The Cinema of Ang Lee: The Other Side of the Screen

Directors' Cuts

by Whitney Crothers Dilley

Born in Taiwan, Ang Lee is one of cinema's most versatile and daring directors. His ability to cut across cultural, national, and sexual boundaries has given him recognition in all corners of the world, the ability to work with complete artistic freedom whether inside or outside of Hollywood, and two Academy Awards for Best Director. He has won astounding critical acclaim for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which transformed the status of martial arts films across the globe, Brokeback Mountain (2005), which challenged the reception and presentation of homosexuality in mainstream cinema, and Life of Pi (2012), Lee's first use of groundbreaking 3D technology and his first foray into complex spiritual themes.
In this volume, the only full-length study of Lee's work, Whitney Crothers Dilley analyzes all of his career to date: Lee's early Chinese trilogy films (including The Wedding Banquet , 1993, and Eat Drink Man Woman , 1994), period drama ( Sense and Sensibility , 1995), martial arts ( Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , 2000), blockbusters ( Hulk , 2003), and intimate portraits of wartime psychology, from the Confederate side of the Civil War ( Ride with the Devil , 1999) to Japanese-occupied Shanghai ( Lust/Caution , 2007). Dilley examines Lee's favored themes such as father/son relationships and intergenerational conflict in The Ice Storm (1997) and Taking Woodstock (2007). By looking at the beginnings of Lee's career, Dilley positions the filmmaker's work within the roots of the Taiwan New Cinema movement, as well as the larger context of world cinema. Using suggestive readings of both gender and identity, this new study not only provides a valuable academic resource but also an enjoyable read that uncovers the enormous appeal of this acclaimed director.

Genres: Film

248 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Japan Connect (Fabienne) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dieses Buch beleuchtet alle Filme von Ang Lee, die bis 2012 die Leinwand zu Leben erweckten: Von "Pushing Hands" (1991) bis "Life of Pi" (2012) ist alles dabei. Die chronologische Analyse seiner Werke mit einer vorangehenden Biographie zeigt rekurrente Motive und Stilmittel auf und bietet auf biographische Ereignisse gestützt Erklärungsansätze für Lees Beschäftigung mit diesen Themen. Zudem zeigt das Buch die unglaubliche Diversität von Lees Werken auf, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat.

Allerdings war ich etwas enttäuscht von der redundanten Sprache in den ersten drei Kapiteln und der eher oberflächlichen Analyse seiner ersten Werke. Das hatte bei mir den Eindruck erweckt, dass die Autorin sich mit seinen späteren Werken intensiver beschäftigt hatte und zu ersteren nur Punkte aus der Sekundärliteratur und Fakten der Entstehungsgeschichte wiedergab anstatt eine eigene Interpretation darzubieten.

Trotzdem eine Empfehlung wenn Ihr Lees Filme mögt.

Mehr Details in meiner Video-Rezension:
https://youtu.be/KrkHDQy7WCA

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think this is a particularly great book, although there are nice insights into Lee's films (especially his themes); it's just terribly uninteresting and dull, even though the author clearly knows her stuff, both in terms of the cultural, political, and historical aspects/contexts that surround these very complicated film.

[Sharon · Rating 1 out of 5]

美国人对华语电影的理解的确相当浅薄啊 这样也能写分析电影的书吗？只有介绍李安生平经历的第一章第一节值得一读

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

super interesting to see Ang Lee's comment on Ziyi Zhang for his casting of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon