Fighting Stars
Stardom and Reception in Hong Kong Martial Arts Cinema
Published on 3. October 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-350-36574-2 (ISBN)
Description
Fighting Stars provides a rich and diverse account of the emergence and legacies of Hong Kong martial arts cinema stars.
Tracing the meanings and influence of stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, Zhang Ziyi , and Donnie Yen against the shifting backdrops of the Hong Kong film industry, the contributors to this important volume highlight martial arts stars' cultural reach, both on a local and global scale.
Each of the chapters, written by a host of renowned international scholars, focuses on an individual film star, considering issues such as martial arts practices and philosophies, gender and age, national identities and conflicts, cinematic genres and aesthetic choices in order to understand their local and transnational cultural influence.
Tracing the meanings and influence of stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, Zhang Ziyi , and Donnie Yen against the shifting backdrops of the Hong Kong film industry, the contributors to this important volume highlight martial arts stars' cultural reach, both on a local and global scale.
Each of the chapters, written by a host of renowned international scholars, focuses on an individual film star, considering issues such as martial arts practices and philosophies, gender and age, national identities and conflicts, cinematic genres and aesthetic choices in order to understand their local and transnational cultural influence.
Reviews / Votes
The book broadens our vision of the cinematic universe beyond the traditional focus on Hollywood through its excellent series of essays on stardom in the martial arts cinema of Hong Kong. They provide answers to the central question: what makes an action actor into a star? -- Stephen Teo, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore There is no way of fully understanding the glories of the Hong Kong Martial Arts cinema without appreciating the centrality of its magnificent stars. And there is no better way to appreciate its stars than this discerning, scholarly and engaging collection. -- David Desser, University of Illinois, USAMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 157 mm
Width: 235 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
476 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-36574-2 (9781350365742)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2024
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€25.49
Available for download
E-Book
09/2024
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€25.49
Available for download
Person
Kyle Barrowman is Adjunct Professor of Media and Cinema Studies at DePaul University, USA. He is author of Understanding Objectivism: At the Movies with Ayn Rand (2023). He has published widely on film studies and philosophy, on subjects ranging from authorship, camera movement, and martial arts to skepticism, perfectionism, and ordinary language philosophy.
Content
Introduction - Fighting (for) Star Studies - Kyle Barrowman
1. Kwan Tak-hing: Pioneer of Kung Fu Cinema - Wayne Wong
2. Bruce Lee: Effective and Affective Action Techniques - Paul Bowman
3. Angela Mao: Lady Kung Fu in Search of International Markets - Man-Fung Yip
4. Kara Hui: From Young Auntie to Mother Figure - Wing-Fai Leung
5. Gordon Liu: Shaolin Hero - Eric Pellerin
6. Sammo Hung: The Kung Fu Comic's Sublime Body - Luke White
7. Jackie Chan: A Stunting Star's Industrial Legacy - Lauren Steimer
8. Michelle Yeoh: Combating Gender - Kyle Barrowman
9. Cynthia Rothrock: Fame, Style, and the Video Star - Meaghan Morris
10. Jet Li: A Career in Three Acts - Andy Willis
11. Zhang Ziyi: An Alternative Female Action Stardom and the Logic of Indeterminacy - Dorothy Wai Sim Lau
12. Donnie Yen: Authenticity, Nationalism, and the Bruce Lee Legacy - Leon Hunt
Index
1. Kwan Tak-hing: Pioneer of Kung Fu Cinema - Wayne Wong
2. Bruce Lee: Effective and Affective Action Techniques - Paul Bowman
3. Angela Mao: Lady Kung Fu in Search of International Markets - Man-Fung Yip
4. Kara Hui: From Young Auntie to Mother Figure - Wing-Fai Leung
5. Gordon Liu: Shaolin Hero - Eric Pellerin
6. Sammo Hung: The Kung Fu Comic's Sublime Body - Luke White
7. Jackie Chan: A Stunting Star's Industrial Legacy - Lauren Steimer
8. Michelle Yeoh: Combating Gender - Kyle Barrowman
9. Cynthia Rothrock: Fame, Style, and the Video Star - Meaghan Morris
10. Jet Li: A Career in Three Acts - Andy Willis
11. Zhang Ziyi: An Alternative Female Action Stardom and the Logic of Indeterminacy - Dorothy Wai Sim Lau
12. Donnie Yen: Authenticity, Nationalism, and the Bruce Lee Legacy - Leon Hunt
Index