From Enlightenment To Amusement: Criticism Of Griffith’s Films In 1920s China

This thesis illustrates the history of critism and comments over D. W. Griffiths’ films in 1920 s China, and archives the release, the showing and the reception of films, involving Way Down East, Broken Blossom, Orphans of the Storm, The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance, etc. According to now available newspapers and magazines, the critical approaches used to films were moralism, nationalism and melodramatic critic. When it comes to moralism, critics concluded conflicting and opposing opinions that were depended upon and quote what they needed in films, and condemned current escalating peril and demoralizing phenomena they thought according to films. As far as nationalism is concerned, critics insisted in their nationalistic stand over the period of time, despite the disaccord among opinions. Melodramatic critical way in contrast to both critical ways above focused on enlightment, proving new trend of early films’ criticism in China, inevitably became prevailing. Critics managed to give high priority to amusement than enlightmnet in films thanks to inherent justice of these films. Criticisms persistently shifted focus to more entertainmental subjects in the period of time. Moralism and inherent justice, both of which had underlined melodrama, kept films away from the negative comments.