follows their consistent critic traditions. Ever since its emergence, this magazine has constantly developed in the wave of The French New Wave(French: La Nouvelle Vague). It attaches importance to not only self-discipline art principles but the relations and connections between cinemas and other arts, and it also puts the development of the European art films first as well as making much of the film conditions in other areas. Therefore, the study on criticism about Chinese-language cinemas of Cahiers du Cinéma is of great importance in studying Chinese cinemas. On the one hand, to see Chinese movies in the perspective of the French film critics whose country is the birthplace of movies can help us fully understand the relevance and difference between the Chinese films with western movies. On the other hand, the unique theory focus and theoretical perspective of the European film criticism also virtually provides a new concept of Chinese film critics. In what ways do the French critics pay attention to the Chinese films? What is their focus? And, why do they keep such a watchful eye on Chinese cinema? Behind these three questions lies the purpose and main points of the criticism and study of Cahiers du Cinéma. And the logic and angle as well as the ways of criticism behind their attention also provide many inspirations for Chinese-language cinemas studies.The paper is composed of four chapters.In the first chapter we can see the definitions of several research objects, including the concept of "Chinese-language cinemas" and the historical origin, point of view as well as the development of Cahiers du Cinéma. For a long time, the "Chinese-language film" has always been controversial both at home and abroad. Lu Xiaopeng, Li Daoxin, Chen Xuguang and Chen Xihe and others have long been in search of a widely-accepted expression in their respective expressions. In this regard, the concept provided by Cahiers du Cinéma greatly enriches this field. Therefore, the study on criticism of French critics can help us rediscover Chinese films, and Cahiers du Cinéma, the leading figure of French film critics and culmination of the French film periodicals in the first half of 1900 s, also covers the possibilities of film studies and makes powerful and elegant imprint in the development of French films. The Cahiers du Cinéma was born in a very complicated background and realistic environment. During its development, individuals have played an innovative role, and The French New Wave was also intimately involved. It is the trend of French as well as the world film journals.Taking the Cahiers du Cinéma and Chinese film history as the theme, the second chapter discusses the construction of Chinese movie history during the decades’ course of Cahiers du Cinéma’s concern for Chinese films, including films made in Hong Kong, mainland and Taiwan. As for the film history in the mainland, Cahiers du Cinéma not only focuses on the Fifth and Sixth generations of Chinese filmmakers, but also pays attention to the cultural revolution movies even those of the 1930 s and 1950 s, including the description of the trajectory of the cinema in mainland and various influences in this process as well as the innovative filmmakers. In terms of Hong Kong cinema, French film journals have made relatively abundant study. Three of the four periods studied of Cahiers du Cinéma are about Hong Kong films, with more systematic study in the focus objects and contents than those of the mainland, especially the introduction of the Hong Kong “New Wave”. And, for Taiwanese cinema, what Cahiers du Cinéma focuses is the change of the western discourse in Taiwan, and Taiwan’s geography as well as politics also caught the eye of the French critics, who form further research and criticism on Taiwan’s “New Wave”.The third chapter focuses on the criticism of Cahiers du Cinéma about the five Chinesecinema directors, Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang, Wong Kar-wai, Tsui Hark and Jia Zhangke. The writer here tries to restore the Cahiers du Cinéma’s critical standpoint, scale and reason on these five filmmakers, and also answer the three questions mentioned in the first paragraph of this paper, combing out relevant critical essays and presenting uniqueness of criticism and analysis on the five iconic figures in the history of Chinese film. The attention to Hou Hsiao-hsien lies mainly in his naturalism lens style and realistic poetic characteristics. And the attention to Edward Yang lies in his aesthetic modernity and the change of the narrative structure, as well as the director’s unique expression for Taiwan. The focus for Wong Kar-wai lies in the philosophical and poetic characteristics presented in his film. The attention for Tsui Hark mainly lies in his reappearance of Chinese traditional culture, especially the martial arts culture and the modern film technology used in the process. And the focus for Jia Zhangke mainly lies in the reality and development of China presented in his camera, as well as the China’s new realism revealed in his film.Based on the analysis of the Cahiers du Cinéma’s criticism on Chinese-language film, the forth chapter makes an interpretation for the inspiration brought by the French critics to the study of Chinese films, mainly focusing on the enlightenment to Chinese film directors and the reconstruction of Chinese cinema. As for Chinese filmmakers, it is certain that they strictly follow the yardstick of “the movie is self-discipline art”. The contents of their movies try to present traditional Chinese culture and not to shy away from the reality of China. As a result, we should strengthen the exchange with the European film industry and draw lessons from Cahiers du Cinéma to enrich the creation of Chinese films with unique angle of view, fine details and rich historical data.The epilogue part of this paper systematically summarizes the criticism of the Cahiers du Cinéma and gets the conclusion that ‘New Wave’ has gradually evolved from ontology to methodology from the analysis on the film “New Wave” in Hong Kong and Taiwan and that on The Sixth Generation in the mainland. And the way of criticism of Cahiers du Cinéma on Chinese films in regard to cinematic history, film directors and movies is also extracted in this part.