| This study is designed to analyze the stylistic differences between two prominent Chinese filmmakers--Zhang Yimou and Xie Jin in view of the sharp contrast between Zhang's international fame and Xie's domestic market. Bordwell's (1989) model for film interpretation is thus adjusted and adopted to look at three sample films--Zhang's "Judou," Xie's "Hibiscus Town," and Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor." "The Last Emperor," a representative of the current Western style, is examined to see if Zhang's style is closer than Xie's to the Western one.;Three instruments--the "grid," the "ruler" and the "continuum"--are derived from Bordwell's narrative theory. While Bordwell's categories of stylistic analysis are used as a grid to measure each film, his definition of classical Hollywood style is applied as a ruler to see how each film deviates from or modifies the canonical style. In comparing the sample films, Bordwell and Wollen's summary of the characteristics of filmmaking styles is used as a continuum to define and distinguish styles to a minute level. In addition, some quantitative data are also used to increase the accuracy of interpretation.;The findings of this study indicate that the style of Zhang's film is closer than Xie's to the Western style both in the narrative structure and the textual techniques. The interpreter thus argues that the filmmakers in Third World countries should update their filmmaking style to enhance their competence in intercultural communication through films. |
