fu manchu
posted by 唐維敏 Albert @ 9:09 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
What should we do? Just play the role well!
傳二 592090630 王之岑
This is my first time to play an English drama. It was also the first time that English and Mass Communication departments to do it together. It’s meaningful to everyone who had participated in the activities.
In the beginning, I was hesitated in whether joint this or not. I know it would be take much time to rehearse and practice our drama, making background and all the settings. I have to work in the daytime. I was scared I didn’t have enough time to do it. After discussing, we find our group members.
First, there were many people didn’t work together before. It’s the first time, too. We took much time to familiar with each other. Therefore, we didn’t do many things like the other two groups.
From reorganizing the script, rehearsing many times`, and making all the thighs we need on the stage, we are in a happy mood. All the members do our best to act the role in the play. Even a bit player, we all enjoy acting it. I like “Butterfly Love” most, I know we do hardworking. Even though we didn’t get many prizes. I didn’t feel sad. In the play, I felt what I get most was friends and the attitude. They are serious to face the play.
“Alfie” is one of the plays that English department played. Their pronunciation is better than us.But I don’t like the drama like this one. Even the actors doing well, it’s not the type I like. It would make us feel all the girls in the Alfie just want to look beautiful.
Who is watching Fu Man Chou- another group in our department, they really did a good job. 司承運 act well in his role. Their appearances are earnest. I enjoy their play.
It’s a good experience in my college life. All the members in our class are the best. Especially the Butterfly Love team, I really feel touched in the process we did together.
This is my first time to play an English drama. It was also the first time that English and Mass Communication departments to do it together. It’s meaningful to everyone who had participated in the activities.
In the beginning, I was hesitated in whether joint this or not. I know it would be take much time to rehearse and practice our drama, making background and all the settings. I have to work in the daytime. I was scared I didn’t have enough time to do it. After discussing, we find our group members.
First, there were many people didn’t work together before. It’s the first time, too. We took much time to familiar with each other. Therefore, we didn’t do many things like the other two groups.
From reorganizing the script, rehearsing many times`, and making all the thighs we need on the stage, we are in a happy mood. All the members do our best to act the role in the play. Even a bit player, we all enjoy acting it. I like “Butterfly Love” most, I know we do hardworking. Even though we didn’t get many prizes. I didn’t feel sad. In the play, I felt what I get most was friends and the attitude. They are serious to face the play.
“Alfie” is one of the plays that English department played. Their pronunciation is better than us.But I don’t like the drama like this one. Even the actors doing well, it’s not the type I like. It would make us feel all the girls in the Alfie just want to look beautiful.
Who is watching Fu Man Chou- another group in our department, they really did a good job. 司承運 act well in his role. Their appearances are earnest. I enjoy their play.
It’s a good experience in my college life. All the members in our class are the best. Especially the Butterfly Love team, I really feel touched in the process we did together.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 4:17 PM
0 comments
Make A Butterfly Dream
傳二 592090458 林凡
Through this English play contest, I have had a lot of fun and have gained a lot of experience. These all due to the fact that it is not only the first time for me to act in English, but also it is new for me to perform a play. Our team’s play is based on the famous play in China, “Liang-zhu” and we adapt the tragedy ending to comedy. The reason for us to shift the ending from tragedy to comedy is because we felt that there are enough unfortunately events happened in the society already, even though we don’t have the power to change the whole society, at least we will like our audience to feel grateful and happy through our play.
In our play, I am acting a student in the third scene. This scene is starting from the point that the class starts. One of the main characters, Ying-Tai Zhu, runs into the classroom and she drops her handkerchief on her way. Her classmates make fun of her because they thought Ying-Tai Zhu is a boy who is carrying a girl thing, the handkerchief. My line is appeared after Ying-Tai Zhu makes her argument over the handkerchief. I said,” Are you kidding? That’s girls’ staff. How could a man use this?” When we are rehearsing the play, our director, Cindy, asks us to show our characters in our lines. I feel it is pretty hard to follow her request because for me personally, I couldn’t show up my character’s characterization through only three lines. Therefore, I feel my acting is only fair.
In this contest, the most unfortunate thing is that we didn’t win the aware of “the best stage property.” The reason for me to say so is because we have spend a lot of time and energy to create our stage properties, we even creates our own shoes, sedan chairs, desks and so on. These make me hard to agree with the judge decision.
Also about the play,” Alfie”, which English department perform, other than the script is good, I don’t feel anything else about their play.
The English play contest is already finished. However I felt a lot of pressure when we were rehearsing the play, I still feel wonderful after we perform it. Even though it is a little bit sad that our play didn’t win the judges’ heart, but at least we attracted our audience’s and made them laugh. Maybe winning award is great, but for me, the most important is that we have a wonderful memory and a great amount of fun through the contest.
Through this English play contest, I have had a lot of fun and have gained a lot of experience. These all due to the fact that it is not only the first time for me to act in English, but also it is new for me to perform a play. Our team’s play is based on the famous play in China, “Liang-zhu” and we adapt the tragedy ending to comedy. The reason for us to shift the ending from tragedy to comedy is because we felt that there are enough unfortunately events happened in the society already, even though we don’t have the power to change the whole society, at least we will like our audience to feel grateful and happy through our play.
In our play, I am acting a student in the third scene. This scene is starting from the point that the class starts. One of the main characters, Ying-Tai Zhu, runs into the classroom and she drops her handkerchief on her way. Her classmates make fun of her because they thought Ying-Tai Zhu is a boy who is carrying a girl thing, the handkerchief. My line is appeared after Ying-Tai Zhu makes her argument over the handkerchief. I said,” Are you kidding? That’s girls’ staff. How could a man use this?” When we are rehearsing the play, our director, Cindy, asks us to show our characters in our lines. I feel it is pretty hard to follow her request because for me personally, I couldn’t show up my character’s characterization through only three lines. Therefore, I feel my acting is only fair.
In this contest, the most unfortunate thing is that we didn’t win the aware of “the best stage property.” The reason for me to say so is because we have spend a lot of time and energy to create our stage properties, we even creates our own shoes, sedan chairs, desks and so on. These make me hard to agree with the judge decision.
Also about the play,” Alfie”, which English department perform, other than the script is good, I don’t feel anything else about their play.
The English play contest is already finished. However I felt a lot of pressure when we were rehearsing the play, I still feel wonderful after we perform it. Even though it is a little bit sad that our play didn’t win the judges’ heart, but at least we attracted our audience’s and made them laugh. Maybe winning award is great, but for me, the most important is that we have a wonderful memory and a great amount of fun through the contest.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 4:15 PM
0 comments
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Beautiful Mission
傳二 592090628 張可辰
First of all, I’m glad to have this chance to be the leading lady in our drama. My role is Yin-Tai Chou. As we know, Yin-Tai Chou and Shan-Po Liang are two tragic roles, but we want to change the tradition and give the Yin-Tai Chou and Shan-Po Liang’s a new image in “Butterfly Love”.
I think that new Yin-Tai Chou is a funny role and has driven away from the old traditional image. In addition, we added a rap part in our drama. Personally I like Hip-Hop music a lot, so I try to use rap to bring the crowd to the climax.
Secondly, I’m proud of our team numbers. Even if we spend a lot of time to rehearsal and made stage props after school, but everyone was so happy. And I believe that no one can deny that our palanquin is really beautiful.
We were fully confidence and did our best on our performance at May 7. Although, we had a lot of hard time and difficulties in between and didn't win anything at last, I still think that it's a very significant experience for me. I gain so much from it. It's such a wonderful memory in our university life.
Our competitor's drama, the "Shooting Paparazzi", is good at using multimedia presentation. However, their complicated story line and characters chart give audiences hard time to follow.
The other drama, "Who is watching Fu-Manchu", used a movie introduction to talk about the time flame of the story did really sparkle the audience's eyes. Though, the lighting for the whole play can be improved since not every actor or actress on the stage can be seen clearly.
The English department's drama "Alfie” did a really good job on their English punctuation. However, the leading lady talked too fast which need to slow down on the stage. The whole play was pretty stable from the beginning till the end, didn't have any big mistake.
Finally, I want to thanks for Albert's supports. He taught us many secrets and useful skills for English play and encourage us to input new ideas. I believe in doing my best in everything and keep the passion will lead me to success.
First of all, I’m glad to have this chance to be the leading lady in our drama. My role is Yin-Tai Chou. As we know, Yin-Tai Chou and Shan-Po Liang are two tragic roles, but we want to change the tradition and give the Yin-Tai Chou and Shan-Po Liang’s a new image in “Butterfly Love”.
I think that new Yin-Tai Chou is a funny role and has driven away from the old traditional image. In addition, we added a rap part in our drama. Personally I like Hip-Hop music a lot, so I try to use rap to bring the crowd to the climax.
Secondly, I’m proud of our team numbers. Even if we spend a lot of time to rehearsal and made stage props after school, but everyone was so happy. And I believe that no one can deny that our palanquin is really beautiful.
We were fully confidence and did our best on our performance at May 7. Although, we had a lot of hard time and difficulties in between and didn't win anything at last, I still think that it's a very significant experience for me. I gain so much from it. It's such a wonderful memory in our university life.
Our competitor's drama, the "Shooting Paparazzi", is good at using multimedia presentation. However, their complicated story line and characters chart give audiences hard time to follow.
The other drama, "Who is watching Fu-Manchu", used a movie introduction to talk about the time flame of the story did really sparkle the audience's eyes. Though, the lighting for the whole play can be improved since not every actor or actress on the stage can be seen clearly.
The English department's drama "Alfie” did a really good job on their English punctuation. However, the leading lady talked too fast which need to slow down on the stage. The whole play was pretty stable from the beginning till the end, didn't have any big mistake.
Finally, I want to thanks for Albert's supports. He taught us many secrets and useful skills for English play and encourage us to input new ideas. I believe in doing my best in everything and keep the passion will lead me to success.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:52 PM
0 comments
The first time I feel English is so funny
大傳二 592090094 孫煜銘
This English play performs may be can say that is a pioneering work at mass Mass Communication Dept, since the Mass Communication Dept always has been the seal inside own space, we never has jointly sponsored any performing with other Dept , and this time make a target of English drama can be true, I hope that will continue to manage in the future!
This time has 3 English drama from Mass Communication Dept，In order is Butterfly Love and Who is playing with Fu Manchu and Shooting Paparazzi，at first I want to make a comment at the dramatic that performs in ourselves, Butterfly Love is a Chinese tradition folk tale, the story is a tragedy at last, this time our draft writer group wants to break through the tradition, reorganizes into a comedy, we hope presents by the POST MORDEN performance way, therefore the plot time arrangement is not according to the normal way, but is first lets everybody see the lively wedding ceremony lifts the with sedan chair, we wish the time rebound to Liang and Chu want to study, at last is the entire play most high tide place, Is Liang with Chu because sang to have the feelings, finally in the together plot, our this English drama the biggest shortcoming is the speech so few, the majority all let everybody understanding with the body language, but in very short of 15 minutes, we don’t have show the story completely, Causes everybody can’t be able to lack the understanding regarding the entire story.
Although we just has obtained one prize, but our group is obtains most applause with laughing and heartily, our play nearly does not have the awkward silence, the
warm applause which the audience in finally.
Who is playing with Fu Manchu this is the biggest winner, their story has contains the education significance, using a historical story, displays between the Caucasian and person of Asian descent's discrimination with is not equal, their story is complete, therefore looked may roughly understand the story said any again, moreover they
in stage prop preparation, also is very attentively, therefore congratulates them to have such good achievement very much, but I thought their play no high tide, the entire field has not let I too surprised performance.
Shooting Paparazzi is most with the big biography is the related department's modern drama, suits present Paparazzi the massive appearances, already affected everybody life, therefore they treated has Paparazzi the story theme, really with the current event very related department, only was the thing which they wanted to say too are many, used 15 minutes to present not well, causes a little not to know wanted to express any content.
Then I want to make some commentaries to English department's of Alfie, this play roughly speaking is a male student, who side always revolves many female students, some he also the object which likes with the friend has the feelings, when his good friend relates to him, he only can be perfunctory him casually said. roughly I think actor's performing skill really good, moreover a person wants to speak that many lines, believed he also spend the very long time to recite, therefore the entire play presented, compares vivid and which other English play came to be brilliant, but I think this play, also has not let any which I feels, is telling a stamen male story, but teachers grades as if all is but actually the award item proclaimed at the same time for them, this is I thinks a little strange part.
Finally I must said some of my feeling, actually an my value all very much anticipated can have the opportunity which the play performs, this time hears Albert Tang insist such idea, in my heart felt unusual excited, in the brain has reappeared many pictures, the imagination when the time comes how situation can be, to performance same day, everybody anticipated performance at the moment, performs the very success, although finally only has obtains an award item, but we care about are that process therefore this is a very good experience, I hope can be continue!
This English play performs may be can say that is a pioneering work at mass Mass Communication Dept, since the Mass Communication Dept always has been the seal inside own space, we never has jointly sponsored any performing with other Dept , and this time make a target of English drama can be true, I hope that will continue to manage in the future!
This time has 3 English drama from Mass Communication Dept，In order is Butterfly Love and Who is playing with Fu Manchu and Shooting Paparazzi，at first I want to make a comment at the dramatic that performs in ourselves, Butterfly Love is a Chinese tradition folk tale, the story is a tragedy at last, this time our draft writer group wants to break through the tradition, reorganizes into a comedy, we hope presents by the POST MORDEN performance way, therefore the plot time arrangement is not according to the normal way, but is first lets everybody see the lively wedding ceremony lifts the with sedan chair, we wish the time rebound to Liang and Chu want to study, at last is the entire play most high tide place, Is Liang with Chu because sang to have the feelings, finally in the together plot, our this English drama the biggest shortcoming is the speech so few, the majority all let everybody understanding with the body language, but in very short of 15 minutes, we don’t have show the story completely, Causes everybody can’t be able to lack the understanding regarding the entire story.
Although we just has obtained one prize, but our group is obtains most applause with laughing and heartily, our play nearly does not have the awkward silence, the
warm applause which the audience in finally.
Who is playing with Fu Manchu this is the biggest winner, their story has contains the education significance, using a historical story, displays between the Caucasian and person of Asian descent's discrimination with is not equal, their story is complete, therefore looked may roughly understand the story said any again, moreover they
in stage prop preparation, also is very attentively, therefore congratulates them to have such good achievement very much, but I thought their play no high tide, the entire field has not let I too surprised performance.
Shooting Paparazzi is most with the big biography is the related department's modern drama, suits present Paparazzi the massive appearances, already affected everybody life, therefore they treated has Paparazzi the story theme, really with the current event very related department, only was the thing which they wanted to say too are many, used 15 minutes to present not well, causes a little not to know wanted to express any content.
Then I want to make some commentaries to English department's of Alfie, this play roughly speaking is a male student, who side always revolves many female students, some he also the object which likes with the friend has the feelings, when his good friend relates to him, he only can be perfunctory him casually said. roughly I think actor's performing skill really good, moreover a person wants to speak that many lines, believed he also spend the very long time to recite, therefore the entire play presented, compares vivid and which other English play came to be brilliant, but I think this play, also has not let any which I feels, is telling a stamen male story, but teachers grades as if all is but actually the award item proclaimed at the same time for them, this is I thinks a little strange part.
Finally I must said some of my feeling, actually an my value all very much anticipated can have the opportunity which the play performs, this time hears Albert Tang insist such idea, in my heart felt unusual excited, in the brain has reappeared many pictures, the imagination when the time comes how situation can be, to performance same day, everybody anticipated performance at the moment, performs the very success, although finally only has obtains an award item, but we care about are that process therefore this is a very good experience, I hope can be continue!
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:47 PM
0 comments
Amazing play experience
大傳二 592090197 陳義宏
In this semester, I have a special experience in my English class. Albert Tang plans a English play for us. In the beginning, I do not like this kinds of teach method. The reason why is I think it is a difficult plan for me. If I were a English depart student, teacher Albert’s plan must interests me. Due to I am not a English department student, I can not understand the sense of American culture and American literature. This plan suits the student who loving American culture. But I guess teacher Albert plans this play, I guess it had another meaning I can’t see it. Our play name is “Butterfly Love.” It was a ancient china story. Actually it was a tragedy, and Cindy Huang adapts. She is our director. She plays well down. In this drama play, I play a role who enjoy laughing at some one. I say: “come on, everybody takes a look, it is a handkerchief.” It is a simple and short sentence, but I didn’t play well. Everybody do their best in order to get good grades. Final we have not get any efforts, I felt down extremely and I think everybody has the same feels. Especially our palanquin, I can’t believe no one thinks it is we make it. It sorrows me. It is not borrow. Now the play is finished. I wish my junior at school can revenge next year. It means see you next year, Mass communication department will get perfect grades in next year.
I have many English department students in my school. Before 2 months, I visited their play. The play is a high class. Although I do not understand the play’s total meaning, I still know 2 or 3 part of their play. Their speech is quick and appeal. How amazing the play’s character is my friend and the charming drama’s player almost have the same age as me. I feel really shame because my English… In fact, I known some people even just a freshman.
There are quite different between day English department and night English department. I am glad to play drama with English department. It helps me know their speech skills. Maybe they are not better than day English department’s play, but they are winners at our contest at least. They are better than our “Butterfly Love.”
Actually, I don’t like their play. I can not pursue myself their play are well. The play “Alfie ”, He is always blandishment girls. In their play, he says “I am straight.” Mean he is a normal man, not a gay. I like the third play more than “Alfie.” The monster plays very good. Alfie’s girl friend likes lesbian. It interests me. Finally, thank to Albert’s help, The “Butterfly Love” will play well down from start to finish.
In this semester, I have a special experience in my English class. Albert Tang plans a English play for us. In the beginning, I do not like this kinds of teach method. The reason why is I think it is a difficult plan for me. If I were a English depart student, teacher Albert’s plan must interests me. Due to I am not a English department student, I can not understand the sense of American culture and American literature. This plan suits the student who loving American culture. But I guess teacher Albert plans this play, I guess it had another meaning I can’t see it. Our play name is “Butterfly Love.” It was a ancient china story. Actually it was a tragedy, and Cindy Huang adapts. She is our director. She plays well down. In this drama play, I play a role who enjoy laughing at some one. I say: “come on, everybody takes a look, it is a handkerchief.” It is a simple and short sentence, but I didn’t play well. Everybody do their best in order to get good grades. Final we have not get any efforts, I felt down extremely and I think everybody has the same feels. Especially our palanquin, I can’t believe no one thinks it is we make it. It sorrows me. It is not borrow. Now the play is finished. I wish my junior at school can revenge next year. It means see you next year, Mass communication department will get perfect grades in next year.
I have many English department students in my school. Before 2 months, I visited their play. The play is a high class. Although I do not understand the play’s total meaning, I still know 2 or 3 part of their play. Their speech is quick and appeal. How amazing the play’s character is my friend and the charming drama’s player almost have the same age as me. I feel really shame because my English… In fact, I known some people even just a freshman.
There are quite different between day English department and night English department. I am glad to play drama with English department. It helps me know their speech skills. Maybe they are not better than day English department’s play, but they are winners at our contest at least. They are better than our “Butterfly Love.”
Actually, I don’t like their play. I can not pursue myself their play are well. The play “Alfie ”, He is always blandishment girls. In their play, he says “I am straight.” Mean he is a normal man, not a gay. I like the third play more than “Alfie.” The monster plays very good. Alfie’s girl friend likes lesbian. It interests me. Finally, thank to Albert’s help, The “Butterfly Love” will play well down from start to finish.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:43 PM
0 comments
Perfect Drama
傳二 592090484 潘雨
Butterfly love is the drama that I first time to access to the legitimate drama. I am a members of to do props, is it a hard work for us because it have many detail must to do, for example：butterfly’s ala, father’s face fungus, chaussures, palanquin. In this drama , I portray butterfly Chu，it is symbolized their two personal deads of the love is satisfactory. I have no stage dialogue in this drama, but in the end each persons can remember the stage dialogue of the whole play.Although only fifteen minutes of performance, but the drama is very socko for me.
Alfie is the only drama that I saw on the scene on that day. I don’t know how the others, but Alfie is very interesting for me because their topic is very close to our life. This drama no matter what the actor or stage dialogues in spite of all are very perfect, at least compare with us.
This experience is very special for everyone, although we rise the quarrel a lot of times and we don’t win any prize but it is all worthy because we already have precious memory.
Butterfly love is the drama that I first time to access to the legitimate drama. I am a members of to do props, is it a hard work for us because it have many detail must to do, for example：butterfly’s ala, father’s face fungus, chaussures, palanquin. In this drama , I portray butterfly Chu，it is symbolized their two personal deads of the love is satisfactory. I have no stage dialogue in this drama, but in the end each persons can remember the stage dialogue of the whole play.Although only fifteen minutes of performance, but the drama is very socko for me.
Alfie is the only drama that I saw on the scene on that day. I don’t know how the others, but Alfie is very interesting for me because their topic is very close to our life. This drama no matter what the actor or stage dialogues in spite of all are very perfect, at least compare with us.
This experience is very special for everyone, although we rise the quarrel a lot of times and we don’t win any prize but it is all worthy because we already have precious memory.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:42 PM
0 comments
We write the new page of history
傳二 592090070 李冠皇
In this winter vacation, the student association leader of English department and I have many meetings. We were studying how to make a play contest. I believe I got lots things during those processes. The hardest thing was the communication with each other.
Many friends of English department admired our action before the play. I felt that we expressed the Mass Communication department’s feature. In the Butterfly Love, all members stood on the stage like a professional actor. Vivian and Dai were the best performers of the leading role in my mind. It was a new arrangement of the old story. Our conversation was so short that made audients feeling nothing extraordinary.
The script, “Who Is Playing with Fu Manchu”, has lots of history background, so it became a challenge to us. The dance was designed to a hairline. Their conversations were better than ours. The media and the news were important in “Shooting Paparazzi”. I felt their performance bring media person’s spirit. They wanted to tell us much news in the story but the time wasn’t enough. If someone didn’t care about any news that he or she can not understood the means of the drama.
“Alfie”, from the English department, they have more advance space. Their body language need to be more open and nature. In this part, I thought we, the Mass Communication department, could not compare with the English department. We were majoring in media that’s the reason why our body language should be better than other department from the beginning. I thought their advantage is the conversation.
This action made classmates stand on one boat. I want my class full of friendship and happy together. If we have another chance, I would glad to perform it again.
In this winter vacation, the student association leader of English department and I have many meetings. We were studying how to make a play contest. I believe I got lots things during those processes. The hardest thing was the communication with each other.
Many friends of English department admired our action before the play. I felt that we expressed the Mass Communication department’s feature. In the Butterfly Love, all members stood on the stage like a professional actor. Vivian and Dai were the best performers of the leading role in my mind. It was a new arrangement of the old story. Our conversation was so short that made audients feeling nothing extraordinary.
The script, “Who Is Playing with Fu Manchu”, has lots of history background, so it became a challenge to us. The dance was designed to a hairline. Their conversations were better than ours. The media and the news were important in “Shooting Paparazzi”. I felt their performance bring media person’s spirit. They wanted to tell us much news in the story but the time wasn’t enough. If someone didn’t care about any news that he or she can not understood the means of the drama.
“Alfie”, from the English department, they have more advance space. Their body language need to be more open and nature. In this part, I thought we, the Mass Communication department, could not compare with the English department. We were majoring in media that’s the reason why our body language should be better than other department from the beginning. I thought their advantage is the conversation.
This action made classmates stand on one boat. I want my class full of friendship and happy together. If we have another chance, I would glad to perform it again.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:41 PM
0 comments
What’ s a amazing day
傳二 592090290 張可欣
It’ s a very special experience for department of mass communication to join the English drama performance, in the beginning, the most challenge for those student is the pronounce, indeed, they have to more harder than anyone, especial to English department student.
They start in April 7 and day line in May 7, so there are almost one month for them to practice and rehearsal, during the day, they not only to prepare the show way but also to learning the position、light、skill of stage、rules and so on.
Finally, the big day is come, everyone so high.
They are cross between each two department, butterfly love is the first group to performance, in the play, they own perfect stage property, including the make up and clothes, it’ s really impress to me, on the other hand, they to be short of the structure in the play.
Fu-mai-chou is the best winner in the play contest, they own more than five cup and I enjoy the actor in the play, especially Fu-mai-chou (chester).
Paparazzi shooting, I can see they prepare many stage property such as CNN online, it’ s really shooting for me.
It’ s a very special experience for department of mass communication to join the English drama performance, in the beginning, the most challenge for those student is the pronounce, indeed, they have to more harder than anyone, especial to English department student.
They start in April 7 and day line in May 7, so there are almost one month for them to practice and rehearsal, during the day, they not only to prepare the show way but also to learning the position、light、skill of stage、rules and so on.
Finally, the big day is come, everyone so high.
They are cross between each two department, butterfly love is the first group to performance, in the play, they own perfect stage property, including the make up and clothes, it’ s really impress to me, on the other hand, they to be short of the structure in the play.
Fu-mai-chou is the best winner in the play contest, they own more than five cup and I enjoy the actor in the play, especially Fu-mai-chou (chester).
Paparazzi shooting, I can see they prepare many stage property such as CNN online, it’ s really shooting for me.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:39 PM
0 comments
That’s only a drama!
傳二 592090537 江郁芬
This is my first time to join the stage play. Our drama is “Butterfly Love”. Our story had a little simple but it was innovated. It was very funny, too. And members are very serious.
Although we just obtain an award, our drama was still success. Maybe everybody was show not will. But on that day, everyone was very good. Especially, the stage properties and our players are. This drama makes our team learn many things. Everything was so hard but also worth.
The other two team in class. I was very admiring. Because of their stories are very different.
English department one of their drama,”Alfie”. Their story interesting and player perform will. Their English conversation is more than us. I trust they were spending many time on this drama, too. I think this drama is compare with us to learn.
This is my first time to join the stage play. Our drama is “Butterfly Love”. Our story had a little simple but it was innovated. It was very funny, too. And members are very serious.
Although we just obtain an award, our drama was still success. Maybe everybody was show not will. But on that day, everyone was very good. Especially, the stage properties and our players are. This drama makes our team learn many things. Everything was so hard but also worth.
The other two team in class. I was very admiring. Because of their stories are very different.
English department one of their drama,”Alfie”. Their story interesting and player perform will. Their English conversation is more than us. I trust they were spending many time on this drama, too. I think this drama is compare with us to learn.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:37 PM
0 comments
Do our best！
傳二 592090305 林雅雯
I am very happy and very unexpected, that I can participate in the English modern drama this time and serving as the light teacher role, because before the experience this time, I have never touched such a relevant work to controlled in the light , so I am very nervous that I might mess up this performance.
Before this, I studied hard in how to control the light and did some homework in advance diligently in order to let myself not get too nervous on this job unduly.
During this course of study, let me touched the field which I would not learn originally, and I am very happy that I did not make and mistakes on that day. When talking about the exercise course of the whole English modern drama, everybody's extraordinary motive, including spend much time rehearsing, no matter in the school or outside, everybody cooperate very much, to let the hole rehearse course can smooth going. And make the course of the props entirely impressed me deeply, cause we did not have enough time to make props, we usually stayed at the props group leader’s home making the props all night. The completeness of everybody and the props accomplished diligently, all these are worth to encourage. Making us to show these props that we made hardly through a month proudly on the day when we performance.
Though on the last award-winning list, we had not received a lot of rewards, an important thing is that the whole groups were having fun. Because the directory performed is to belong to the comedy, so we are very glad that during the performance that can bring happiness to the audience that under the platform. Having received a lot of laughs and applause, have been already encouraged us.
In the performance that English courses did, we had seen some more professional performances too, like the group of ALFIE’s, they extraordinary motive on the light control so I believe Caren &Zinnia cooperated with suitable skill very well, making people admired very much.
Playing the name of Alfie, Anthony, whose artistic skills is good too, entering the play very much, it is vivid that the ones that perform let me feel very excellent, and the sound is loud and the intonation is all paid special attention too, will not let people want to fall asleep dully. Maybe it is because the drama is more interesting too, the whole story is talking about Alfie is a playboy and fools around all the time, he usually gets whatever woman wants. This drama is quite different with others, so I believe director LILY &RUBY &SANNY, these three people will certainly very diligently too.
I am very happy and very unexpected, that I can participate in the English modern drama this time and serving as the light teacher role, because before the experience this time, I have never touched such a relevant work to controlled in the light , so I am very nervous that I might mess up this performance.
Before this, I studied hard in how to control the light and did some homework in advance diligently in order to let myself not get too nervous on this job unduly.
During this course of study, let me touched the field which I would not learn originally, and I am very happy that I did not make and mistakes on that day. When talking about the exercise course of the whole English modern drama, everybody's extraordinary motive, including spend much time rehearsing, no matter in the school or outside, everybody cooperate very much, to let the hole rehearse course can smooth going. And make the course of the props entirely impressed me deeply, cause we did not have enough time to make props, we usually stayed at the props group leader’s home making the props all night. The completeness of everybody and the props accomplished diligently, all these are worth to encourage. Making us to show these props that we made hardly through a month proudly on the day when we performance.
Though on the last award-winning list, we had not received a lot of rewards, an important thing is that the whole groups were having fun. Because the directory performed is to belong to the comedy, so we are very glad that during the performance that can bring happiness to the audience that under the platform. Having received a lot of laughs and applause, have been already encouraged us.
In the performance that English courses did, we had seen some more professional performances too, like the group of ALFIE’s, they extraordinary motive on the light control so I believe Caren &Zinnia cooperated with suitable skill very well, making people admired very much.
Playing the name of Alfie, Anthony, whose artistic skills is good too, entering the play very much, it is vivid that the ones that perform let me feel very excellent, and the sound is loud and the intonation is all paid special attention too, will not let people want to fall asleep dully. Maybe it is because the drama is more interesting too, the whole story is talking about Alfie is a playboy and fools around all the time, he usually gets whatever woman wants. This drama is quite different with others, so I believe director LILY &RUBY &SANNY, these three people will certainly very diligently too.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:36 PM
0 comments
What an excellent play & wonderful memory!
傳二 592090616 陳怡如
I was surprised when Albert said that he would like us to present a drama on his English class, and show it on the stage with English department. I was wondering, “Don’t you know we have little time to prepare such drama? You must be kidding, Albert.” But I’m totally wrong, he is serious.
At first, my group members would like to play a story about Chinese culture, but it isn’t easy to find a good story to play. After several discussions, we decided to recompose the story “Ling san po & Chu yin tai”. We wanted to change the tragic ending to comedic ending. It’s very difficult to create the point to make people laugh. But, I thought we did a great job.
I’ve never saw another show “Who is playing with Fu Manchu” when we were in practiced, and I have no idea about that story. After watching, I thought that Justin is suitable to act Fu Manchu. He is deserved to be The Best actor. “Shooting paparrazi” is too complicated to let audience get the point in 15 minutes. But they spent much time devising word and setting, and they have an intact composition. After all, I still think our show, “Butterfly Love”, is the greatest play on that night!
”Play Boy” is the only one story by make up of English department. I was effective on their word and acting. Their written is reflected to real life. People are skin-deep during this time. Maybe it’s the reason why they won so many affirm. The actor, Alfie, he was very successful on the stage. He leaded the audience to get into the role with him. Maybe, the role he played is a part of him. Ha ha…. In fact, I though another play “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” has a good express. I thought they had showed the great pronunciation of all.
The show is over. I learned how to accept the comment different from me. How to let your group members understand what you thought. In the other word, I learned much about interpersonal relationship. I was wondering, what play is good play. Should we need such picky? In my opinion, what I learn from my group members, what we share on this show. That’s really what I get. We really had a great time!
I was surprised when Albert said that he would like us to present a drama on his English class, and show it on the stage with English department. I was wondering, “Don’t you know we have little time to prepare such drama? You must be kidding, Albert.” But I’m totally wrong, he is serious.
At first, my group members would like to play a story about Chinese culture, but it isn’t easy to find a good story to play. After several discussions, we decided to recompose the story “Ling san po & Chu yin tai”. We wanted to change the tragic ending to comedic ending. It’s very difficult to create the point to make people laugh. But, I thought we did a great job.
I’ve never saw another show “Who is playing with Fu Manchu” when we were in practiced, and I have no idea about that story. After watching, I thought that Justin is suitable to act Fu Manchu. He is deserved to be The Best actor. “Shooting paparrazi” is too complicated to let audience get the point in 15 minutes. But they spent much time devising word and setting, and they have an intact composition. After all, I still think our show, “Butterfly Love”, is the greatest play on that night!
”Play Boy” is the only one story by make up of English department. I was effective on their word and acting. Their written is reflected to real life. People are skin-deep during this time. Maybe it’s the reason why they won so many affirm. The actor, Alfie, he was very successful on the stage. He leaded the audience to get into the role with him. Maybe, the role he played is a part of him. Ha ha…. In fact, I though another play “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” has a good express. I thought they had showed the great pronunciation of all.
The show is over. I learned how to accept the comment different from me. How to let your group members understand what you thought. In the other word, I learned much about interpersonal relationship. I was wondering, what play is good play. Should we need such picky? In my opinion, what I learn from my group members, what we share on this show. That’s really what I get. We really had a great time!
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:33 PM
0 comments
Enjoy in the theater
傳二 592090240 吳欣庭
This is not the first time to performance English play, but it’s the first time in the university and the first time entering from an alliance with English department. I felt so excited and really got nervous. Because of face…, we got win.
This program start in the last semester, we decide to do the play. At first I didn’t feel any trouble or question until we tried to create the story. It’s in English, not Chinese. We do this job for two weeks or much longer time. Practice from every week to every day. We really do our best, especially when the date（5/10）getting close.
At that day, we got a good job（although we didn’t get any team award）,that’s the first time we didn’t get any trouble, and all actor didn’t go the wrong way.（liang’s an chou’s father first did the same action）when we finished the play, I really so touched.
And I saw two the other team in our class, I also felt proud of us. We did the best way to show our character, and we use the media surprising many audience.
Beside us, English department got good grades in the play “Alfie”. And I only saw this play. It let me felt so long. At first, I felt funny and the main actor got the good job, but their funny point all the same so I can’t laugh anymore finally. Maybe their story not compass enough and not adaptation for a long time. if they want let it better, they should improve their performance way. It will get more interesting.
This time is an unforgettable memory, and I learned many things in this time,. at last, thanks Albert, thanks my team member and all people who give me a hand when I in the trouble, thanks a million.
This is not the first time to performance English play, but it’s the first time in the university and the first time entering from an alliance with English department. I felt so excited and really got nervous. Because of face…, we got win.
This program start in the last semester, we decide to do the play. At first I didn’t feel any trouble or question until we tried to create the story. It’s in English, not Chinese. We do this job for two weeks or much longer time. Practice from every week to every day. We really do our best, especially when the date（5/10）getting close.
At that day, we got a good job（although we didn’t get any team award）,that’s the first time we didn’t get any trouble, and all actor didn’t go the wrong way.（liang’s an chou’s father first did the same action）when we finished the play, I really so touched.
And I saw two the other team in our class, I also felt proud of us. We did the best way to show our character, and we use the media surprising many audience.
Beside us, English department got good grades in the play “Alfie”. And I only saw this play. It let me felt so long. At first, I felt funny and the main actor got the good job, but their funny point all the same so I can’t laugh anymore finally. Maybe their story not compass enough and not adaptation for a long time. if they want let it better, they should improve their performance way. It will get more interesting.
This time is an unforgettable memory, and I learned many things in this time,. at last, thanks Albert, thanks my team member and all people who give me a hand when I in the trouble, thanks a million.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:31 PM
0 comments
Revive my old days
傳二 592090109 何冠群
I have been to access to the legitimate drama in the senior high school. Those days I enjoy in it. I can not lack of it in my life. I am very excited to access to it again.
This time is different of before, because it is an English legitimate drama. It is the reason to make me a little nervous.
Our legitimate drama named—Butterfly love. It is an old story, we change some contents to let story become more interesting. In drama I portray Chu’s father, many people ask me how could I have that courage let me look like so ugly. I think it does not to refuse, because it is a basic need. In this drama, we take almost time to make a lot of stage property. We don’t win any awards. But we enjoy in it more than an award.
Alfie was the most special drama I see on that day. They had enough contents.
Their content was very interesting. Their acting skill was very good. I think they must take a lot of time to prepare it.
It is really a special experience. Because we can cooperate with English department students. I hope we can cooperate with again in the future.
I have been to access to the legitimate drama in the senior high school. Those days I enjoy in it. I can not lack of it in my life. I am very excited to access to it again.
This time is different of before, because it is an English legitimate drama. It is the reason to make me a little nervous.
Our legitimate drama named—Butterfly love. It is an old story, we change some contents to let story become more interesting. In drama I portray Chu’s father, many people ask me how could I have that courage let me look like so ugly. I think it does not to refuse, because it is a basic need. In this drama, we take almost time to make a lot of stage property. We don’t win any awards. But we enjoy in it more than an award.
Alfie was the most special drama I see on that day. They had enough contents.
Their content was very interesting. Their acting skill was very good. I think they must take a lot of time to prepare it.
It is really a special experience. Because we can cooperate with English department students. I hope we can cooperate with again in the future.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:26 PM
0 comments
An impressive Butterfly Love
傳二 592090642 莊宛妮
I found that feature of Butterfly Love is kind of weak after comparing with another operas. We considered there was limit of time and guys may confuse of complex plots. Maybe the foreign jurors can’t get the exactly point because of the culture gap, so we just received one award. The moment we played in the orchestra, I could feel how audiences liked us. Although we didn’t really hit the goal, we still felt happy and we’ll never forget and appreciate. Of course, we showed character as well.
I have three experiences to participate with operas in my college life and also enjoyed a number of plays. The script might not be tough in that not everyone can get the point, I thought. In our case, we made talking easy. By this reason, jurors had no ideas to give points, I guess. By comparing, the scripts of the Department of English were more. After all, they had 30 minutes long. It was a very enough period for them to prepare a whole story. On the other hand, there was something we should notice. They are as following: First of all, their clothing consists of their own clothes without renting. Secondly, scripts were easy and with much daily conversation. Thirdly, they pronounced well and spoken with good volume. by the way, I like the actor whose name is Alfie because his performance is very vivid. I also like Justin’s character part.
After the show, I expect that freshmen could have more chance to play with the Department of English next year. I believe we could express our specific even we don’t take course in ES. Albert and professor Kao gave us many suggestions and encouraged us. If there were next time we should have more perfect performance.
I found that feature of Butterfly Love is kind of weak after comparing with another operas. We considered there was limit of time and guys may confuse of complex plots. Maybe the foreign jurors can’t get the exactly point because of the culture gap, so we just received one award. The moment we played in the orchestra, I could feel how audiences liked us. Although we didn’t really hit the goal, we still felt happy and we’ll never forget and appreciate. Of course, we showed character as well.
I have three experiences to participate with operas in my college life and also enjoyed a number of plays. The script might not be tough in that not everyone can get the point, I thought. In our case, we made talking easy. By this reason, jurors had no ideas to give points, I guess. By comparing, the scripts of the Department of English were more. After all, they had 30 minutes long. It was a very enough period for them to prepare a whole story. On the other hand, there was something we should notice. They are as following: First of all, their clothing consists of their own clothes without renting. Secondly, scripts were easy and with much daily conversation. Thirdly, they pronounced well and spoken with good volume. by the way, I like the actor whose name is Alfie because his performance is very vivid. I also like Justin’s character part.
After the show, I expect that freshmen could have more chance to play with the Department of English next year. I believe we could express our specific even we don’t take course in ES. Albert and professor Kao gave us many suggestions and encouraged us. If there were next time we should have more perfect performance.
posted by Kuan-Huang Lee @ 7:24 PM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
albert's trip to china, June 2005
posted by 唐維敏 Albert @ 11:38 AM
0 comments
Monday, June 13, 2005
drama review
Monday, June 13, 2005
Review Drama contest by Trixie
It was a good day. On 7th May, there was a special drama contest.It's the first time of cooperation between Mass Communication and English departments. English department was performed four dramas. And our department was performed three. Those are "Who is watching Fu Manchu", "Butterfly Love" and "Shooting Paparazzi".It's about our English course. There are two parts of the course: drama and non-drama. I am the "non-drama student". So I didn't show on the performance. I'm just an audience. As an audience, I was very affected by the performances. Every performer was very hard to show their best. And everyone was very enjoying oneself to the full. All the students had practiced over and over during this semester just want to make the performance well. And they all do a good job after all.Actuality, I can not absorb in all the performances. I'm the photographer that day. It's a very difficult work. The reason one is that I don't see all the dramas before. So I can not follow the performers very accurate. Another reason is I have a bad technique to use a camera. I feel so sorry to all the performers that I didn't do a good job of recorded the performance. During this drama contest, there are two impressions on my mind. It's a pity that I was not joining the performance with my classmates. I think it must be very nice memory. Another reason is that I should to do more and more work of using camera.
posted by Trixie @ 2:41 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 12, 2005
English drama preview by YorkAfterwards saw in the classroom takes down the movie, really the thinking study sister-in-law's performance really very good, so-called someone looks lively, my English not too is good, but very wholly absorbed listens to them to speak any, or listens not too to understand. But looked between their body language and actor's tacit understanding, they certainly passed through very many rehearsals and diligently. If could listen to understand their dialogue to be certainly more interesting. This time has listened to Mr. Tang's critique, knew our big biography department study sister-in-law's performance does not lose English department, really is with has the glory .Actually performs how is the success or failure next, does the key point have makes contribution. Mr. Tang said good, he thought no matter has obtains the award item, each person's performance all very good, if again has next not necessarily quite to be also good, because is first relational everybody under the experience situation, therefore instead even more diligently with practice. Looked this performance, I really very want to strengthen own English ability, looked everybody listens to the dialogue but the understanding as soon as to smile, but I actually did not know they are smiling any, this kind feels not good .This performance not only lets everybody have an unforgettable experience, regarding me said also is an important experience, I want quickly to make money buy the hearing aid, then the many reading simple easy to understand English books, enable English from the life to become my part, do not have again to fear listens to or says English.
posted by York @ 3:39 PM 0 comments
Review Drama contest by Emma
To student of Mass Communication Department, this is a special experience.The English Department held the drama contest with Mass Communication Department.After a series of perform, "Alfie" of English Department and "Who is watching Fu Man-chu" of Mass communication were the biggest winner. They win many awads,like the best script, the best actor etc.The drama contest with Enghish Department, I think, our classmates also learn the different experience. Before drama competing, our classmates never drama perform experience. Thisperformance chance of everyone’s equal value. Everyone use the time after school to practice constantly. I feel, everybody is very hard and earnest,including the actor or backstage persoonnel.In this day, everyone expresses very well. I think, whatever the result, I believe, evertbody leaves the deep recollection.The Mass Communication Department performed three dramas totally. The first drama is "Butterfly Love". They performed is very well.especial the stage design like actors postion or light. Butterfly Love describes one inside country ancient spread to tell a story "Liang-Zhu". It is tragic story originally. But the drama presents by comedy. It makes me feeling different. Although the drama did not get many awards,maybe the foreign professor have never heard about the ancient story. But "Butterfly Love" is my favorite one in the whole dramas.The drama "Alfie" for English Department. The plan of the story is Alfie is a playboy and fools aound all time. He has high taste for everything, he has high taste for everying, he always get whatever women he wants. But his best friend for everything is not so. Hoe could he help his friend? Even himself, too. I feel this drama whatever the actor, manuscript, light is very good.Particulary the manuscript, I feel the manuscript writes very creativity.In the drama, the different is the English Department with fluently Enhlish stage dialogue.for theMass Communication Department, they have aboundant body action. I feel, this drama perform, everyone have the result.
posted by Emma @ 7:01 AM 0 comments
Review drama contest by Karen
The day is an important day for English and Mass communication. There is an English drama contest on 7th May. That is the first time for Mass communication. At beginning, English just a couse in our school. Teacher hope we have different ways to learn English, ask everyone join this suggestion. Some one has different difficult, choice non-drama. Sometimes I feel regrettable very much.Although we don't have show that day, we can spectate drama contest. After the contest, I have deep impress for them, I feel every one is wonderful. English department and Mass communiation has unlike style. English department emphasize pronounce, they don't care light bright or not. They don't attention where actor should go or not. They emphasize pronounce and story. Their let me feel some boring. Untile the "Alfie", that is my favorite drama in English department. Actor and Actress have great action, story is humorous. Generally speaking, "Alfie" let me feel like watch legitimate.The department of Mass communication, our style is cheery, passion and agreeable. In my opinion, the favorite drama in Mass communication is "Butterfly". It is adapt to a Chinese story, a famous love story. They combine Chinese and foreign, offer audience fresh play. "Butterfly" use music and dance let their paly more interesting. The special of "Butterfly" is their rap. To sum up, "Butterfly" have more suprise action. If want me take a score, I give they full marks.The big winner in this Engilish drama contest is " Who is watching Fu Man-chu". The speech is more then another drama, in apart of contume also more attention then another. The story is more organized then others. Beside this, they also have dancing apart in the play."Who is watching Fu Man-chu" attain juror's love, have great score, become big winner in this drama contest.I think the English drama contest is a special experience to everyone, during this play, I find the passion in our mass communication. "Contest" is not important, "Experience" is more treasure.
posted by karen @ 5:41 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 09, 2005
REVIEW by Michael
This drama is very special. Talking about a man is very skill to make friends with female. Maybe his long hair is an important factor. And his speaking is very fluency .His act is fulling of confidence and seems it is true in his life. Girls want to make friend with him. He is proud of his appearance. The drama talked about the allure is very important to the person who want to make a girlfriend.When the girl is bad in feelings, the man listen to her thought and give the advice in time.He philanders girls. He made a boast of letting a girl sitting on his leg when he sat on the chair. The girl was natural to make conversation with him and sat on his leg. I think that should be having connive. And he said”Hey man, it is not your business”.He is making a gesture and someone is calling his name. Suddenly, the audience is calling his name. He is gentlemanlike giving the flower to the girl.I think that is special. The play was interactive with the audience.
posted by fjumichael @ 2:01 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
English drama review from Gavin
This is first time our mass communication department and English department are cooperating to hold the English play contest. I never have look English play experience. So it also a novel experience for me. Although my English is not learning well and I couldn’t understand many play’s dialogue mean, I also found our department and English department have some characteristics on play. Our department has more dance elements. Besides the play has more east color and even combine with our mass communication characteristic in plot. Furthermore, their stage performance usually control on stage center. The three play’s stage properties were making well. About English department, I felt their play not have more originality perform and to follow rules. Besides the majority play plot were use the stage wings to perform. Furthermore, their plays to lay particular stress on modern or west color plot.First about the butterfly love play, I felt their play very interesting. For example, they combine sing with dance in play. They even sing the rap in play. I felt they make the play have more cadences. Besides their stage property also made exquisite such as a sedan chair. But their plot of a play I felt not very perfect. It not showed the essence of the story.Second about who is watching Fu Manchu play, I felt their stage actor very plunge into this play. Besides their play also has more dance and their dance was uniform. Moreover I felt their plot has more completeness and definite focus than other two plays. So I think it made them has more chances to gain many prizes.Third about Shooting Paparazzi play, I think their play was the most originality drama. They used many mass communication originalities in plot, such as stalkerazzi, SNG news…etc. Although their plot combine with many famous hot news, it too much and made their play to felt piecemeal. So I felt a little pity.Final about the English department’s play Alfie, I felt their perform were facile and stage actor also plunge into this play. Besides, their blocking also use well. Furthermore, their stage actors even do the interaction with viewers. I felt it make the play more interesting.
posted by Gavin @ 8:59 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Review Drama contest by Chris
Review with English and Mass Communication drama contestby ChrisThere is a big impress for me in the first time English and Mass Communication departments’ drama play contest at 7th May. The contest lets two departments have chances to communicate and find out where the weakness is.The opening play “Scuba Lessons” was impressed me with the brilliant main actress. Even this play has copy some methods of expression from the famous TV drama “Sex in the city”, but the pronunciations and natural presence with the main actress was excellent. This opening play gives me some reflections. Those English department students are only the freshmen; they just take one year education in college with English training. But the ability with talking and listening English are already an obvious distance in each department.“Butterfly Love” is my favorite one in this whole contest. They use the stage very well. The actors are also having excellent performance. Maybe the foreign professors have never heard about the original story of “Liang-Zhu”, so they can’t have the same response like us.There is a big winner in English department, the “Alfie”. Before watch this play, there are two movies talking about “Alfie” I had watched. One is Wang Kar-wai’s “Days of Being Wild”; another is “Alfie” act by Jude Law. So I can predict what’s they want to presence. The main actor has an excellent performance, and they also represent the “playboy temperament” very successful. I believe they effected with the movie “Alfie” very much. Alfie is a playboy, he mix with those beauties around. But now he has a big problem with one of his girl friends. She is a lesbian and she want to separate with Alfie because she got a younger, nice body girlfriend. This story set up is very like the movie. But maybe they are inspired with the movie “Alfie”, but the main actor plays very good and gave the play a new spirit.Another big winner “Who is watching Fu Man-chu” is also give me a new thought with the story of late Ching Dynasty. “Who is watching Fu Man-Chu” has a very good structure with story background. But I think maybe they can do much work with the mental side with Fu Man-Chu. Why he want to revenge? What’s the turning point with his decide? If they can spend much time to explain this part, it will make the whole play better.The problems with “Who is watching Fu Man-chu” are also the same problems in our department’s groups. Because the pool English ability, we can’t put too much attentions on the story. Even we already done so much on our advantages part and done very well. But in the point of view with the students of English department, it maybe just a contest with another field. Each department just play their own drama mode and for each own purpose. Those will not a good result.
posted by ChrisChiu @ 12:45 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 03, 2005
Drama comment (592090343 Rachel Chen)
There was a play contest on May 7th (Sat.). Both English Department and Mass communication were join in and did a great job. ’’Alfie’’ of English Department and ‘’Who is watching Fu Manchu’’ of Mass communication were the biggest winner. Different with English department could speak long and fluent English; we used lots of body language to make up our poor English. Whether they won the award or not, I think this experience already make them succeed. And I, as a member of Mass communication, how could I say? ‘’You guys are the best!’’ This was really a remarkable experience for me, thanks for them let me have an unforgettable afternoon and let me have different visual feast.Here are few synopsis about ‘’Alfie’’ and ‘’Who is watching Fu Manchu’’. Alfie is a playboy and fools around all the time. He has high taste for the latest in fashion and follows always his own standard. He is so charming that he can always get whatever women he wants. But, when things come to his best friend, it is not so. How will Alfie help his friend, and himself, too? Finally, is it all about sex?After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851-1864) and the Opium War (1840-1842) in China, the country was in turmoil and the people couldn’t live in peace. The late Qing dynasty was forced to begin studying western knowledge; the government has sent a group of little foreign students to foreign at that time. One of them was Fu ManZhou. On the other hand, the people‘s lives were in privation at that time and the opium endangered people too deep, it caused Chinese enslaving, the identity and position was humble. Therefore Chinese were sold to foreign countries as the piglet to be low-priced laborers, especially during the period of opening up virgin soil of west in America. Because of labor’s shortage, a lot of Chinese were forced to go to America. At the same time, on account of different color of skin and race, he was pushed out from American, when Fu ManZhou was compelled to study abroad in America. Due to his intelligent by natural endowments, he hoped to utilize knowledge since already studied to obtain the white men’s favor, so he has brought up the habit of invention. Because the communication on the language was difficult, they need Fu ManZhou help to manage them when many Chinese like piglet were sold U.S.A. constantly at that time. Thereupon Fu ManZhou thought that he got the attention of the white man, but he has not expected that he was only a piece in other’s eyes. Thus he has launched a series of revenging…Besides these two groups, other groups also did a petty good job especially ‘’Butterfly Love’’, they really made me impressive. I have been to stay with them practiced for several times; they were too shy to express themselves on the beginning and always made little mistake every time. But, on that day, they were so perfect! They practiced day by day and only slept 3 hours a day on that week in order to make the stage properties. Every stage property is made by their hands! But finally they only won an award. Even though they lost this contest, I thought what they obtained was more than that. I felt very proud of them! ’’Well done, pal!’’
Review Drama contest by Trixie
It was a good day. On 7th May, there was a special drama contest.It's the first time of cooperation between Mass Communication and English departments. English department was performed four dramas. And our department was performed three. Those are "Who is watching Fu Manchu", "Butterfly Love" and "Shooting Paparazzi".It's about our English course. There are two parts of the course: drama and non-drama. I am the "non-drama student". So I didn't show on the performance. I'm just an audience. As an audience, I was very affected by the performances. Every performer was very hard to show their best. And everyone was very enjoying oneself to the full. All the students had practiced over and over during this semester just want to make the performance well. And they all do a good job after all.Actuality, I can not absorb in all the performances. I'm the photographer that day. It's a very difficult work. The reason one is that I don't see all the dramas before. So I can not follow the performers very accurate. Another reason is I have a bad technique to use a camera. I feel so sorry to all the performers that I didn't do a good job of recorded the performance. During this drama contest, there are two impressions on my mind. It's a pity that I was not joining the performance with my classmates. I think it must be very nice memory. Another reason is that I should to do more and more work of using camera.
posted by Trixie @ 2:41 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 12, 2005
English drama preview by YorkAfterwards saw in the classroom takes down the movie, really the thinking study sister-in-law's performance really very good, so-called someone looks lively, my English not too is good, but very wholly absorbed listens to them to speak any, or listens not too to understand. But looked between their body language and actor's tacit understanding, they certainly passed through very many rehearsals and diligently. If could listen to understand their dialogue to be certainly more interesting. This time has listened to Mr. Tang's critique, knew our big biography department study sister-in-law's performance does not lose English department, really is with has the glory .Actually performs how is the success or failure next, does the key point have makes contribution. Mr. Tang said good, he thought no matter has obtains the award item, each person's performance all very good, if again has next not necessarily quite to be also good, because is first relational everybody under the experience situation, therefore instead even more diligently with practice. Looked this performance, I really very want to strengthen own English ability, looked everybody listens to the dialogue but the understanding as soon as to smile, but I actually did not know they are smiling any, this kind feels not good .This performance not only lets everybody have an unforgettable experience, regarding me said also is an important experience, I want quickly to make money buy the hearing aid, then the many reading simple easy to understand English books, enable English from the life to become my part, do not have again to fear listens to or says English.
posted by York @ 3:39 PM 0 comments
Review Drama contest by Emma
To student of Mass Communication Department, this is a special experience.The English Department held the drama contest with Mass Communication Department.After a series of perform, "Alfie" of English Department and "Who is watching Fu Man-chu" of Mass communication were the biggest winner. They win many awads,like the best script, the best actor etc.The drama contest with Enghish Department, I think, our classmates also learn the different experience. Before drama competing, our classmates never drama perform experience. Thisperformance chance of everyone’s equal value. Everyone use the time after school to practice constantly. I feel, everybody is very hard and earnest,including the actor or backstage persoonnel.In this day, everyone expresses very well. I think, whatever the result, I believe, evertbody leaves the deep recollection.The Mass Communication Department performed three dramas totally. The first drama is "Butterfly Love". They performed is very well.especial the stage design like actors postion or light. Butterfly Love describes one inside country ancient spread to tell a story "Liang-Zhu". It is tragic story originally. But the drama presents by comedy. It makes me feeling different. Although the drama did not get many awards,maybe the foreign professor have never heard about the ancient story. But "Butterfly Love" is my favorite one in the whole dramas.The drama "Alfie" for English Department. The plan of the story is Alfie is a playboy and fools aound all time. He has high taste for everything, he has high taste for everying, he always get whatever women he wants. But his best friend for everything is not so. Hoe could he help his friend? Even himself, too. I feel this drama whatever the actor, manuscript, light is very good.Particulary the manuscript, I feel the manuscript writes very creativity.In the drama, the different is the English Department with fluently Enhlish stage dialogue.for theMass Communication Department, they have aboundant body action. I feel, this drama perform, everyone have the result.
posted by Emma @ 7:01 AM 0 comments
Review drama contest by Karen
The day is an important day for English and Mass communication. There is an English drama contest on 7th May. That is the first time for Mass communication. At beginning, English just a couse in our school. Teacher hope we have different ways to learn English, ask everyone join this suggestion. Some one has different difficult, choice non-drama. Sometimes I feel regrettable very much.Although we don't have show that day, we can spectate drama contest. After the contest, I have deep impress for them, I feel every one is wonderful. English department and Mass communiation has unlike style. English department emphasize pronounce, they don't care light bright or not. They don't attention where actor should go or not. They emphasize pronounce and story. Their let me feel some boring. Untile the "Alfie", that is my favorite drama in English department. Actor and Actress have great action, story is humorous. Generally speaking, "Alfie" let me feel like watch legitimate.The department of Mass communication, our style is cheery, passion and agreeable. In my opinion, the favorite drama in Mass communication is "Butterfly". It is adapt to a Chinese story, a famous love story. They combine Chinese and foreign, offer audience fresh play. "Butterfly" use music and dance let their paly more interesting. The special of "Butterfly" is their rap. To sum up, "Butterfly" have more suprise action. If want me take a score, I give they full marks.The big winner in this Engilish drama contest is " Who is watching Fu Man-chu". The speech is more then another drama, in apart of contume also more attention then another. The story is more organized then others. Beside this, they also have dancing apart in the play."Who is watching Fu Man-chu" attain juror's love, have great score, become big winner in this drama contest.I think the English drama contest is a special experience to everyone, during this play, I find the passion in our mass communication. "Contest" is not important, "Experience" is more treasure.
posted by karen @ 5:41 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 09, 2005
REVIEW by Michael
This drama is very special. Talking about a man is very skill to make friends with female. Maybe his long hair is an important factor. And his speaking is very fluency .His act is fulling of confidence and seems it is true in his life. Girls want to make friend with him. He is proud of his appearance. The drama talked about the allure is very important to the person who want to make a girlfriend.When the girl is bad in feelings, the man listen to her thought and give the advice in time.He philanders girls. He made a boast of letting a girl sitting on his leg when he sat on the chair. The girl was natural to make conversation with him and sat on his leg. I think that should be having connive. And he said”Hey man, it is not your business”.He is making a gesture and someone is calling his name. Suddenly, the audience is calling his name. He is gentlemanlike giving the flower to the girl.I think that is special. The play was interactive with the audience.
posted by fjumichael @ 2:01 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
English drama review from Gavin
This is first time our mass communication department and English department are cooperating to hold the English play contest. I never have look English play experience. So it also a novel experience for me. Although my English is not learning well and I couldn’t understand many play’s dialogue mean, I also found our department and English department have some characteristics on play. Our department has more dance elements. Besides the play has more east color and even combine with our mass communication characteristic in plot. Furthermore, their stage performance usually control on stage center. The three play’s stage properties were making well. About English department, I felt their play not have more originality perform and to follow rules. Besides the majority play plot were use the stage wings to perform. Furthermore, their plays to lay particular stress on modern or west color plot.First about the butterfly love play, I felt their play very interesting. For example, they combine sing with dance in play. They even sing the rap in play. I felt they make the play have more cadences. Besides their stage property also made exquisite such as a sedan chair. But their plot of a play I felt not very perfect. It not showed the essence of the story.Second about who is watching Fu Manchu play, I felt their stage actor very plunge into this play. Besides their play also has more dance and their dance was uniform. Moreover I felt their plot has more completeness and definite focus than other two plays. So I think it made them has more chances to gain many prizes.Third about Shooting Paparazzi play, I think their play was the most originality drama. They used many mass communication originalities in plot, such as stalkerazzi, SNG news…etc. Although their plot combine with many famous hot news, it too much and made their play to felt piecemeal. So I felt a little pity.Final about the English department’s play Alfie, I felt their perform were facile and stage actor also plunge into this play. Besides, their blocking also use well. Furthermore, their stage actors even do the interaction with viewers. I felt it make the play more interesting.
posted by Gavin @ 8:59 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Review Drama contest by Chris
Review with English and Mass Communication drama contestby ChrisThere is a big impress for me in the first time English and Mass Communication departments’ drama play contest at 7th May. The contest lets two departments have chances to communicate and find out where the weakness is.The opening play “Scuba Lessons” was impressed me with the brilliant main actress. Even this play has copy some methods of expression from the famous TV drama “Sex in the city”, but the pronunciations and natural presence with the main actress was excellent. This opening play gives me some reflections. Those English department students are only the freshmen; they just take one year education in college with English training. But the ability with talking and listening English are already an obvious distance in each department.“Butterfly Love” is my favorite one in this whole contest. They use the stage very well. The actors are also having excellent performance. Maybe the foreign professors have never heard about the original story of “Liang-Zhu”, so they can’t have the same response like us.There is a big winner in English department, the “Alfie”. Before watch this play, there are two movies talking about “Alfie” I had watched. One is Wang Kar-wai’s “Days of Being Wild”; another is “Alfie” act by Jude Law. So I can predict what’s they want to presence. The main actor has an excellent performance, and they also represent the “playboy temperament” very successful. I believe they effected with the movie “Alfie” very much. Alfie is a playboy, he mix with those beauties around. But now he has a big problem with one of his girl friends. She is a lesbian and she want to separate with Alfie because she got a younger, nice body girlfriend. This story set up is very like the movie. But maybe they are inspired with the movie “Alfie”, but the main actor plays very good and gave the play a new spirit.Another big winner “Who is watching Fu Man-chu” is also give me a new thought with the story of late Ching Dynasty. “Who is watching Fu Man-Chu” has a very good structure with story background. But I think maybe they can do much work with the mental side with Fu Man-Chu. Why he want to revenge? What’s the turning point with his decide? If they can spend much time to explain this part, it will make the whole play better.The problems with “Who is watching Fu Man-chu” are also the same problems in our department’s groups. Because the pool English ability, we can’t put too much attentions on the story. Even we already done so much on our advantages part and done very well. But in the point of view with the students of English department, it maybe just a contest with another field. Each department just play their own drama mode and for each own purpose. Those will not a good result.
posted by ChrisChiu @ 12:45 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 03, 2005
Drama comment (592090343 Rachel Chen)
There was a play contest on May 7th (Sat.). Both English Department and Mass communication were join in and did a great job. ’’Alfie’’ of English Department and ‘’Who is watching Fu Manchu’’ of Mass communication were the biggest winner. Different with English department could speak long and fluent English; we used lots of body language to make up our poor English. Whether they won the award or not, I think this experience already make them succeed. And I, as a member of Mass communication, how could I say? ‘’You guys are the best!’’ This was really a remarkable experience for me, thanks for them let me have an unforgettable afternoon and let me have different visual feast.Here are few synopsis about ‘’Alfie’’ and ‘’Who is watching Fu Manchu’’. Alfie is a playboy and fools around all the time. He has high taste for the latest in fashion and follows always his own standard. He is so charming that he can always get whatever women he wants. But, when things come to his best friend, it is not so. How will Alfie help his friend, and himself, too? Finally, is it all about sex?After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851-1864) and the Opium War (1840-1842) in China, the country was in turmoil and the people couldn’t live in peace. The late Qing dynasty was forced to begin studying western knowledge; the government has sent a group of little foreign students to foreign at that time. One of them was Fu ManZhou. On the other hand, the people‘s lives were in privation at that time and the opium endangered people too deep, it caused Chinese enslaving, the identity and position was humble. Therefore Chinese were sold to foreign countries as the piglet to be low-priced laborers, especially during the period of opening up virgin soil of west in America. Because of labor’s shortage, a lot of Chinese were forced to go to America. At the same time, on account of different color of skin and race, he was pushed out from American, when Fu ManZhou was compelled to study abroad in America. Due to his intelligent by natural endowments, he hoped to utilize knowledge since already studied to obtain the white men’s favor, so he has brought up the habit of invention. Because the communication on the language was difficult, they need Fu ManZhou help to manage them when many Chinese like piglet were sold U.S.A. constantly at that time. Thereupon Fu ManZhou thought that he got the attention of the white man, but he has not expected that he was only a piece in other’s eyes. Thus he has launched a series of revenging…Besides these two groups, other groups also did a petty good job especially ‘’Butterfly Love’’, they really made me impressive. I have been to stay with them practiced for several times; they were too shy to express themselves on the beginning and always made little mistake every time. But, on that day, they were so perfect! They practiced day by day and only slept 3 hours a day on that week in order to make the stage properties. Every stage property is made by their hands! But finally they only won an award. Even though they lost this contest, I thought what they obtained was more than that. I felt very proud of them! ’’Well done, pal!’’
posted by 唐維敏 Albert @ 4:20 AM
0 comments
Friday, May 13, 2005
joint play presentation, English and Mass Comm Departments, at Science Library Theatre, on May 7, 2005
posted by 唐維敏 Albert @ 7:38 PM
0 comments
Saturday, May 07, 2005
more about Fu Manchu
http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/features/fumanchu.html
But first, we must narrow the scope of our investigations. For 'Western' cinema, we will look predominantly at America, home of Hollywood. Asia is a big place, and by 'Asian' I suppose I must mean the same thing that 'Oriental' would have meant at the turn of the last century, which is, any country from Egypt through India and at last to the far east of China and Japan. All have problematic representations in Western Cinema. The representation of Asian-Americans (or rather, the complete lack thereof) forms another subset of the discussion. I propose in this article to discuss specifically Chinese representations in Western cinema, focusing first on the primary channels through which the west has historically come to 'know' the east, then on the tradition of 'Yellowface' acting which allows the west to play act their knowledge thus gained, without the interference of reality, and finally to explore the 'Fu Manchu' series of films as the most prominent example of these visions in Western cinema. Even with this narrowed scope, however, it will be necessary to occasionally turn to Asian-American, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean representations anyway, because of the Western tendency to confuse and blend the various cultures together.
The original Yellow Peril: Attila the Hun and his mongol horde, swooping through Europe in the 5th Century BC, displacing peoples such as the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, who then in turn pushed into the Roman Empire and sacked Rome. All of Europe lived under the shadow of invasion for some fifty years, until Attila dropped dead, the Huns dropped back, and the threat of invasion faded. But the image remained, reinforced by the later incursions of Genghis Khan: picture the Golden Horde, vicious, demonic peoples whose way of life is utterly foreign, who seem to have inhuman courage and endurance, who do not feel pain, who know nothing of the rules of war and do not take prisoners, who rape and pillage, who are invincible and unstoppable. Hold on to this image, as we now need to take it in its entirety and transpose it onto nineteenth-century America, where the idea of the Yellow Peril once again took root in Western society.
Chinese first immigrated to America in large quantities when reports of the California Gold Rush reached coastal China in 1849. Immigration reached its gold rush peak in 1852, when over 20,000 Chinese, mostly farmers from around the Canton area, headed over to work mines in search of gold. The immigration slowed drastically afterwards, until the late 1860s, when Chinese papers advertised looking for workers on the railroad, and the rush was on again.
With such a large number of immigrants in California, China could no longer be simply an exoticized and distant 'other.' So Chinese instead became a clear and present danger. California strongly wished to enter the Union as a Free State, that is, one without slavery, and it did so. Perhaps less widely known is that it wanted no blacks, free or slave, in the country, and instead keep California a pure, white land. Attempts were made to legally restrict entrance of California to only free, white people, some successful, some not. Although the debate began as black/white issue, it soon became clear that the Chinese would be a greater threat to California's ideal of a pure white land (in the 1850s, when California had only 4000 black residents, there were 47000 Chinese). At the same time, small mines were being pressured out of business by larger mining operations. Those Chinese who still worked various private mines became the outlet of white anger, and blamed for lost jobs. In 1854 the California Supreme Court ruled that the Chinese could not testify in court in any case in which a white person is a party. The threat of the Chinese to the working class and their jobs continued to be a constant theme up through the early 20th Century.
Having been driven out of mining and agriculture, and laid off as work on the trans-continental railroad came to a close, the Chinese immigrants moved into other work, such as manufacturing, laundering, and domestic occupations, running head first into another minority group: the Irish. The Chinese would often take lower wages than the Irish workers, and many employers found them by and large to be a far superior working group to the Irish, cleaner, more hard working. But the leaders of the Irish community took the opportunity to attempt to raise their own status in Anglo-Saxon society, by promoting a sort of pan-ethnic whiteness, defining Irish and Anglo-Saxon peoples to stand together in a 'white' category, as separate from 'black' or 'yellow' races. They used the imagery of the Yellow Peril -- legions of Chinese sweeping into the country, taking away the good honest work of the white man. They were for the most part very successful. Even today in America, the lumping together of all white races is done as a matter of course, without thought.
American legislators became obsessed with stemming the oriental tides that they feared would soon overtake them. In 1790, the Naturalization Act explicitly stated Naturalization as a citizen was only possible for "free white persons" only. This did not necessarily exclude Asians, as many people considered the Asiatic races to fall into the 'white' category (at least, George Washington did). In 1870, the abolition of slavery prompted a change in the wording, and it was amended to include persons of African descent. It was also amended to specifically exclude persons from China. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, banning not only Naturalization of peoples from China, but immigration as well. It allowed for some loopholes, which were quickly closed up with an 1884 amendment. Ironically, just a couple years later, the Statue of Liberty is unveiled in New York City.
Having stemmed the illusory tide, there was still the question of what to do with the Chinese immigrants already residing in the United States. Race riots in San Francisco and elsewhere made it clear that they were seldom welcome. They represented another facet of the Yellow Peril: the threat of miscegenation. Immigration policy kept the amount of Chinese women at a bare minimum, in an attempt to discourage immigrants from permanent residence. At the same time, coincedentally, far more Irish women survived the potato famine and immigrated than did men. Their prospects for finding a suitable Irish man rather limited, then, a statistically insignificant few did in fact marry Chinese men. Even this small amount was unacceptable to the Irish community, trying at that time to create a clear color line between the two races. In fact, the term 'micegenation' was coined by Irish pamphleteers decrying inter-racial marriage (the earlier term, 'amalgamation,' was not as negative as apparently they wanted it to be). Even today, the threat of miscegenation looms. In American cinema, although white men are often romatically engaged with asian women, only very, very rarely will you see an asian man and white woman romantically involved with each other, and even then the relationship is seldom demonstrated explicitly. A vast hoarde of the unknowable other, poised to take over our jobs, our women, our country. This is the image of the Yellow Peril, set in the latter half of the nineteenth century. It would prove to be a remarkably resilient vision, which has lasted up until the present day. The next section will explore the transformations of the Yellow Peril myth in the twentieth Century.
The Yellow Peril Meets the Red Menace
As the nineteenth century ended, America suddenly changed, becoming a small empire after the Spanish-American war, with Spain ceding Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. Guam and the Phillipines, especially, were strategically significant, giving America coaling stations for its fleet in the Pacific, and giving it a close base from which to watch the Yellow Peril of Asia. But instead of calming fears, it heightens them -- the thought of making the Philippines, or any of the other territories, states of the union, becomes a way in which millions of 'dark or yellow-skinned' peoples can enter the United States, become a corrupting influence, and destroy the way of life of its citizens. Of course, immigration was again tightly restricted. Then in 1905 fears of the Yellow Peril became all too real, when the Japanese smashed the Russian fleet and forced them into a treaty, ending the Russo-Japanese War with a resounding victory for the Japanese. It was the first time an Asian military power bested a Western power, and the entire world took notice. For a while, Japan had special exemption from immigration restrictions into the United States. Instead, in 1907 Congress asked that Japan 'voluntarily' stop giving visas to Japanese trying to emigrate to the states. But by 1917, an 'Asiatic barred zone' has been created, preventing immigration of any Asian or Pacific Islander. In 1922, the U.S. Government further enacted fear of the Yellow Peril as law, passing the Cable Act, which revoked the citizenship of any woman who married a foreign national. World War II: China ostensibly becomes an ally, and Japan the enemy. The Japanese are demonized and persecuted, rounded up in internment camps. LIFE magazine publishes a description of the difference between Chinese and Japanese, to help budding racists identify who to hate, with such unbelievable items as "The Chinese have parchament-yellow complexion...while Japanese have an earthy yellow complexion." An important component of the Yellow Peril myth is the dehumanizing of the 'other.' In this case, the Japanese are seen as 'unable to feel pain the same way we do,' to be deadened to pain, and by extension to inflict the cruelest of tortures on his victims. The same was said of the Mongol hoardes, the same too of San Francisco chinamen, one of whom a doctor studied and concluded that "their nerve endings are farther inside their skin than ours...and so more resistant to pain."
With the end of World War II and the resounding defeat of the Japanese, it seemed the idea of the Yellow Peril had run its course. But another fear was rising to replace it: the Red Menace. Russia was an ally during the war, but afterwards it became clear who the next enemy of American domination would be. The communist Russians seemed in direct opposition to the beliefs of America. In fact, it was the threat of communism swallowing up more and more governments that prompted many of our equal rights laws passed here in the United States. By making the U.S. more open and more free, it was hoped that the States would represent a clear alternative to Communism. But then China fell to Communism, and the Yellow Peril was reborn, combined with and heightened by the Red Menace. The Korean War, then the Vietnam War, worked to continue to keep images of the Yellow Peril alive, as conflict with Asians in foreign wars began to replace competition with Asians for jobs at home as the primary lens through which America viewed the far east. In the 1980's, focus shifted back home again, to the threat to working class jobs by Japanese competition. The Japanese economy was booming, and their products outselling American products. Japanese companies bought numerous American companies, golf courses, and so on. Americans resisted what they saw as a 'foreign takeover.' Many saw the corporate buy-outs as a continuation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor fourty years earlier. Commercials aired which encouraged people to buy products 'Made in the USA.' Japanese cars were smashed with sledgehammers in demonstrations. The threat of the Yellow Peril in America came full circle, once again imagined as a threat to the stability of working-class Americans. The Yellow Peril has been represented in American media since its very beginning. From songs, to minstrel shows, to books, to movies. Perhaps the most famous of these representations comes not from America but from England, and the story of this character is explored in the following section.
Fu Manchu: The Yellow Peril Personified
In 1912, readers were first introduced to the evil Fu Manchu, a Western educated Chinaman with designs on world domination and the destruction of the west. His foil is Sir Denis Nayland-Smith of Scotland Yard, an orientalist who shows mastery over Fu Manchu and by extension all of Asia through his knowledge of their mysterious rites and rituals, and Dr. Petrie, who serves as the readers stand-in, to whom Nayland Smith may explain the Orient and thus establish his credentials. The writer, Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward, known to the world by his pen name, Sax Rohmer, was an irishman living in London, and had no secret political agenda. Rather, he was simply able to encapsulate and reflect the uncertainties and fears the working class had against the foreigners in their midst. England had long since caught the Yellow Peril paranoia wafting over from America. Sax Rohmer would give a name to the peril, and export it back to the states, where it would be a smashing success and provide him with a steady cash flow. The final total of his earnings for the Fu Manchu books came to around two million dollars. Later in life, he moved closer to his fans, to New York, where he continued to write stories of Fu Manchu until his death in 1959. Nayland Smith describes Fu Manchu to Dr. Petrie in the first novel:
"Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of the true cat-green. Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present, with all the resources, if you will, of a wealthy government-- which, however, already has denied all knowledge of his existence. Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man." Besides the inhuman picture (much like depictions of the Japanese during WWII), what makes Fu Manchu a villain all the more monstrous is two things: his proximity to the west, and his intellect. His base is in Limehouse, the Chinese area of London. So by allowing him to live in the country, England is vulnerable to his insidious plans (and so becomes a validation of strict immigration policy). His intellect comes from Western learning, and it is often emphasized that he has been educated in a university. So we see the evil asian as using the west's own knowledge against it (much like comments made in the press about Japanese businessmen using knowledge of western economics to stage takeovers in the 1980s). Implicit in this is the idea that such learning can only come from the West, the Orient being incapable of such learning. It is up to Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie to stop Fu Manchu's plans in each story. As Smith remarks in The Hand of Fu Manchu, "the swamping of the white world by Yellow hordes may be the price of our failure." The books themselves are of varying quality, ranging from exciting and crisp to barely readable. Ultimately, they are pulp novels, and can be enjoyed as such, and can be read not only as engaging mystery/horror novels but as cultural artifacts which can help to map a compicated and ongoing racial dialogue between East and West. When it came time to present Fu Manchu in the movies, the question arose as to who would play the sinister villain? The answer, and possible reasons for it both then and now, take up our next section.
Yellowface
The minstrel shows of the nineteenth century, in which comic skits were played depicting every racial stereotype imaginable, can be seen as a direct precursor to yellowface acting in film. The minstrel shows would encourage audiences to laugh with some stereotypical characters, laugh at others. They compared and contrasted unacceptable, non-assimilating groups such as African-Americans and Chinese with funny but acceptable Irish, German, and English stereotypes. In the 1850s, almost every minstrel show had at least one yellowface act, and San Francisco a major stop on the minstrelry circuit. The character of "John Chinaman" typically illustrated the reasons why Chinese were not assimilable, and therefore have no real right to citizenship or a voice in America. Three characteristics were almost always present in John Chinaman: poor, pidgin English, which is mocked as nonsense; disgusting and transgressive eating habits, wherein dog, cat, and rat are eaten; and the queue, which, since white men of that time all had short cropped hair, represented a gender transgressive element and therefore dangerous. A short minstrel song will suffice to illustrate two of these three characteristics:
Lady she am vellie good, make plenty chow chowShe live way up top side house,Take a little pussy cat and a little bow wowBoil em in a pot of stew wit a little mouseHi! hi! hi!Most importantly, yellowface minstrelry was a means by which people of the working class could safely view the unknowable oriental. To view an actual oriental would be possibly polluting and offensive to the audience. The yellowface minstrel was a 'safe' way for white Americans to create, codify, and confirm a racial stereotype, without the interference of an actual oriental to possibly confuse the matter.
Hollywood yellowface was not necessarily as calculated as that, but it may have been. Asian actors did find work in silent movies, but the move to talkies made it more difficult for them, especially if their accent was too strong or not clear enough. It was for this reason, perhaps, that Warner Oland was given the role of Fu Manchu in the first Fu Manchu talkie, The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu. Scenes are very stationary, everyone clustered close together to make sure they were on mike. Oland spoke quite clearly (and without a Chinese accent). His features were vaguely Chinese, even though he was Scandanavian. For these reasons, Warner Oland may perhaps rank as one of the least offensive yellowface performers. But there are more, many more. Long after poor sound equipment could be an excuse, white actors continued to play asian roles. This has been a frustration and impediment to Asian and Asian-American actors since Hollywood's beginnings. Part of the reasoning for these casting decisions are rooted in the minstrel shows and in America's century of Yellow Peril paranoia. Films in which a Chinese man threatened to rape or have a romantic relationship with a white woman would have been too much to bear for audiences, had the actor playing the asian actually been Chinese. By substituting a white actor in yellowface, the audience can experience outrage at the story, but at the same time be soothed by the fact that it is not real. Once again, like John Chinaman in minstrel shows, the yellowface actor plays out white fantasies of race in a safe environment. Yellowface performances can be unbelievably offensive, completely unnecessary, or absurdly unreal. Sometimes, they are entirely respectable, like the above mentioned Warner Oland as Charlie Chan, or Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. And sometimes, perhaps, they are somehow necessary. Like in the case of Fu Manchu. I feel the role of Fu Manchu is appropriately played in yellowface. Warner Oland, Boris Karloff, and Christopher Lee all play the role to perfection. The secret in their success is this: Fu Manchu, the character, is in no way Chinese. As a personification of the Yellow Peril, Fu Manchu is the personification of the West's irrational fears and phobias. He is a rare mirror, through which we can see the pathetic characature of the Oriental that exists in the minds of so many Americans throughout history. By being a white actor in yellowface, the character's illusory, fantasy quality becomes underscored. Like children who playact as doctors and nurses, Fu Manchu is the outward representation of the childish playacting of a nation. Watching movies which feature yellowface actors is sometimes fun, sometimes offensive, but always educational. In the next section we take a look at some of those films.
"The World Shall Hear from Me Again"
To discuss all western films which depict the asian as Yellow Peril would be far beyond the scope of this humble article. Instead, I narrow it down to the movies of Fu Manchu. In addition to the nine films listed here, the 1950s serial The Drums of Fu Manchu should also be mentioned, as well as the 1980s Peter Sellers comedy The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu. Completists must, for now, do without an analysis of these two, the first being considered a serial and not a film (although it was later edited into a feature length picture), and the second being considered not worth the effort to add, for the moment.
Most fans of the Fu Manchu films consider Boris Karloff's Mask of Fu Manchu to be the best, and he surely is the top in terms of demonic, monstrous evil. But for my money, the best Fu Manchu has to be Christopher Lee. Somewhat wooden, a weird, occasional accent, strange gestures, and really poorly written lines somehow just add to my enjoyment of his performance. The fact that he is the most hulking, gigantically tall Chinese man I have ever seen outside of Yao Ming, makes it even better. Humorously enough, Sax Rohmer's widow, on the set of The Face of Fu Manchu, claimed that Christopher Lee was the 'spitting image' of the man Sax Rohmer saw in London's Limehouse district so long ago, the man that became the inspiration for the character of Fu Manchu.
The Mysterious Dr. Fu ManchuFu Manchu is just minding his own business during the Boxer Rebellion when Major Petrie fires on his house, killing his family. Naturally, he seeks revenge. Warner Oland, soon to be Charlie Chan, plays the angry Fu.
The Return of Dr. Fu manchuFu Manchu continues his quest for revenge against the Petrie family, though one begins to wonder if they are really worth the bother.
Daughter of the DragonAnna May Wong discovers she is Fu Manchu's daughter, and immediately follows that discovery up with plans for murder. Death to Petrie!
The Mask of Fu ManchuBoris Karloff as the most demonic Fu Manchu before or since. He seeks the tomb of Genghis Khan, and puts people in elaborate torture mechanisms for the sheer pleasure of it.
The Face of Fu ManchuChristopher Lee takes his turn as the evil Fu, threatening Nayland Smith with a heaping dose of mayhem and death.
The Brides of Fu ManchuFu Manchu invents a ray of energy, which he calls a "laser," which will beam death upon untold millions. Meanwhile, he entertains a bevy of scantily clad beauties.
The Vengeance of Fu ManchuChristopher Lee as Fu Manchu sets up camp in a remote part of China, causes earthquakes, and schemes his mad schemes.
Kiss and KillFu Manchu meets Pancho Villa, sort of, in this, the unspeakably bad yet strangely compelling fourth outing for Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu. Jess Franco directs, in his own inimitable style.
The Castle of Fu ManchuI can't believe I watched the whole thing. The fifth and last Christoper Lee Fu Manchu film, driving the final nail into the series coffin, although it felt more like it was being driven through my skull.
Originally published in The Illuminated Lantern Issue 5, October - November 2000.Written by Peter Nepstad.
The Yellow Peril
In exploring Asian cultures through cinema, we must at times turn away from the cinema of the region and focus instead on the explorations of Asian cultures in Western cinema. These 'western visions' of Asia are at times entertaining, at times fascinating, at times repulsive, and almost always bizarre. They reveal more about Western culture, societal mores, and xenophobia than anything even remotely Asian. The question that must be asked then, is where did these ideas come from, that are portrayed so consistently in Western cinema?
The Yellow Peril
In exploring Asian cultures through cinema, we must at times turn away from the cinema of the region and focus instead on the explorations of Asian cultures in Western cinema. These 'western visions' of Asia are at times entertaining, at times fascinating, at times repulsive, and almost always bizarre. They reveal more about Western culture, societal mores, and xenophobia than anything even remotely Asian. The question that must be asked then, is where did these ideas come from, that are portrayed so consistently in Western cinema?
But first, we must narrow the scope of our investigations. For 'Western' cinema, we will look predominantly at America, home of Hollywood. Asia is a big place, and by 'Asian' I suppose I must mean the same thing that 'Oriental' would have meant at the turn of the last century, which is, any country from Egypt through India and at last to the far east of China and Japan. All have problematic representations in Western Cinema. The representation of Asian-Americans (or rather, the complete lack thereof) forms another subset of the discussion. I propose in this article to discuss specifically Chinese representations in Western cinema, focusing first on the primary channels through which the west has historically come to 'know' the east, then on the tradition of 'Yellowface' acting which allows the west to play act their knowledge thus gained, without the interference of reality, and finally to explore the 'Fu Manchu' series of films as the most prominent example of these visions in Western cinema. Even with this narrowed scope, however, it will be necessary to occasionally turn to Asian-American, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean representations anyway, because of the Western tendency to confuse and blend the various cultures together.
The original Yellow Peril: Attila the Hun and his mongol horde, swooping through Europe in the 5th Century BC, displacing peoples such as the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, who then in turn pushed into the Roman Empire and sacked Rome. All of Europe lived under the shadow of invasion for some fifty years, until Attila dropped dead, the Huns dropped back, and the threat of invasion faded. But the image remained, reinforced by the later incursions of Genghis Khan: picture the Golden Horde, vicious, demonic peoples whose way of life is utterly foreign, who seem to have inhuman courage and endurance, who do not feel pain, who know nothing of the rules of war and do not take prisoners, who rape and pillage, who are invincible and unstoppable. Hold on to this image, as we now need to take it in its entirety and transpose it onto nineteenth-century America, where the idea of the Yellow Peril once again took root in Western society.
Chinese first immigrated to America in large quantities when reports of the California Gold Rush reached coastal China in 1849. Immigration reached its gold rush peak in 1852, when over 20,000 Chinese, mostly farmers from around the Canton area, headed over to work mines in search of gold. The immigration slowed drastically afterwards, until the late 1860s, when Chinese papers advertised looking for workers on the railroad, and the rush was on again.
With such a large number of immigrants in California, China could no longer be simply an exoticized and distant 'other.' So Chinese instead became a clear and present danger. California strongly wished to enter the Union as a Free State, that is, one without slavery, and it did so. Perhaps less widely known is that it wanted no blacks, free or slave, in the country, and instead keep California a pure, white land. Attempts were made to legally restrict entrance of California to only free, white people, some successful, some not. Although the debate began as black/white issue, it soon became clear that the Chinese would be a greater threat to California's ideal of a pure white land (in the 1850s, when California had only 4000 black residents, there were 47000 Chinese). At the same time, small mines were being pressured out of business by larger mining operations. Those Chinese who still worked various private mines became the outlet of white anger, and blamed for lost jobs. In 1854 the California Supreme Court ruled that the Chinese could not testify in court in any case in which a white person is a party. The threat of the Chinese to the working class and their jobs continued to be a constant theme up through the early 20th Century.
Having been driven out of mining and agriculture, and laid off as work on the trans-continental railroad came to a close, the Chinese immigrants moved into other work, such as manufacturing, laundering, and domestic occupations, running head first into another minority group: the Irish. The Chinese would often take lower wages than the Irish workers, and many employers found them by and large to be a far superior working group to the Irish, cleaner, more hard working. But the leaders of the Irish community took the opportunity to attempt to raise their own status in Anglo-Saxon society, by promoting a sort of pan-ethnic whiteness, defining Irish and Anglo-Saxon peoples to stand together in a 'white' category, as separate from 'black' or 'yellow' races. They used the imagery of the Yellow Peril -- legions of Chinese sweeping into the country, taking away the good honest work of the white man. They were for the most part very successful. Even today in America, the lumping together of all white races is done as a matter of course, without thought.
American legislators became obsessed with stemming the oriental tides that they feared would soon overtake them. In 1790, the Naturalization Act explicitly stated Naturalization as a citizen was only possible for "free white persons" only. This did not necessarily exclude Asians, as many people considered the Asiatic races to fall into the 'white' category (at least, George Washington did). In 1870, the abolition of slavery prompted a change in the wording, and it was amended to include persons of African descent. It was also amended to specifically exclude persons from China. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, banning not only Naturalization of peoples from China, but immigration as well. It allowed for some loopholes, which were quickly closed up with an 1884 amendment. Ironically, just a couple years later, the Statue of Liberty is unveiled in New York City.
Having stemmed the illusory tide, there was still the question of what to do with the Chinese immigrants already residing in the United States. Race riots in San Francisco and elsewhere made it clear that they were seldom welcome. They represented another facet of the Yellow Peril: the threat of miscegenation. Immigration policy kept the amount of Chinese women at a bare minimum, in an attempt to discourage immigrants from permanent residence. At the same time, coincedentally, far more Irish women survived the potato famine and immigrated than did men. Their prospects for finding a suitable Irish man rather limited, then, a statistically insignificant few did in fact marry Chinese men. Even this small amount was unacceptable to the Irish community, trying at that time to create a clear color line between the two races. In fact, the term 'micegenation' was coined by Irish pamphleteers decrying inter-racial marriage (the earlier term, 'amalgamation,' was not as negative as apparently they wanted it to be). Even today, the threat of miscegenation looms. In American cinema, although white men are often romatically engaged with asian women, only very, very rarely will you see an asian man and white woman romantically involved with each other, and even then the relationship is seldom demonstrated explicitly. A vast hoarde of the unknowable other, poised to take over our jobs, our women, our country. This is the image of the Yellow Peril, set in the latter half of the nineteenth century. It would prove to be a remarkably resilient vision, which has lasted up until the present day. The next section will explore the transformations of the Yellow Peril myth in the twentieth Century.
The Yellow Peril Meets the Red Menace
As the nineteenth century ended, America suddenly changed, becoming a small empire after the Spanish-American war, with Spain ceding Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. Guam and the Phillipines, especially, were strategically significant, giving America coaling stations for its fleet in the Pacific, and giving it a close base from which to watch the Yellow Peril of Asia. But instead of calming fears, it heightens them -- the thought of making the Philippines, or any of the other territories, states of the union, becomes a way in which millions of 'dark or yellow-skinned' peoples can enter the United States, become a corrupting influence, and destroy the way of life of its citizens. Of course, immigration was again tightly restricted. Then in 1905 fears of the Yellow Peril became all too real, when the Japanese smashed the Russian fleet and forced them into a treaty, ending the Russo-Japanese War with a resounding victory for the Japanese. It was the first time an Asian military power bested a Western power, and the entire world took notice. For a while, Japan had special exemption from immigration restrictions into the United States. Instead, in 1907 Congress asked that Japan 'voluntarily' stop giving visas to Japanese trying to emigrate to the states. But by 1917, an 'Asiatic barred zone' has been created, preventing immigration of any Asian or Pacific Islander. In 1922, the U.S. Government further enacted fear of the Yellow Peril as law, passing the Cable Act, which revoked the citizenship of any woman who married a foreign national. World War II: China ostensibly becomes an ally, and Japan the enemy. The Japanese are demonized and persecuted, rounded up in internment camps. LIFE magazine publishes a description of the difference between Chinese and Japanese, to help budding racists identify who to hate, with such unbelievable items as "The Chinese have parchament-yellow complexion...while Japanese have an earthy yellow complexion." An important component of the Yellow Peril myth is the dehumanizing of the 'other.' In this case, the Japanese are seen as 'unable to feel pain the same way we do,' to be deadened to pain, and by extension to inflict the cruelest of tortures on his victims. The same was said of the Mongol hoardes, the same too of San Francisco chinamen, one of whom a doctor studied and concluded that "their nerve endings are farther inside their skin than ours...and so more resistant to pain."
With the end of World War II and the resounding defeat of the Japanese, it seemed the idea of the Yellow Peril had run its course. But another fear was rising to replace it: the Red Menace. Russia was an ally during the war, but afterwards it became clear who the next enemy of American domination would be. The communist Russians seemed in direct opposition to the beliefs of America. In fact, it was the threat of communism swallowing up more and more governments that prompted many of our equal rights laws passed here in the United States. By making the U.S. more open and more free, it was hoped that the States would represent a clear alternative to Communism. But then China fell to Communism, and the Yellow Peril was reborn, combined with and heightened by the Red Menace. The Korean War, then the Vietnam War, worked to continue to keep images of the Yellow Peril alive, as conflict with Asians in foreign wars began to replace competition with Asians for jobs at home as the primary lens through which America viewed the far east. In the 1980's, focus shifted back home again, to the threat to working class jobs by Japanese competition. The Japanese economy was booming, and their products outselling American products. Japanese companies bought numerous American companies, golf courses, and so on. Americans resisted what they saw as a 'foreign takeover.' Many saw the corporate buy-outs as a continuation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor fourty years earlier. Commercials aired which encouraged people to buy products 'Made in the USA.' Japanese cars were smashed with sledgehammers in demonstrations. The threat of the Yellow Peril in America came full circle, once again imagined as a threat to the stability of working-class Americans. The Yellow Peril has been represented in American media since its very beginning. From songs, to minstrel shows, to books, to movies. Perhaps the most famous of these representations comes not from America but from England, and the story of this character is explored in the following section.
Fu Manchu: The Yellow Peril Personified
In 1912, readers were first introduced to the evil Fu Manchu, a Western educated Chinaman with designs on world domination and the destruction of the west. His foil is Sir Denis Nayland-Smith of Scotland Yard, an orientalist who shows mastery over Fu Manchu and by extension all of Asia through his knowledge of their mysterious rites and rituals, and Dr. Petrie, who serves as the readers stand-in, to whom Nayland Smith may explain the Orient and thus establish his credentials. The writer, Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward, known to the world by his pen name, Sax Rohmer, was an irishman living in London, and had no secret political agenda. Rather, he was simply able to encapsulate and reflect the uncertainties and fears the working class had against the foreigners in their midst. England had long since caught the Yellow Peril paranoia wafting over from America. Sax Rohmer would give a name to the peril, and export it back to the states, where it would be a smashing success and provide him with a steady cash flow. The final total of his earnings for the Fu Manchu books came to around two million dollars. Later in life, he moved closer to his fans, to New York, where he continued to write stories of Fu Manchu until his death in 1959. Nayland Smith describes Fu Manchu to Dr. Petrie in the first novel:
"Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of the true cat-green. Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present, with all the resources, if you will, of a wealthy government-- which, however, already has denied all knowledge of his existence. Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man." Besides the inhuman picture (much like depictions of the Japanese during WWII), what makes Fu Manchu a villain all the more monstrous is two things: his proximity to the west, and his intellect. His base is in Limehouse, the Chinese area of London. So by allowing him to live in the country, England is vulnerable to his insidious plans (and so becomes a validation of strict immigration policy). His intellect comes from Western learning, and it is often emphasized that he has been educated in a university. So we see the evil asian as using the west's own knowledge against it (much like comments made in the press about Japanese businessmen using knowledge of western economics to stage takeovers in the 1980s). Implicit in this is the idea that such learning can only come from the West, the Orient being incapable of such learning. It is up to Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie to stop Fu Manchu's plans in each story. As Smith remarks in The Hand of Fu Manchu, "the swamping of the white world by Yellow hordes may be the price of our failure." The books themselves are of varying quality, ranging from exciting and crisp to barely readable. Ultimately, they are pulp novels, and can be enjoyed as such, and can be read not only as engaging mystery/horror novels but as cultural artifacts which can help to map a compicated and ongoing racial dialogue between East and West. When it came time to present Fu Manchu in the movies, the question arose as to who would play the sinister villain? The answer, and possible reasons for it both then and now, take up our next section.
Yellowface
The minstrel shows of the nineteenth century, in which comic skits were played depicting every racial stereotype imaginable, can be seen as a direct precursor to yellowface acting in film. The minstrel shows would encourage audiences to laugh with some stereotypical characters, laugh at others. They compared and contrasted unacceptable, non-assimilating groups such as African-Americans and Chinese with funny but acceptable Irish, German, and English stereotypes. In the 1850s, almost every minstrel show had at least one yellowface act, and San Francisco a major stop on the minstrelry circuit. The character of "John Chinaman" typically illustrated the reasons why Chinese were not assimilable, and therefore have no real right to citizenship or a voice in America. Three characteristics were almost always present in John Chinaman: poor, pidgin English, which is mocked as nonsense; disgusting and transgressive eating habits, wherein dog, cat, and rat are eaten; and the queue, which, since white men of that time all had short cropped hair, represented a gender transgressive element and therefore dangerous. A short minstrel song will suffice to illustrate two of these three characteristics:
Lady she am vellie good, make plenty chow chowShe live way up top side house,Take a little pussy cat and a little bow wowBoil em in a pot of stew wit a little mouseHi! hi! hi!Most importantly, yellowface minstrelry was a means by which people of the working class could safely view the unknowable oriental. To view an actual oriental would be possibly polluting and offensive to the audience. The yellowface minstrel was a 'safe' way for white Americans to create, codify, and confirm a racial stereotype, without the interference of an actual oriental to possibly confuse the matter.
Hollywood yellowface was not necessarily as calculated as that, but it may have been. Asian actors did find work in silent movies, but the move to talkies made it more difficult for them, especially if their accent was too strong or not clear enough. It was for this reason, perhaps, that Warner Oland was given the role of Fu Manchu in the first Fu Manchu talkie, The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu. Scenes are very stationary, everyone clustered close together to make sure they were on mike. Oland spoke quite clearly (and without a Chinese accent). His features were vaguely Chinese, even though he was Scandanavian. For these reasons, Warner Oland may perhaps rank as one of the least offensive yellowface performers. But there are more, many more. Long after poor sound equipment could be an excuse, white actors continued to play asian roles. This has been a frustration and impediment to Asian and Asian-American actors since Hollywood's beginnings. Part of the reasoning for these casting decisions are rooted in the minstrel shows and in America's century of Yellow Peril paranoia. Films in which a Chinese man threatened to rape or have a romantic relationship with a white woman would have been too much to bear for audiences, had the actor playing the asian actually been Chinese. By substituting a white actor in yellowface, the audience can experience outrage at the story, but at the same time be soothed by the fact that it is not real. Once again, like John Chinaman in minstrel shows, the yellowface actor plays out white fantasies of race in a safe environment. Yellowface performances can be unbelievably offensive, completely unnecessary, or absurdly unreal. Sometimes, they are entirely respectable, like the above mentioned Warner Oland as Charlie Chan, or Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. And sometimes, perhaps, they are somehow necessary. Like in the case of Fu Manchu. I feel the role of Fu Manchu is appropriately played in yellowface. Warner Oland, Boris Karloff, and Christopher Lee all play the role to perfection. The secret in their success is this: Fu Manchu, the character, is in no way Chinese. As a personification of the Yellow Peril, Fu Manchu is the personification of the West's irrational fears and phobias. He is a rare mirror, through which we can see the pathetic characature of the Oriental that exists in the minds of so many Americans throughout history. By being a white actor in yellowface, the character's illusory, fantasy quality becomes underscored. Like children who playact as doctors and nurses, Fu Manchu is the outward representation of the childish playacting of a nation. Watching movies which feature yellowface actors is sometimes fun, sometimes offensive, but always educational. In the next section we take a look at some of those films.
"The World Shall Hear from Me Again"
To discuss all western films which depict the asian as Yellow Peril would be far beyond the scope of this humble article. Instead, I narrow it down to the movies of Fu Manchu. In addition to the nine films listed here, the 1950s serial The Drums of Fu Manchu should also be mentioned, as well as the 1980s Peter Sellers comedy The Fiendish Plot of Fu Manchu. Completists must, for now, do without an analysis of these two, the first being considered a serial and not a film (although it was later edited into a feature length picture), and the second being considered not worth the effort to add, for the moment.
Most fans of the Fu Manchu films consider Boris Karloff's Mask of Fu Manchu to be the best, and he surely is the top in terms of demonic, monstrous evil. But for my money, the best Fu Manchu has to be Christopher Lee. Somewhat wooden, a weird, occasional accent, strange gestures, and really poorly written lines somehow just add to my enjoyment of his performance. The fact that he is the most hulking, gigantically tall Chinese man I have ever seen outside of Yao Ming, makes it even better. Humorously enough, Sax Rohmer's widow, on the set of The Face of Fu Manchu, claimed that Christopher Lee was the 'spitting image' of the man Sax Rohmer saw in London's Limehouse district so long ago, the man that became the inspiration for the character of Fu Manchu.
The Mysterious Dr. Fu ManchuFu Manchu is just minding his own business during the Boxer Rebellion when Major Petrie fires on his house, killing his family. Naturally, he seeks revenge. Warner Oland, soon to be Charlie Chan, plays the angry Fu.
The Return of Dr. Fu manchuFu Manchu continues his quest for revenge against the Petrie family, though one begins to wonder if they are really worth the bother.
Daughter of the DragonAnna May Wong discovers she is Fu Manchu's daughter, and immediately follows that discovery up with plans for murder. Death to Petrie!
The Mask of Fu ManchuBoris Karloff as the most demonic Fu Manchu before or since. He seeks the tomb of Genghis Khan, and puts people in elaborate torture mechanisms for the sheer pleasure of it.
The Face of Fu ManchuChristopher Lee takes his turn as the evil Fu, threatening Nayland Smith with a heaping dose of mayhem and death.
The Brides of Fu ManchuFu Manchu invents a ray of energy, which he calls a "laser," which will beam death upon untold millions. Meanwhile, he entertains a bevy of scantily clad beauties.
The Vengeance of Fu ManchuChristopher Lee as Fu Manchu sets up camp in a remote part of China, causes earthquakes, and schemes his mad schemes.
Kiss and KillFu Manchu meets Pancho Villa, sort of, in this, the unspeakably bad yet strangely compelling fourth outing for Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu. Jess Franco directs, in his own inimitable style.
The Castle of Fu ManchuI can't believe I watched the whole thing. The fifth and last Christoper Lee Fu Manchu film, driving the final nail into the series coffin, although it felt more like it was being driven through my skull.
posted by 唐維敏 Albert @ 5:26 PM
0 comments
