No Man an Island

The Cinema of Hou Hsiao-hsien

James Udden

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• Published: August 2009
• Subject Listing: Film Studies, Asian Studies
• Bibliographic information: 250 pp., 6.5 x 9.5 in.
• Territorial rights: North American rights only
• Distributed for: Hong Kong University Press
• Contents

"An excellent and groundbreaking volume. This book is unique in its exclusive focus on Hou Hsiao-hsien and its extensive coverage and detailed analysis. Udden is equally attentive to the large historical and social framework shaping Hou and his cinema, the more immediate industrial and cultural determinations upon his production, and the particular aesthetic strategies he develops as his career builds. This book's very precise analyses of the films as well as their context make it the primary source for any scholar working on Hou in English." - Chris Berry, Goldsmiths, University of London

"Udden in this first book-length study on Hou Hsiao-hsien illuminates the most intriguing yet mystifying filmmaker in world cinema. No Man an Island is more than an auteur study; it offers an exuberant account of the history, culture, politics, and cinema of Taiwan. Employing a wide range of primary sources and captivating film analyses, Udden's style is accessible, witty, and sharp-edged. No Man an Island is without doubt a major discovery in the fields of Chinese-language cinema and film studies." - Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, Hong Kong Baptist University

This pioneering study of Hou Hsiao-hsien illuminates the many distinctive achievements of Taiwan's famous director. His body of work in films such as The Puppetmaster, City of Sadness, and Flowers of Shanghai reflects a powerfully unique style characterized by intricate lighting, improvisational acting, and exceptionally long, static shots. James Udden argues that Hou's films reflect Taiwan's peculiar historical and geographical situation and could only have emerged there. Udden also examines the regional impact Hou's films have had on other Asian directors and cinema artists.

James Udden is associate professor of Film Studies at Gettysburg College.

Acknowledgements

Introduction. The Problem of Hou Hsiao-hsien

1. Hou and the Taiwanese Experience

2. Hou and the Taiwanese New Cinema

3. History in Its Place: City of Sadness (1989) and The Puppetmaster (1993)

4. Goodbye to All That: The New Hou from Good Men, Good Women (1995) to Flowers of Shanghai (1998)

Conclusion. Hou in the New Millennium

Notes

Bilingual Filmography and Glossary

Selected Bibliography

Index