The Amoy-dialect film industry emerged in the 1950s, producing cheap, b-grade films in Hong Kong for direct export to the theatres of Manila Chinatown, southern Taiwan and Singapore. Films made in Amoy dialect - a dialect of Chinese - reflected a particular period in the history of the Chinese diaspora, and have been little studied due to their ambiguous place within the wider realm of Chinese and East Asian film history. This book represents the first full length, critical study of the origin, significant rise and rapid decline of the Amoy-dialect film industry.

Rather than examining the industry for its own sake, however, this book focuses on its broader cultural, political and economic significance in the region. It questions many of the assumptions currently made about the 'recentness' of transnationalism in Chinese cultural production, particularly when addressing Chinese cinema in the Cold War years, as well as the prominence given to 'the nation' and 'transnationalism' in studies of Chinese cinemas and of the Chinese Diaspora. By examining a cinema that did not fit many of the scholarly models of 'transnationalism', that was not grounded in any particular national tradition of filmmaking and that was largely unconcerned with 'nation-building' in post-war Southeast Asia, this book challenges the ways in which the history of Chinese cinemas has been studied in the recent past.

The annual Beijing Film Academy Yearbook showcases the best academic debates, discussions and research from the previous year, as previously published in the highly prestigious Journal of Beijing Film Academy. This volume brings together specially selected articles, appearing for the first time in English, in order to bridge the gap in cross-cultural research in cinema and media studies. The book is the latest in the Intellect China Library series to produce work by Chinese scholars that have not previously been available to English language academia. Covering the subjects of film studies, visual arts, performing arts, media and cultural studies, the series aims to foster intellectual debate and to promote closer cross-cultural intellectual exchanges by introducing important works of Chinese scholarship to readers.

Since the 1930s, the Walt Disney Company has produced characters, images, and stories that have captivated audiences around the world. How can we understand the appeal of Disney products? What is it about the Disney phenomenon that attracts so many children, as well as adults? In this updated second edition, with new examples provided throughout, Janet Wasko examines the processes by which the Disney company - one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world - continues to manufacture the fantasies that enthrall millions. She analyses the historical expansion of the Disney empire into the twenty-first century, examines the content of Disney's classic and more recent films, cartoons and TV programs and discusses how they are produced, considering how some of the same techniques have been applied to the Disney theme parks. She also discusses the reception (and sometimes, reinterpretation) of Disney products by different kinds of audiences. By looking at the Disney phenomenon from a variety of perspectives, she provides an updated and comprehensive overview of one of the most significant media and cultural institutions of our time. This important book by a leading scholar of the entertainment industries will be of great interest to students in media and cultural studies, as well as a broader readership of Disney fans.

This expanded and revised edition explores and updates the cultural politics of the Walt Disney Company and how its ever-expanding list of products, services, and media function as teaching machines that shape children's culture into a largely commercial endeavor. The Disney conglomerate remains an important case study for understanding both the widening influence of free-market fundamentalism in the new millennium and the ways in which messages of powerful corporations have been appropriated and increasingly resisted in global contexts. New in this edition is a discussion of Disney's shift in its marketing strategies towards targeting tweens and teens, as Disney promises to provide (via participation in consumer culture) the tools through which young people construct and support their identities, values, and knowledge of the world. The updated chapters from the highly acclaimed first edition are complimented with two new chapters, "Globalizing the Disney Empire" and "Disney, Militarization, and the National Security State After 9/11," which extend the analysis of Disney's effects on young people to a consideration of the political and economic dimensions of Disney as a U.S.-based megacorporation, linking the importance of critical reception on an individual scale to a broader conception of democratic global community.

Since its publication in 1977 to acclaim as a pioneering work, this has remained the first and only book to detail all aspects of a unique era in the history of motion pictures the only time in the U.S. when films featuring an all-Black cast, produced and directed by Blacks, were shown primarily to Black audiences, in theatres many of which were owned and managed by Blacks. Sampson traces the history of the Black film industry from its beginnings around 1910 to its demise in 1950, chronicling the activities of pioneer Black filmmakers and performers who have been virtually ignored by film historians. Significantly more information on Oscar Micheaux and other Black producers of the period and descriptions of many more Black films are included in the second edition. A new chapter discusses the first black images in American film as portrayed by Whites in blackface. The list of film titles from both the sound and the silent periods, including members of the cast, has been greatly expanded. With an extensive list of Black musical "soundies;" full index; and many new and rare photographs.

Drawing on first-hand materials collected from the Chinese and Japanese literature as well as interviews with more than twenty filmmakers and scholars Kinnia Shuk-ting Yau provides a solid historical account of the complex interactions between Japanese and Hong Kong film industries from the 1930s to 1970s.

The author describes in detail how Japan's efforts during the 1930s and 1940s to produce a "Greater East Asian cinema" led to many different kinds of collaborations between the filmmakers from China, Hong Kong and Japan, and how such development had laid the foundation for more exchanges between the cinemas in the post-war period. The period covered by the book is the least understood period of the East Asian film history. Filling the gaps surrounding one of the most important but least understood periods of Asian film history this books discusses facts and resources once obscured by controversial issues related to wartime affairs with new insights and perspectives.

This book is an invaluable source of information for understanding how the current East Asian film networks came into existence by looking beyond conventional single-case studies and adopting a transnational perspective in tracing the connections between different film industries.

This work concentrates on tracing the evolution of the so-called "red menace" phenomenon as a means of demonstrating the correlation between growing American paranoia and the success of the anticommunist campaign (1935-1955). The House Committee on Un-American Activities 1947 investigation of Hollywood, the nation's most visible industry, served a critical role in conjuring up anti-red hysteria and fanning the flames of virulent anticommunism. Using conveniently unjust tactics, the Committee "painted" targeted Hollywood personalities red and established the infamous blacklist - certified proof in the minds of many that "subversives" were indeed conspiring from within. A failed attempt on behalf of the "Hollywood Ten" to demonstrate the Committee's undemocratic nature allowed HUAC to forge ahead with its investigation and establish the anticommunist foundation upon which Joseph McCarthy would construct his campaign. Hollywood and Anticommunism stands as an important contribution to McCarthy-era literature and should appeal to all interested in the early Cold War and the impact that unwarranted hysteria has had and continues to have on the growth and development of the nation.

This collection of essays explores the complex issue of film distribution from the invention of cinema into the 1910s. From regional distribution networks to international marketing strategies, from the analysis of distribution catalogs to case studies on individual distributors, these essays written by well-known specialists in the field discuss the intriguing question of how films came to meet their audiences. Among the authors are Richard Abel, Marta Braun, Joseph Garncarz, Andre Gaudreault, Francois Jost, Charlie Keil, Martin Loiperdinger, Viva Paci, Wanda Strauven, and Gregory Waller."

The first substantial overview of the British film industry with emphasis on its genres, stars, and socioeconomic context, British National Cinema by Sarah Street is an important title in Routledge's new National Cinemas series. British National Cinema synthesizes years of scholarship on British film while incorporating the author' fresh perspective and research. Street divides the study of British cinema into four sections: the relation between the film industry and government; specific film genres; movie stars; and experimental cinema. In addition, this beautifully illustrated volume includes over thirty stills from every sphere of British cinema. British National Cinema will be of great interest to film students and theorists as well as the general reader interested in the fascinating scope of British film.

The first substantial overview of the British film industry with emphasis on its genres, stars, and socioeconomic context, British National Cinema by Sarah Street is an important title in Routledge's new National Cinemas series. British National Cinema synthesizes years of scholarship on British film while incorporating the author' fresh perspective and research. Street divides the study of British cinema into four sections: the relation between the film industry and government; specific film genres; movie stars; and experimental cinema. In addition, this beautifully illustrated volume includes over thirty stills from every sphere of British cinema. British National Cinema will be of great interest to film students and theorists as well as the general reader interested in the fascinating scope of British film.

From the growth in merchandising and product placement to the rise of the movie franchise, branding has become central to the modern blockbuster economy. In a wide-ranging analysis focusing on companies such as Disney, Dolby, Paramount, New Line and, in particular, Warner Bros., Brand Hollywood provides the first sustained examination of the will-to-brand in the contemporary movie business. Outlining changes in the marketing and media environment during the 1990s and 2000s, Paul Grainge explores how the logic of branding has propelled specific kinds of approach to the status and selling of film. Analyzing the practice of branding, the poetics of corporate logos, and the industrial politics surrounding the development of branded texts, properties and spaces - including franchises ranging from Looney Tunes to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to The Matrix - Grainge considers the relation of branding to the emergent principle of 'total entertainment'.

Employing an interdisciplinary method drawn from film studies, cultural studies and advertising and media studies, Brand Hollywood demonstrates the complexities of selling entertainment in the global media moment, providing a fresh and engaging perspective on branding's significance for commercial film and the industrial culture from which it is produced.

From the growth in merchandising and product placement to the rise of the movie franchise, branding has become central to the modern blockbuster economy. In a wide-ranging analysis focusing on companies such as Disney, Dolby, Paramount, New Line and, in particular, Warner Bros., Brand Hollywood provides the first sustained examination of the will-to-brand in the contemporary movie business. Outlining changes in the marketing and media environment during the 1990s and 2000s, Paul Grainge explores how the logic of branding has propelled specific kinds of approach to the status and selling of film. Analyzing the practice of branding, the poetics of corporate logos, and the industrial politics surrounding the development of branded texts, properties and spaces - including franchises ranging from Looney Tunes to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to The Matrix - Grainge considers the relation of branding to the emergent principle of 'total entertainment'.

Employing an interdisciplinary method drawn from film studies, cultural studies and advertising and media studies, Brand Hollywood demonstrates the complexities of selling entertainment in the global media moment, providing a fresh and engaging perspective on branding's significance for commercial film and the industrial culture from which it is produced.

This engaging book explores some of the most significant films to emerge from Latin America since 2000, an extraordinary period of international recognition for the region's cinema. Each chapter assesses an individual film, with some contributors considering the reasons for the unprecedented commercial and critical successes of movies such as City of God, The Motorcycle Diaries, Y tu mama tambien, and Nine Queens, while others examine why equally important films failed to break out on the international circuit. Written by leading specialists, the chapters not only offer textual analysis, but also trace the films' social context and production conditions, as well as critical national and transnational issues. Their well-rounded analyses provide a rich picture of the state of contemporary filmmaking in a range of Latin American countries. Nuanced and thought-provoking, the readings in this book will provide invaluable interpretations for students and scholars of Latin American film. Contributions by: Sarah Barrow, Nuala Finnegan, David William Foster, Miraim Haddu, Geoffrey Kantaris, Deborah Shaw, Lisa Shaw, Rob Stone, Else R. P. Vieira, and Claire Williams."

This engaging book explores some of the most significant films to emerge from Latin America since 2000, an extraordinary period of international recognition for the region's cinema. Each chapter assesses an individual film, with some contributors considering the reasons for the unprecedented commercial and critical successes of movies such as City of God, The Motorcycle Diaries, Y tu mama tambien, and Nine Queens, while others examine why equally important films failed to break out on the international circuit. Written by leading specialists, the chapters not only offer textual analysis, but also trace the films' social context and production conditions, as well as critical national and transnational issues. Their well-rounded analyses provide a rich picture of the state of contemporary filmmaking in a range of Latin American countries. Nuanced and thought-provoking, the readings in this book will provide invaluable interpretations for students and scholars of Latin American film. Contributions by: Sarah Barrow, Nuala Finnegan, David William Foster, Miraim Haddu, Geoffrey Kantaris, Deborah Shaw, Lisa Shaw, Rob Stone, Else R. P. Vieira, and Claire Williams.

This is a completely new, revised, and expanded version of the book first published by Scarecrow in 1976. It documents the work of America's first major film company, Vitagraph, from its beginnings in the 1890s through its sale to Warner Bros. in 1925.

This work concentrates on tracing the evolution of the so-called "red menace" phenomenon as a means of demonstrating the correlation between growing American paranoia and the success of the anticommunist campaign (1935-1955). The House Committee on Un-American Activities 1947 investigation of Hollywood, the nation's most visible industry, served a critical role in conjuring up anti-red hysteria and fanning the flames of virulent anticommunism. Using conveniently unjust tactics, the Committee "painted" targeted Hollywood personalities red and established the infamous blacklist - certified proof in the minds of many that "subversives" were indeed conspiring from within. A failed attempt on behalf of the "Hollywood Ten" to demonstrate the Committee's undemocratic nature allowed HUAC to forge ahead with its investigation and establish the anticommunist foundation upon which Joseph McCarthy would construct his campaign. Hollywood and Anticommunism stands as an important contribution to McCarthy-era literature and should appeal to all interested in the early Cold War and the impact that unwarranted hysteria has had and continues to have on the growth and development of the nation.

This succinct overview explains conglomeration and regulation in the film and television industries, covering its history as well as the contemporary scene. Former producer William M. Kunz shows how the current structure of these industries has evolved and how this structure impacts the production and distribution of cultural products. Providing a critical view without taking a political stance, Kunz focuses on film and TV in order to give an in-depth portrait of these industries and their dynamic relationship to each other. Ideal as a supplement for a variety of media courses_such as media and society, policy, economics, and criticism_this student-friendly text includes synopses of key media regulations and policies, discussion questions, a glossary, and interesting sidebars.

This succinct overview explains conglomeration and regulation in the film and television industries, covering its history as well as the contemporary scene. Former producer William M. Kunz shows how the current structure of these industries has evolved and how this structure impacts the production and distribution of cultural products. Providing a critical view without taking a political stance, Kunz focuses on film and TV in order to give an in-depth portrait of these industries and their dynamic relationship to each other. Ideal as a supplement for a variety of media courses_such as media and society, policy, economics, and criticism_this student-friendly text includes synopses of key media regulations and policies, discussion questions, a glossary, and interesting sidebars.

Independent filmmaking is often regarded as a relatively recent phenomenon, yet the so-called movement has actually existed as long as movies themselves. In this indispensable single-volume reference work, LoBrutto surveys the subject from cinema's inception through the 21st century, with alphabetical entries discussing: BLFilmmakers BLSignificant films BLGenres BLCritical views BLIndustry information BLWorking methods BLAnd more Written in an accessible style and including biographical, critical, factual, and bibliographical information, this remarkable source encompasses films and filmmakers operating independently from the studio system in concept, financing, production, and distribution. Such a broad interpretation of independent filmmaking separates it from that of commercial Hollywood, a conglomerate existing to create product rather than support personal artistic vision. Many of the entries' subjects have rarely been investigated and studied--yet knowledge of independent filmmaking is vital to any understanding the cinematic medium, making this an essential book for any library's film shelves.

The Politics of Nordsploitation takes a transnational approach to exploring Nordic ‘exploitation’ films in their industrial contexts, viewing them as not only political manifestations of domestic considerations but also to position Nordic film cultures in a global context. Incorporating a wide range of films, from international cult classics like They Call Her One Eye (1974), homegrown martial arts films like The Ninja Mission (1984) to contemporary crowd-sourced fan productions like Iron Sky (2012), this volume examines the remarkable diversity of genre-based, commercially and culturally exploitative film production throughout the Nordic countries – emphasized here through the term ‘Nordsploitation’. This volume provides a historical exposition of largely ignored marginal films and film cultural patterns. It also outlines how influential these films have been in shaping the development of Nordic cinema. The effects are visible in the films of the new millennium as previously marginalized practices now enter the mainstream. With sharp insights and new research, The Politics of Nordsploitation redefines the concept of ‘exploitation’ and its role in small nation cinemas.

The Film Studio sheds new light on the evolution of global film production, highlighting the role of film studios worldwide. The authors explore the contemporary international production environment, alleging that global competition is best understood as an unequal and unstable partnership between the "design interest" of footloose producers and the "location interest" of local actors. Ben Goldsmith and Tom O'Regan identify various types of film studios and investigate the consequences for Hollywood, international film production, and the studio locations.

From their very inception, European cinemas undertook collaborative ventures in an attempt to cultivate a transnational "Film-Europe." In the postwar era, it was DEFA, the state cinema of East Germany, that emerged as a key site for cooperative practices. Despite the significant challenges that the Cold War created for collaboration, DEFA sought international prestige through various initiatives. These ranged from film exchange in occupied Germany to partnerships with Western producers, and from coproductions with Eastern European studios to strategies for film co-authorship. Uniquely positioned between East and West, DEFA proved a crucial mediator among European cinemas during a period of profound political division.

Argentina fell in love with movies as soon as they were first exhibited in1896. Even before World War I, Argentina was one of the biggest film markets in the world and continues to be a major film market today.

This history of the Argentine film industry starting with the earliest film exhibiions in 1897 covers film music, broadcasting, the introduction of film with sound, the impact of the American film industry on the Argentine, the industrialization of Argentine film, Hollywood films in Spanish, the tango in film and local stars. Reference material includes filmographic information and reviews from numerous publications. Photographs offer a look at film stills, promotions, and the people involved in the industry, and an index provides quick access to names and titles.

What exactly is a best boy or a grip? As the credits roll at the end of every film, listing the names of all the individuals who contributed to its making, many viewers have no idea what these people do. This book reveals the mystery behind the job titles as crew members tell their stories, explaining what their jobs are, how they came to have a career in filmmaking and their many experiences both serious and comic. The author has conducted interviews with 33 accredited members of film production crews from several different American and British films. Each interview includes a brief introduction to the person as well as their filmography. Examples of individuals interviewed include: an assistant director, a best boy, a boom operator, a foley artist, a grip, a set decorator, a storyboard artist and a wrangler.

Contents:
Part 1. Box Office Champions, Chaotic Dynamics and Herding 1. Rank Revenue and Survival 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Exhibition 1.3 Tournaments 1.4 Data 1.5 Survival Model 1.6 Results 1.6.1 Survivors 1.6.2 Survival Rates 1.6.3 Rank and Revenue 1.7 Conclusions 2. Dynamics and Contracting 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Supply 2.2.1 Runs and Revenues 2.2.2 Booking and Supply 2.2.3 Contracting 2.2.4 Adaptation 2.2.5 Release Strategies 2.3 Discovery and Dynamics 2.3.1 Search 2.3.2 Bose-Einstein Distribution 2.3.3 Other Models 2.4 Revenue Distributions 2.4.1 Data 2.4.2 Revenue Concentration 2.4.3 Rank and Revenue 2.4.4 Revenue Distribution Dynamics 2.4.5 Identifying the Dynamic 2.5 Explaining the Industry 2.5.1 Launching the Opening 2.5.2 Adaptive Contracting 2.5.3 Admission Pricing 2.5.4 Rentals 2.5.5 Decentralisation 2.6 Conclusions 3. The Breakdown of Herding 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Information and Demand Dynamics 3.3 The Model 3.4 Estimates 3.5 The Stable Paretian Model 3.6 Bifurcation 3.6.1 Path to Equilibrium 3.6.2 Correlations 3.7 Results 3.8 Conclusions Part 2. "Wild" Uncertainty, Tough Decisions and False Beliefs 4. Uncertainty and Stars 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Related Literature 4.2.1 Motion Picture Uncertainty 4.2.2 Stars 4.2.3 Pareto and Levy Distributions 4.3 Modelling Star Power 4.3.1 Modelling Probability Mass 4.3.2. Risk and Survival 4.4 The Movie Data 4.4.1 Sources 4.4.2 The Run 4.4.3 Revenues, Budgets and Profits 4.5 Estimation Results 4.5.1 Revenue Concentration 4.5.2 Opening and Staying Power 4.5.3 Pareto Distribution 4.5.4 The Probability of a Hit 4.5.5 Stars and Hits 4.5.6 Stars and Profit 4.6 'Greenlighting' Movies 4.7 Conclusions 5. Does Hollywood Make Too Many R-rated Movies? 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Production 5.3 'Greenlighting' 5.4 Ranking by Success Rates 5.4.1 Box Office Revenue Success Rates 5.4.2 Return on Production Cost Success Rates 5.5 Ranking by Stochastic Dominance 5.5.1 Revenues 5.5.2 Production Budgets 5.5.3 Rates of Return 5.5.4 Profits and Losses 6. Openings, Legs and Blockbusters 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cascades 6.3 Performance Statistics 6.4 Modelling the Box Office 6.4.1 Budgets 6.4.2 Sequels 6.4.3 Opening Screens 6.4.4 Genre and Rating 6.4.5 Stars 6.5 Conclusions Part 3. Judges, Lawyers and the Movies 7. Motion Picture Antitrust 7.1 Motion Picture Economics 101 7.1.1 Discovering Demand 7.1.2 Determining Supply 7.1.3 Structuring Incentives 7.1.4 Contracts 7.2 The Feature Motion Picture 7.3 Integration and Licensing 7.3.1 Admission Prices 7.3.2 Runs and Clearance 7.3.3 Exotic Deals 7.3.4 Block Booking and Blind Selling 7.3.5 Integration and Contracts 7.4 The Courts' Analyses 7.4.1 Bidding for Licenses 7.4.2 Controlling the First Run 7.4.3 Leveraging Monopoly 7.5 Paramount's Effects 7.6 Conclusions 8. Paramount and the Stock Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The Studio System 8.3 The Paramount Litigation 8.4 Stock Prices 8.5 Was a Cartel Feasible? 8.6 Winners and Losers 8.7 Conclusions 9. Stochastic Market Structure 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Market Power 9.3 Motion Pictures in the Era of Paramount 9.4 Instability 9.5 Turnover of Leaders 9.6 Standard Models are Wrong 9.7 The HHI Does Not Exist 9.8 Conclusions Part 4. A Business of Extremes 10. Profit and the Curse of the Superstar 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Stable Hypothesis 10.3 Profit 10.4 The Stable Distribution 10.5 Estimation 10.6 Stable Probabilities 10.7 Nobody Knows 10.8 Superstars and Profit 10.9 Averages 10.10 The Curse of the Superstar 10.11 Success Breeds Success 10.12 The Angel's Nightmare 10.13 Contracting 10.14 Conclusions 11. Artists 11.1 Introduction 11.2 On Becoming a Superstar 11.3 Artists and Kurtosis 11.4 Career Expectations and Opportunities 11.5 Luck or Talent? 11.6 Competing for Stars 11.7 Artist Contracts 11.8 Pay When You Do Know 11.9 Director Contracts 11.10 Conclusions 12. Extreme Uncertainty 12. 1 Introduction 12.2 Complex Systems 12.2.1 Chaos 12.2.2 Complexity 12.3 Universality 12.4 Deep Order 12.4.1 Increasing Returns to Information 12.4.2 Nobody Knows 12.4.3 Dominance of Extreme Events 12.4.4 Self-similarity 12.4.5 Runs, Legs and Chaos 12.5 Complexity and the Stable Paretian Distribution Epilogue: Managing when "Nobody Knows Anything" 12.6 Probabilities 12.7 Inside and Outside the Studio 12.8 Risk and Decision Bias 12.9 Narrow Framing and Sure Things 12.10 Financing Movies 12.11 Causality and Kim Basinger 12.12 A Skeptical Attitude