March 13, 2008
Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan: Film and martial arts
Class title: Asian Languages and Literature 207/Comparative Literature 272: “Asian Martial Arts Films: Conventions, Institutional History, and Ideology.”
Description: How did martial arts grow into a popular genre in fiction and film, and how did the genre become a worldwide craze? How do martial arts movies comment on East Asian and North American cultures? The course examines the formation of literary and cinematic conventions of martial arts films, the history of their production in countries such as China, Hong Kong and Japan, and their ideological background. In addition to offering an introduction to filmic technique and Asian popular media, the course dwells on the importance of visual and bodily perception, gender constructions, and intercultural translation.
Instructor views: Co-instructor Chris Hamm said in an e-mail, “The course is unabashedly designed as a crowd-pleaser. We figured that it might not be too hard to get students to sign up for a course where they watch Bruce Lee (the UW’s most famous alumnus!), Jet Li, Stephen Chow, etc.; and that once we’d tricked them into the classroom we could then try to get them interested in the more academic aspects of the subject.
“In terms of academic content, it’s two courses in one. On the one hand we introduce them to basic concepts and methods of film analysis (this is Prof. Braester’s focus); on the other we lay the groundwork for understanding this particular body of material against the background of East Asian literature and history (my part of the show). The course is a lot of fun to teach — because of the material, because of the students, and because of the chance to work together with my colleague from Comparative Literature.”
Co-instructor Yomi Braester said in an e-mail that the course was designed around three elements: As a version of Comp. Lit. 272 it offers “an introduction to how to understand films and how to approach issues of film genre.” As a part of Asian Languages and Literature 207, it introduces students to Asian cultures. “In addition, we focus on the formal and thematic aspects of martial arts film, a distinct genre that has proved capable of reinventing itself time and again, to the delight of moviegoers worldwide.”
Braester added, “We have probably disappointed many students by admitting that neither I nor Chris is especially adept at the practice of martial arts. Students have often come up to us and wondered why we did not include one film or another. It is, of course, impossible to include all the best representative works of the genre in a 10-week course. Yet I have enjoyed these requests for additional films — they show that the students are involved and have a stake in the martial arts film genre.”
Unexpected experiences: Hamm wrote, “The first thing(s) that comes to mind are the inevitable technical disasters involved in a large lecture course with complex audiovisual presentations; it’s always an adventure when your embedded Powerpoint videos fall flat on their faces in front of 200 students.” Also, he said that in every class there are some “hard-core fans who far surpass me in their encyclopedic knowledge of the films and/or of the actual practice of the martial arts. They add a lot to the class.”
Student views: Student Hong Luu wrote that the class materials are tailored not just for students interested in Chinese but also for those interested in film study. “It is not just a martial arts movie class where you go in and watch movies with epic fight scenes; it goes way beyond that by teaching the students Chinese/Japanese (depending on film) history and culture as well as the mechanics behind what we see on the big screen.”
Student Wendy Holmes said in an e-mail, “The class is adding new dimensions to films I have loved for years while critically examining the notion of genre and how it is produced and consumed. I am fascinated by the use of film technique to portray the aesthetic and philosophical qualities of the martial arts as well as comment upon the historical context of the films. The discussions of gender and nationalism have been particularly insightful. This knowledge will not only enable me to watch some of my favorite films another twenty times with a renewed awe, but will increase my appreciation for the art of cinema in general.”
Reading list: Understanding Movies, by Louis Giannetti. Also, chapters from several books, including: Kung Fu Cult Masters by Leon Hunt, Planet Hong Kong: Popular Cinema and the Art of Entertainment, by David Bordwell, and Chris Hamm’s own Paper Swordsmen: Jin Yong and the Modern Chinese Martial Arts Novel.
The films they study: The Chinese Connection, The Seven Samurai, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Touch of Zen, Chinese Ghost Story, Zatoichi, Ashes of Time, Hero, The Matrix and Shaolin Soccer.
Assignments: There are biweekly quizzes, biweekly “response papers” based on preassigned questions, and a review quiz in the last week of the course, based on class work, film screenings and lectures.
