Saturday, May 31, 2008

Hollywood Chinese


Arthur Dong's documentary about Chinese Americans in Hollywood movies not only features filmmakers, cast members, and clips from titles you'd expect (Charlie Chan, Flower Drum Song, Chan Is Missing, Joy Luck Club, Better Luck Tomorrow) but also offers surprises such as Yellowface actors and excavated footage from the first Chinese-American movie. While Dong intelligently addresses race issues and box-office politics, the overall tone is more like a celebration than a sermon, and will interest not only students of Chinese-American and Asian-American culture but movie fans in general.

Check out HOLLYWOOD CHINESE during its all-important opening weekend at Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills or Laemmle's One Colorado in Pasadena this Saturday and Sunday or in a return engagement at the ImaginAsian Theatre in New York City.

(and stay tuned for GR54!)