Debate On Differentiation Of "Soft And Hard"

This paper attempted to study the debate and phenomenon of "soft movie" and "hard movie" in film transition period of 1930s. Both sides of the debate will be to sort out the opinions and analysis, to find trail of film theory and culture’s development and context under the background of that era. In this paper, using empirical original analysis, historical data was fully collected, to investigate such an important theoretical debate in early Chinese films history, and thus Chinese complex social and cultural environment of 1930s’movie was elaborated. Basing on the time clue of "soft and hard struggle", thesis and creative phenomenon were detailed. And using comprehensive analysis with modern aesthetic theory and film theory, the historical background, context and cultural context of the "soft and hard struggle" was systematic and deeply studied.The generation of "Soft and hard struggle", had a close relationship with the Shanghai urban context. As Shanghai was a frontier city to accept foreign culture, Chinese traditional, local culture and foreign culture were intercourse and collided in Shanghai, which made early Chinese films phenomenon presenting a complex landscape ever. A huge pop culture consumer groups were created by Shanghai developed commercial civilization Thus "soft movie" theory came into being, and constituted an important part of early Chinese films. The left-wing filmmaker creation were influenced greatly by the impact of social and ideological era, rendering very different directions and colors against "soft movie". But left-wing films still relied on commercial companies to compose and produce, so left-wing films had natural assimilation trends with business culture. Thus, the left-wing films found a balance point between politics versus entertainment, and art versus business, and made artistic, social and cultural success on more or less. This paper led "soft and hard struggle" into the multidimensional cultural and social background, with an objective perspective of modern-depth analysis, to reveal the position of both sides of the argument behind the art and ideas, in order to afford beneficial historical experience, reference and value of thinking.