On The Chivalrous-swordsman Films In The 21st Century

As a unique film genre in China, Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films take an irreplaceable historical position in Chinese art film development history. It has passed more than eighty years and set off five waves of creation since"The Thief"was put on screen in 1919. Therefore, the chivalrous-swordsman film is a type of continuous and innovative genre film. Nowadays, Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films turn out to become one of the mainstreams of film genres which are popular in every part of the world. More and more elements of it are being learnt as a reference and adopted by western films which used to take Hollywood film as its representative.After stepping into the 21st century, under the commercial circumstances of globalization, Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films come back again, start the fifth waves of creation in the history, which has achieved great success in not only domestic but also in international market. Under such circumstances, studying Chinese chivalrous-swordsman blockbusters would offer enlightenment and inspiration to the industrialization of Chinese films. The thesis is composed of three parts:The first part is about the historical background of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman in the 21st century, which gave a definition of chivalrous-swordsman films, that is, as a genre of films, chivalrous-swordsman films possess three needful elements: martial arts, chivalrousness and legend. Chivalrous-swordsman films have gone through five creation waves during its developing process of more than 80 years, with each wave bearing its unique characteristics. With the time flies away, the pattern of chivalrous-swordsman films is always in the state of change and development. A series of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman blockbusters of great influence have been created in the fifth wave of creation.The second part is about the characteristics of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films. Under the circumstances of industrial globalization, the most obvious characteristics of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films in the 21st century is the integration of global film resources for the purpose of producing commercial blockbusters of Chinese characteristics. Comparing with the films of last century, some new characteristics showed in Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films in the new century, including visual banquet in an era of getting information through pictures; aesthetic perception and ritualization of violence; fading of chivalrousness and female images in chivalrous-swordsman films.The third part is about the industrial enlightenment of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films. Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films in the 21st century manage films as an industry and adopt the operating pattern of commercial blockbusters, which has achieved great commercial success and offered enlightenment for Chinese film industry. In mass culture times, the importance of entertainment function of films should be magnified and the appreciating taste of public culture should be adapted. Under the commercial circumstance of globalization, emphasize should be put on the integration and marketing of films and the active pioneering of domestic and international market. When facing the challenge of Hollywood films and the invasion of American spirit, Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films are supposed to find a foothold in China and promote native culture to produce films of native characteristics and national spirit so that to compete with imported films.After the entrance into WTO, Chinese films were revolved into the wave of globalization and faced new opportunities and challenges. By learning the operating pattern of large investment, high technology and new imaging, a series of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman blockbusters were produced and have gained excellent ticket office achievement. It's a grand success that the blockbusters have not only revitalized domestic market, but also squeezed into western and even international market. However, while viewing back the achievements that we have made, we should also not neglect the maladies and disadvantages which are still existed in the creation of Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films in the new century and the gap between Chinese home-made movies and Hollywood movies in technology and marketing. There is a long way to go for Chinese chivalrous-swordsman films.