Book Description
Since the 1960s, Hong Kong cinema has helped to shape one of the world’s most popular cultural genres: action cinema. Hong Kong action films have proved popular over the decades with audiences worldwide, and they have seized the imaginations of filmmakers working in many different cultural traditions and styles. How do we account for this appeal, which changes as it crosses national borders?
Hong Kong Connections brings leading film scholars together to explore the circulation of Hong Kong cinema in Japan, Korea, India, Australia, France, and the United States, as well as its links with Taiwan, Singapore, and the Chinese mainland. In the process, this collection examines diverse cultural contexts for action cinema’s popularity and the problems involved in the transnational study of globally popular forms, suggesting that in order to grasp the history of Hong Kong action cinema’s influence we need to bring out the differences as well as the links that constitute popularity.
Contributors. Nicole Brenez, Stephen Chan Ching-kiu, Dai Jinhua, David Desser, Laleen Jayamanne, Kim Soyoung, Siu Leung Li, Adrian Martin, S. V. Srinivas, Stephen Teo, Valentina Vitali, Paul Willemen, Rob Wilson, Wong Kin-yuen, Kinnia Yau Shuk-ting, Yung Sai-shing
Amazon.com
This is the most colorful and entertaining history of Hong Kong action cinema available. Bey Logan traces the genre from its genesis in the late 1940s until the 1990s, enhancing his story with biographies, select filmographies, and 10-best lists. Though Logan focuses on superstars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and John Woo, he also takes time to describe how Hong Kong action cinema blends with other genres. He devotes chapters of his book to Hong Kong comedy, horror, and fantasy as well as to the series of action films that feature female protagonists. Logan concludes the book by looking toward the future of this cinema and the "New Dragons Rising" who could be its next stars.
Customer Reviews:
(does backflip to papery rustling sound).......2006-06-17
Realizing (again) that i don't have to settle for american crud, i dug this book out and marveled again. Color, b/w photos, comprehensive listings (to '95), good taste, smooth and infectiously enthusiastic writing - A+!
ONE OF THE BETTER ONES ON THE SUBJECT.......2006-01-18
This is easily one of the better books out there on this particular subject.Written by a westerner,the author has a fairly impressive amount of information here that doesn't usually get mentioned in books like this.It is obvious that he really loves the material,this isn't a dry scholarly read - a fun book!
My only complaint is not enough space devoted to the Shaw Brothers - entire chapters on Bruce Lee (yawn...),Jackie Chan,Sammo Hung,etc.. Otherwise,worth your time
Another fine guide to the Hong Kong Cinema........2005-06-26
Hong Kong Action Cinema by Bey Logan is another good guide to one of the most innovative film corporations. The films that have come out of Hong Kong are a lot of fun and a lot more creative than the cookie cutter homogenized celluloid clones that Hollywood continues to crank out ad nasuem. Although Bey Logan doesn't go too deep into the history of the cinema (he's very opinionated) he gives the reader enough to go out and seek out the movies and other information themselves.
The book doesn't capture the wealth of information and humor that he showcases on his audio commentaries for D.V.D.s (such as The Fist of Fury and the Celestial releases). A world a difference compared to the crappy books that have been released about the same subject matter (i.e. Asian Cult Cinema). I would also grab a copy of Hong Kong Babylon as a supplement.
If you're looking into this genre, I would strongly recommend this book.
shaw brothers (1970-1999.......2001-04-04
I would like more information on shaw brothers martial arts films from 1970-1999.Starting with the actors,directors and shaw brothers them self.A brief biogarphy about each one.
Not perfect but an interesting read..........2000-09-12
An insight into HK flicks with occasional errors.
Average customer rating:
- A good introduction to the Hong Kong Cinema.
- Read it for Barry Long's wonderul summaries!
- A VERY FRUSTRTATING WORK
- Good basic intro to HK cinema world
- Average book on an extraordinary subject
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Hong Kong Babylon: An Insider's Guide to the Hollywood of the East
Fredric Dannen , and
Barry Long
Manufacturer: Miramax
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Binding: Hardcover
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Sex and Zen & A Bullet in the Head: The Essential Guide to Hong Kong's Mind-bending Films
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Hong Kong Action Cinema
ASIN: 078686267X |
Amazon.com
By including a history of Hong Kong's movie industry; interviews with 31 leading filmmakers, actors, and actresses; plot summaries of some of the better and more influential Hong Kong films of the post-war period; and "recommended viewing" lists from 12 critics, Hong Kong Babylon provides a complete introduction to one of the world's fastest growing and most inventive filmmaking industries. It is especially charming and enlightening to read the discussions in which Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, John Woo, and Chow Yun Fat reflect on their industry in their sometimes stilted English, explaining far better than any Western critic could just what it is to be part of this frenetic business.
Customer Reviews:
A good introduction to the Hong Kong Cinema........2005-06-26
Hong Kong Babylon is one of the better books about the wild and entertaining world of Hong Kong Cinema. The writers briefly touch all the bases with the information provided. Get this book and the one by Bey Logan and you'll have a nice overall view of this cinema.
Strongly recommended.
Read it for Barry Long's wonderul summaries!.......2004-06-03
Unfortunately, Fred Dannen's interviews are much too short so if you're looking for an in-depth look into the Hong Kong film business this isn't it. However, the book has a substantial section summarizing/commenting on hundreds of films and they are wonderfully written by Barry Long, a true connossieur of Hong Kong cinema.
A VERY FRUSTRTATING WORK.......2003-01-03
This book could have been so much more that what it is. The author had interviews with many of the top stars and directors in Hong Kong Cinema, and yet the interviews of such notables as Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan, and Michelle Yeoh are barely a page-and-a-half. While it does provide some wonderful information, the bulk of the book is plot summaries and reviews; while the summaries might be helpful, I think most people would have been more interested in what the people involved in the business have to say. Ultimately, my main take on this book is that it was a squaundered oppurtunity for the author to have access to so many well known stars only to reduce them to 5 or 6 comments in a book of this size. Magazine interviews are longer than the interviews found in this book. It's worth reading, but just speaking for myself, it was little more than a tease.
Good basic intro to HK cinema world.......1998-12-11
As some of the other reviews here suggest, this is a bit of a cut and paste job-- Dannen's New Yorker piece on the triads thrown together with reviews and lists compiled by others. But the field has been so spottily documented to date that the serious info and critical context provided here is of real value, even if, as is suggested in one of the reviews above, "Sex and Zen and a Bullet in the Head" is probably a better choice for the fan who just wants to know what cool movies to rent. I would also recommend a British book which should be available here, "Hong Kong Action Cinema" by Bey Logan.
Average book on an extraordinary subject.......1998-03-10
Considering the lack of any information on the film-making industry outside of Hollywood; this book does fill a needed space. Most libraries would do well to include it in their collection despite the cheap adhesive binding and the high risk of damage to the book(ie pages and pictures being razored out). The opening article gives an interesting yet way-too-short overview on the industry and the individual interviews should have been better planned. The synopsis of individual films is handy because most of the video packaging for these films is not very informative or not in english. Other popular video guides do not often include Hong Kong films unless the films have reached a certain cult status (examples: The Killer, A Better Tomorrow) The critic section is a waste of space. More should have been spent on the history of the industry than on the opinions of little known critics.
Average customer rating:
- Good book for a Jackie's fan
- Engaging and entertaining
- Is there a better man living?
- Jackie Chan Rocks My Socks
- True insight into Jackie Chan's world.
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I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action
Jackie Chan
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
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Jackie Chan (Best of Inside Kung-Fu)
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Jet Li: A Biography
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Twin Dragons
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Jackie Chan's Project A
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Gorgeous
ASIN: 0345415035
Release Date: 1998-09-01 |
Amazon.com
Since his first role in 1962 at the age of 8, Jackie Chan has appeared in more than 70 movies. For more than 20 years, he has been the biggest star in Asia, but in the West he remained a secret, his movies passed around on tape and his fame growing by word of mouth alone. In the '90s, with the success of crossover movies like Rush Hour and the support of a new generation of filmmakers who grew up watching Jackie Chan videotapes, his star finally rose in the West. But where did he come from, and how did he achieve so much?
His autobiography, I Am Jackie Chan, answers those questions in an engaging, almost novelistic style. When his father moves to Australia to take up a new job, the young Jackie is placed in Hong Kong's China Drama Academy under the tutelage of Master Yu Jim-yuen. For the next 10 years he is trained in martial arts, dance, acrobatics, singing, and comedy, while suffering extraordinary hardships, including regular beatings and near-starvation. Yet he can look back on this period of his life with considerable affection, not least because it taught him the skills, and provided him with the network of friends, that would sustain his film career for decades. Chan has always earned the respect of his fans by committing himself wholeheartedly to creating the most death-defying stunts possible. His achievements seem even more remarkable when set against the struggles described in this book. In the Drama School, as a young stuntman, in his first troubled attempts to make movies in America--Chan's personality shines through, and I Am Jackie Chan can only enhance his reputation as one of the most likable and admirable movie stars in the world. The book also includes Jackie's comments on all of his movies, lists of his favorite stunts and fights, and an astonishing catalog of all his major injuries. Can you imagine what it must feel like to dislocate your cheekbone? --Simon Leake
Book Description
"I am standing in the sky on the roof of a glass and steel office tower in Rotterdam, Holland. There are twenty-one floors of air between me and the concrete pavement below. I am about to do what I do best. I am about to jump."
If you're a fan of action-adventure movies--with the accent on action--then you no doubt love watching Jackie Chan risk his life to create sensational cinema. As one of the biggest stars to burst into U.S. theaters, Jackie has put America's hottest heroes to shame, wowing audiences with the breathless, death-defying stunts that are the highlight of such movies as Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop, Operation: Condor, and his newest blockbuster Rush Hour. But who really is this boyishly handsome, lightning-fast Charlie Chaplin of martial arts movie-making? And what possessed him to make a career out of putting his life on the line to keep us on the edge of our seats?
"I remember a frightened seven-year-old walking into the dim and musty halls of the China Drama Academy, clutching his father's hand. Inside, he sees paradise--young boys and girls leaping and tumbling and flashing the steel of ancient weapons. 'How long do you want to stay here, Jackie?' 'Forever!' answered the boy, his eyes bright and wide. And he let go of his father's hand to clutch at the Master's hem. . . ."
In I Am Jackie Chan, Chan tells the fascinating, harrowing, ultimately triumphant story of his life: How the rebellious son of refugees in tumultuous 1950s Hong Kong became the disciplined disciple of a Chinese Opera Master. How the "paradise" that young Jackie so eagerly embraced proved to be, in reality, a ruthlessly competitive place whose fierce master wielded the legal authority to train his students even to death. How the dying art of Chinese opera led Jackie to the movie business--and how he made the leap from stuntman to superstar. How he broke into the Hollywood big time by breaking almost every bone in his body.
Finally, after years of plunging off skyscrapers and living to tell the tale, Jackie Chan proves--with this witty, poignant, and often astonishing memoir--that it's always been a tale well worth telling.
Jackie has written this book with Jeff Yang, the founder of A Magazine and the author of Eastern Standard: A Guide To Asian Influence in American Culture.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for a Jackie's fan.......2006-03-22
my wife's english is not good. but she found that it is very easy to understand this book as Jackie's movie. She has fun with it and use it to prove her english.
Engaging and entertaining.......2005-08-10
A fascinating insight into the mind and career of the world's biggest movie star. With exhaustive (and exhausting!) descriptions of Jackie's brutal Peking opera training and early days as a stuntman and actor, almost everything you want to know about Jackie is here.
Not that there aren't omissions - his illegitimate son Jaycee, now trying to make a name for himself as an actor, is never mentioned. Jackie is also quick to take credit (he claims 'Half a Loaf of Kung Fu' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' were the first kung fu comedies, which they weren't) and slow to give it out (he describes his opera brothers' film 'The Prodigal Son,' arguably the best kung fu movie ever made, as "solid"). But Jackie's charisma and determination shine through on every page, and you can't help but admire the guy. A must read for Jackie fans and aficionados of Hong Kong cinema.
Is there a better man living?.......2005-02-07
Dood tottally I'm not kidding, Jackie Chan is like a god amongst men, a god who makes flawed movies in his old age (flawed is polite considering the horrible movies he's currently putting out). Man Jackie Chan is so great it makes my balls sweat whenever I think about it, in this book he talks about how he and his crew broke into an amusement park to steal... not money but bread crumbs!!! Becuase Master wanted his students to work hard, this is not a book for weaklings, they will fret and feel weak as they learn of the heroic and disciplined exploits of my man JACKIE FING CHAN! Man in this book he talks about how some dudes wanted to fight, but he didn't cuase Master taught him only to fight for show and not fight for violence. Man the world would be a better place if we all had to read this book. Mandatory reading for High Schools this should be.
Jackie Chan Rocks My Socks.......2005-02-01
Jackie Chan has had a very eventful life. When he was a child he lived in on an ambassadors mansion in Hong Kong. Soon he was sent to a Cantonese Opera school, which was a boarding school where he was trained, day and night for over 10 years of his young life, in the ways of Chinese Opera. Chinese Opera is not the same Opera you and I may think of it as, but instead is a very acrobatic physically demanding show. He then went into the stuntman business, which was a very difficult road for him. For many years he struggled with finding work but he soon became a much wanted stuntman. Eventually he went into small acting parts, which led to bigger acting parts. Soon enough he was a huge success in Hong Kong, and eventually got married to a famous Chinese actress. Jackie still travels a lot and his wife is a stay at home wife who raises his son.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It is full of constant action and keeps your attention. I Am Jackie Chan is an easy read and fast paced I was unable to put it down, except of course when class was over.
True insight into Jackie Chan's world........2005-01-08
If you are a Jackie fan, you definitely owe it to yourself to read this book. Straight from the source, honest and at times brutal, Jackie's autobiography will give you great insight into his life and his long struggle to become one of the greatest stars in the world. It is a fascinating look into a culture and world that may be very alien to some readers, and provides interesting insight into the development of martial arts cinema in Hong Kong, the rough life and work of its stars (and stunt performers), and of course Jackie himself. You'll see, through his eyes and his words, why he has pushed himself so hard and continues to do so.
He is honest in his opinions and you may find yourself not always pleased or in agreement with his view on things, but he owns up to many of the mistakes he's made in his life and you have to respect him for that honesty.
Read, enjoy, and learn to appreciate Jackie Chan on an entirely new level.
Product Description
Game sourcebook
Customer Reviews:
No better of a Book Possible.......2007-06-13
The Acoustic Masters for Guitar: Paul Simon is a book for any age or for any guitar level. The book features in depth tabs, that correlate with some of Simon's most famous post-Simon and Garfunkel work. Songs like Duncan, Take Me to the Mardi Gras, Something So Right and 50 Ways to Lose Your Lover.
The book is great for even piano players. The chords match well with the treble clef guitar parts making it easy for piano players to play along to. In no other source, have I found a 100% accurate tablature and notation for one Simon's most beautiful songs: Armistice Day. The price of this book is very cheap, considering that it makes for great acoustic guitar exercices, a great selection of songs to play, good chord workouts and just to appreciate the intricacy and the complexity of Simon's guitar playing and songwriting.
Highly Recommended.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent - for non beginners.......2007-02-15
You shoudl have at least a year of experience and read a few other books on technique, such as Bill Roots "How to Declare a Bridge Hand". This one will open your eyes to many other more advanced techniques. Its a great compact presentation. It's a starting point, not a comprehensive presentation of all aspects of advanced methods.
1. Play for a year.
2. Read some books on the way.
3. Read this - your eyes will be opened.
4. Play some more.
5. Read some more.
6. Work on counting.
Repeat steps 3-6
If you are a beginners this will be over your head. Some reviewers gave bad ratings. Thats a mistake. Its a great book, but only if you are ready for it.
(giving this book a bad rating would be like me giving an audrey grant book a 1 becaus eits too simple for me)
Disappointing, incomplete, not for beginners. .......2006-01-04
First, my mother tongue is French, I'm sure you will excuse my style. This being said, unfortunately, I was very disappointed when I started reading Mollo's book. I wanted to find a book that was covering both the dummy play and the defense. Also, I wanted to revisit the very basics, to have a solid start, and then to go gradually into more complex techniques, covering virtually all aspects of the play, including the more advanced techniques. I was looking for the ultimate book: the Bridge Bible written by a brilliant teacher!
Unfortunately, Mollo starts saying that he will not insult us covering the simple finesse, but will jump right away into the double finesse... The other chapters are similar. This book takes into account that we already have a sound basic technique and covers some variations and tricky situations. Each hand must be studied with actual cards to understand the supposedly "obvious" conclusions he draws.
When I was not looking for a book anymore, I finally tried Watson's book. I hesitated at first, because his style is supposed to be dry and too detailed. EUREKA!!! This is the ultimate BIBLE! Not only it fulfilled all my above expectations, but he goes one step beyond, he is a genius, each chapter is a revelation. I did not learn techniques; I learned the principles underlying the techniques. I now understand why Watson's book is recommended by most schools around the world. This is probably the only book you will every need about the play of the hand.
Excellent and enjoyable to read.......2005-11-10
Not only is this a great book, its fun to read. It's not a dry technical book, its well written and enjoyable to read. The author "covers" many declarer topics from both sides (such as defense against squeezes or defense against endplays). The author has a knack for presenting a subject both clearly and succinctly. There are summaries at the end of each section and a short quiz.
I found this book far superior to Watson's "Play of the Hand" (which seems to be geared towards beginners) but in content and style (its not boring, its fun).
Best Card Play Technique Book EVER.......2003-11-10
I have studied quite a few bridge books, and won a number of championships, but THIS one stands out over all the others on the play of the hand.
I heartily recommend this to every intermediate or advanced player.
EXCELLENT.......2002-10-07
If you buy only one bridge book in your entire life, this should be it. It is written with such skill and humor that it reads like a novel... not only will you learn a tremendous amount from this book, but you'll enjoy yourself in the process. The chapters alternate between Dummy Play and Defense, covering everything from promotion to grand coups. Players of all levels will benefit from reading (and rereading) this excellent book.
Product Description
From jacket: "'Card Play Technique' has long been recognized as a classic, and this revised edition is assured of a warm welcome. There is no other book dealing with both dummy play and the art of defence, so that the technique of card play is unfolded as one and indivisible, with move and counter-move, thrust and parry, following each other chapter by chapter."
Customer Reviews:
Still a Good Way to Get Lucky.......2006-08-29
This early example of Victor Mollo's bridge writing foretold the great works to come. This play technique tutorial remains as fresh and valuable as it was in 1955. If any of the following is true about you . . .
1) No one pays you for lessons
2) No one pays you to be their partner
3) You too often leave more money on the table than you pick up
. . . you can probably learn a thing or three in this classic from Mollo and Gardener.
Book Description
A decade ago, The Oz Principle took the business world by storm. At its root, the principle works like this: Like Dorothy and the gang in The Wizard of Oz, most businesspeople have the tools to succeed, but when things go wrong they blame circumstance or others instead of looking within for the true cause of unsatisfactory results. Once individuals learn to accept responsibility, they can use the Oz Principle to become better leaders.
Now, with corporate scandals in the headlines and the culture of victimization running rampant at every level of the business world, Roger Connors, Tom Smith, and Craig Hickman return with a new edition of The Oz Principle. Fully revised, this edition will update the statistics, concepts, and relevant companies through fresh, timely anecdotes and stories.
Customer Reviews:
I built a company culture on this book!.......2007-10-02
I'm now using this book to build a corp. culture for the second time. I buy a copy for every employee. I know they don't all read it. But, we use it as the text for company meetings, training and performance expectations. Big help in getting people to take more responsibility for our success as a company.
enjoyed the book.......2007-09-30
normally I am a cynical employee and our company is going into this hot and heavy. I figured that for once I should read about something before I talk bad about another fad. I read it cover to cover with a open mind and I agree with what it is pushing and I hope that my company really tries to follow the example.
Sadly, I do not see this taking hold where I work as the "CYA" principal will never go away and that is a shame.
Old Fashion.......2007-06-08
I guess i can understand the purpose of the material. However, it all seems to be common sense to a recent college grad who had to do any teamwork. I would find books on "treating women equal" just as useful. The concept is outdated, these things are already being taken care of in society.
Hackeneyed cliches and unsupported conclusions.......2007-05-15
I could not have been more disappointed in a supposedly useful business book. The entire book consisted of assertions on how "accountability" leads to better results, without a single empirical example to support it. Rather, there were plenty of quotes from Jack Welch (he who had 5 good years out of 20 at the top) and anecdotal stories linked to the Wizard of Oz. How dumbed down has business press gotten? What's next, management according to "Go Dog Go"? It was just bloody awful
Book and tape combo.......2006-02-19
I listened to the tape and used the book as documentation of the most important parts. It worked really well as a study method.
Product Description
Like Dorothy & her companions in The Wizard of Oz, most people in corp. America possess the power within themselves to get the results they need. But instead, they behave as though they were victims of circumstance & play the "blame game" when confronted with poor performance or unsatisfactory results. In this no-holds-barred book, 3 leading experts on how to achieve corp. excellence focus on the fundamental cause of poor quality, low productivity, wasted talent, & customer dissatisfaction . . . & shows how anyone from an entry-level clerk to a senior exec. can move beyond making excuses to get the results they want. Empowers every person to give an exceptional performance
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Books Index
Books Home
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