Hollywood Chinese

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Hollywood Chinese

2007

1h 30m

Documentary

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18 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Filmmaker Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese pays homage to the first century of the American film industry, as specifically colored and influenced by the Chinese immigrants to whom Hollywood owes an inestimable debt. Dong touches on everyone from actress Anna May Wong, of Limehouse Blues (1934) and Lady from Chungking (1943), to the late cameraman James Wong Howe, responsible for giving the Rock Hudson thriller Seconds (1966) such a creepy and inventive look. Dong also explores the newer generation of Chinese-American filmmakers, including such giants as Wayne Wang and Ang Lee, responsible for such contemporary classics as The Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Brokeback Mountain. At the same time, a haunting and telling undercurrent of racism and stereotypes weaves its way in, suggestive of the difficulties that Chinese men and women found working in Hollywood -- particularly in the early years. As a historical footnote, Dong also makes film history by rediscovering and editing in footage from what is alleged to be the first Asian-American film ever made: the 1916 Curse of Quon Gwan, directed by Marion Wong.

Reece Pendleton

Chicago Reader

There's more celebration than insight as the story moves closer to the present, but it's still a worthy look at a seriously neglected part of Hollywood.

Jun 9, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

Variety

A century of Chinese and Chinese-American screen representation is gracefully charted in Hollywood Chinese.

Jun 9, 2020

Full Review

Michael Musto

Village Voice

Dong has assembled a top bunch of talking heads like Ang Lee, Nancy Kwan, and Amy Tan, who speak more with wry bemusement than with anger about Hollywood's cultural limitations.

Jun 9, 2020

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

The most interesting aspect of Hollywood Chinese today is the film clips, which date back to what is probably the first Chinese America film ever: The Curse of Quon Gwon (1917), written and directed by Marion Wong.

Rated: 6/10

Jun 25, 2024

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Dong's subjects explain that each era has brought with it new freedoms and accompanying pitfalls.

Jun 9, 2020

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Michael Fox

SF Weekly

[An] endlessly entertaining survey of Hollywood's depiction of Chinese and Chinese-American characters.

Jun 9, 2020

Full Review

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Arthur Dong

Director

Turhan Bey

Actor

Joan Chen

Actor

Tsai Chin

Actor

James Hong

Actor

David Henry Hwang

Actor

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese pays homage to the first century of the American film industry, as specifically colored and influenced by the Chinese immigrants to whom Hollywood owes an inestimable debt. Dong touches on everyone from actress Anna May Wong, of Limehouse Blues (1934) and Lady from Chungking (1943), to the late cameraman James Wong Howe, responsible for giving the Rock Hudson thriller Seconds (1966) such a creepy and inventive look. Dong also explores the newer generation of Chinese-American filmmakers, including such giants as Wayne Wang and Ang Lee, responsible for such contemporary classics as The Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Brokeback Mountain. At the same time, a haunting and telling undercurrent of racism and stereotypes weaves its way in, suggestive of the difficulties that Chinese men and women found working in Hollywood -- particularly in the early years. As a historical footnote, Dong also makes film history by rediscovering and editing in footage from what is alleged to be the first Asian-American film ever made: the 1916 Curse of Quon Gwan, directed by Marion Wong.

Director: Arthur Dong
Producer: Arthur Dong
Screenwriter: Arthur Dong
Production Co: Center for Asian American Media, DeepFocus Productions Inc.
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 30m

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