Cinema and Urban Culture in Shanghai, 1922-1943

This volume aims both to establish cinema as a vital force in Shanghai culture and to direct attention to early Chinese cinema, a crucial chapter in Chinese cultural history long neglected by Western scholars. The editor s introduction surveys the history and historiography of Chinese cinema through the 1940 s and identifies subjects and sources that await further research. In Part I, Screening Romance, Zhen Zhang discusses how the influence of teahouse culture gradually yielded to cinematic and narrative concerns in the early 1920 s. Kristine Harris s analysis of a costume drama reveals the director s cultural heritage and a rich psychological subtext created by new film techniques. Leo Ou-fan Lee examines the ways various urban institutions were utilized to promote a certain type of film culture in Shanghai.