America’s Image In Chinese Films Of Contemporary Era

As two major countries in the world today, China and the UnitedStates act as mirror images of each other, especially after the1990s.In Hollywood films, China’s image tends to be backward, tyrannic, andsordid, thereby become "the other" that America confirmsself-mightiness and democracy. Also, America is always a mirror inChinese films, how to present and tell America actually reflects ourself-recognition and orientation. Unfortunately, the study aboutChina’s image of American films is so many in current academic circleof China, inverse study----America’s image in Chinese films israre.Since the1990s, from A Native Of Beijing In New York to FindingMr.Right, America’s image in Chinese films and TV dramas haveexperienced some important transformations, sorting out thechanges is a meaningful work by analyzing specific films.We find that Chinese films have different emphasis on theperformance of Chinese immigrants’ life in America: some valuehardship of integrating----the hero need to pay a heavy price forfoothold in American society. In these films, America society is astrange and heterogeneous existence, as long as Chinese peoplegradually master its game rules, they can also be successful, thoughthis may be costly. While others focus on the conflicts between theChina and USA, such conflicts are often exhibited in the form of physical confrontation like films of Jackie Chan and Jet Li. In thesemovies, American’s image is arrogant and clumsy, Chinese people canalways rely on integrity and wisdom to knock them down, and alsosmash their prejudices. In addition, there is a kind of film is on thesubject of love, they explore whether Chinese people’s love canwithstand the test when they come to the strange American. Here,overseas and mainland directors give different answers.As time goes by, some Chinese immigrants gradually gain afoothold through hard work and are among the American middle classsociety and achieve their own "American Dream". But now, they stillcannot fully integrate into American society, the main reason ofcausing this difficulty become deep cultural difference. So, manyfilms start to think deeply. The father’s role has become a symbol ofChinese traditional culture, before arrival of the father; their pastseems to fall asleep with no disruption to their quiet life. But arrival ofthe father has changed everything, the sleeping past revives. So, oneside is a completely westernized person, the other side is a person’smemory and obeying for his own traditional culture, this completelysplit himself. This internal self-contradictions and conflicts betweenfamily members coexist which break the peaceful life of middle-classChinese-American and the heroes are in a dilemma, many people evenbegin to doubt the original "American dream".With the enhancement of China’s economic strength andimprovement of the international status, strength contrast betweenChina and the United States has greatly changed, this change hasalso been developed in films. In American dreams in China, Americaseems to be a declining aristocracy, it’s still powerful and arrogant ostensibly, but it already lost past strength and has to retreat underChinese aggressive attack. In Finding Mr.Right China is presented as agolden elite world, American society is peaceful and tranquil is theparadise of middle class’life. If in the1990s, many people go toAmerica to look for opportunities to achieve their dreams, they haveto give up easy life;since new century, many people’s purposes ofgoing abroad have completely reversed,the Finding Mr.Rightexpresses that tranquil middle class’life is impossible in China andcan only be achieved in America. Therefore, America’s image inChinese films becomes complicated. Public opinions are divergenttowards America’s image which is caused by interaction of currentChinese ideology power and commercial strength.