Asian Stars In Hollywood

&

Their Influences On Western Perception Of Asia

Lecturer: Duong Trong Hue

Students: Chau Nguyen Thai

My_s3325069

Nguyen Hoang Minh

Thi_s3324418

Contents:

I. The Idea of Asia

II. Hollywood

III. Asian stars in Hollywood and their influences on Western perception of

Asia

Asian stars in Hollywood

Bruce Lee

Michelle Yeoh

IV. Theories Application

V. Conclusion

I. The Idea Of Asia1. The relationship of the East & the West:

The East used to be colonies of the West

Military and Cultural domination of Western was entailed in Asia

The relationship between the East and the West is about power, domination, and complex

hegemony (in Said, 1995)

2. Westerners’ perception on Asia:

Asia is the invention of Europe

‘the greatest, richest, and oldest colonies’ of Europe

Asia is feminine, and ‘she’ is voiceless, weak, and uncivilized

(in Said, 1995)

II. Hollywood

1886: a ranch was named Hollywood

1902: ‘Electric theater’ was built by Thomas Lincoln

Tally

1977-2011: Star Wars debut

The blockbuster seasons have started.

Became the center of Western film industry

A representation of Western pop culturehttp://www.planetware.com/i/photo/hollywood-sign-los-angeles-cahd6.jpg

III. Asian Stars In Hollywood And Their Influences On Western Perception Of Asia

1. Asian stars in Hollywood The first Asian movie star in Hollywood: Anna May Wong – The Dragon

Lady

Asian stars succeed in Hollywood: Ken Watanabe, Jet Li, Ziyi Zhang,

Michelle Yeoh, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan.

A phenomenon in Western society.

Bruce Lee Michelle YeohJackie Chan

Jet LiZhang Ziyi Ken Watanabe

1. Bruce Lee

Western acknowledgement:

FilmsViewers on YouTube

Books

The Green Hornet (1966-1967)-Universal

1 577 428 viewersBruce Lee: Legend of the Dragon ( Steve Kerridge)

The way of the Dragon (1972)-Golden Harvest

500 000 viewersThe Warrior Within : The Philosophies of Bruce Lee (John Little)

First of fury (1971)

The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon

Enter the Dragon (1973)-Warner Bros

891 651 viewersBruce Lee’s Fighting Method

Game of death(1978)-Golden Harvest

248 993 viewers

The idea of Asia has changed:

• The way of the dragon: A rural farmer came to a foreign country.

Not being respected due to not speaking English.

A hero master in martial art fight a bunch of Western

guys.

Wearing like an ordinary person: calm, nice, civilized.

Muscular and strong .

Empty hand fighting the Western enemy to protect

himself and the Chinese restaurant.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJhAVOb-UhQ

Perception:

Bruce Lee is a common man hero (Li, SL 2001).

Reclaimed China as male (Li, SL 2001)

Brought Martial Art to Hollywood and influence the

American silver screen Make Martial Art famous

A leader for Asian younger generation.

Has changed Western perception on Asia

2. Michelle Yeoh:Western acknowledgement

Films/Years Awards ,Nomination, and cultural achievement

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Best Film ActressNominated by MTV Movie

Starred with James Bond

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Best Actress (4 awards, 10 Nomination) International box office hit – gross $100 millions

Far North (2008) Best Actress (Calabria Film Festival - Italy)

The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

2000 The World's Most Influential Chinese by Chinese Influencing the world awards

1997 Top 50 most beautiful women of the world People magazine

2002 The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (Cultural Achievement)

Since 2007 Global ambassador for Makes Road Safe’ campaign

• Asia is feminine, and weak, and shy – Michelle is feminine,

but not weak

• She is the acting queen on screen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jniLDeAzG94

"Contrary to the Western perception of Chinese culture as chauvinistic

in the extreme, Eastern cinema has featured an extraordinary number

of women warriors compared to Hollywood“. (Logan 1995)

The Idea of Asia has changed

• She is beautiful, and talent – top 50 beautiful of the world

• She’s not voiceless – global media talks about her, hunger for her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62SOHXCnCvQ

http://www.makeroadssafe.org/PublishingImages/Michelle%20Yeoh/ambassador_my_1.jpg

• People loves her, and admires her:

http://www.sitefile.org/michelleyeoh.net.htm

http://www.michelle-yeoh.org

http://www.dctkd.org/links/index.cfm?

categoryID=4&subCategoryID=58

IV. Theories Application:

1. Globalization:

Global media brings Hollywood films to the world.

2. Orientalism:

Empty hand fight back the foreign guys.

Enroll in different characteristics, one hand spreading the national

identity, other hand fit the Western taste.

3. Self-orientalism: Reinforce orientalism that Asian women are beautiful, attractive and be

seduced by Westerners.

4. Nationalism: Raise the Asian voice through Hollywood films and become the lead

role in many movies.

Transnational action, cooperate with Western people fight the evils.

V. Conclusion:

Hollywood is a potential market for Asian stars to shine.

Globalization helps Hollywood to find out international talents

through their performance.

Create desire for young generation enter Hollywood and become a

Asian icons.

Challenges:

o Ambivalence, standing between the lines.

o Western stars still dominant Hollywood.

o Change perception about Asia in both positive and negative way.

References: ‘A biography of Michelleo Yeoh’ 2000, Information about Michelle Yeoh, viewed 22 November 2011, <http://michelleyeoh.info/Bio/bio.html>Bruce Lee Foundation 2006, ‘Bruce Lee Biography’, pp.1-9.Celebritywire, 2008, Michelle Yeoh, Hot Asian superstar talks to Celebrity Wire, video recording, viewed 22 November 2011, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62SOHXCnCvQ>Chen, J 1996, ‘FAQ/Facts about Bruce Lee’, Jeff Chen, viewed 23 November 2011, <http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~chenj/brucelee/bruce_faq.html>Chun, C S 2004, ‘Chinese Diaspora and Orientalism in Globalized Cultural Production: Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, Global Media Journal, vol. 3, no. 8, viewed 23 November 2011. Herrmann, T 2001, ‘ Hollywood Glamour returns to its birthplace as famed Hollywood corridor revitalization takes place’, History of Hollywood, pp. 1-3.Hollywood Film Office 2008, homepage, Hollywood Film Office, viewed 22 November 2011, < http://www.hollywoodfilmoffice.org/history.php>.Introduced by Writer/ Director Yunah Hong’, StonyBrook, viewed 20 November 2011, < http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/wang/programs/Anna_May_Wong_Poster%20Final.pdf>Jenkins, D 2005, ‘Lithe Spirit’, The Telegraph, viewed 23 November 2011, < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3648871/Lithe-spirit.html>Kim, L S n.d., Crouching Tiger, ‘Hidden Dragon Making women warriors — a transnational reading of Asian female action heroes’, A Review of Contemporary Media, viewed 20 November 2011, <http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc48.2006/womenWarriors/index.html>Li, SL 2001, ‘Kung Fu: Negotiating Nationalism and Modernity’, Cultural Studies, vol. 15, no, 3-5, pp. 515-542.Lorenzen, M 2008, ‘On the Globalization of the film industry’, Creative encounters working paper, pp. 1-16.Stony Brook University 2011, ‘Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words” a one hour documentary by Yunah Hong WatchMyAwesomeVideos, 2010, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) Michelle Yeoh KillCount, video recording, viewed 22 November 2011, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jniLDeAzG94>