The Communication And Acceptance Of Chinese Films In Singapore (1920-1932)

Since our 19 th National Congress,with the continuous promotion of “Cultural Confidence”and “the Belt and Road Initiative”,Chinese films have taken on the important mission of spreading the national image and increasingly become an important connection of people,culture and trade,which make it a necessary cultural export to communicate between countries.The overseas communication of Chinese films has never stopped.As early as the 1920 s and 1930 s,Chinese films had been spread worldwide especially in the Southeast Asia,and achieved considerable commercial success.Based on Lat Pau,the longest running Chinese daily newspaper in Singapore before World War II,this paper collates and analyses the historical communication materials about Chinese film published by this newspaper.Under the framework of the “5W” theoretical model of communication science,the development track and experience of Chinese films in Singapore from1920 to 1932 is revealed from the aspects of who,says what,in which channel,to whom and with what effect.And the era prospect of the early overseas spread of Chinese film is depicted.In the first chapter,on the basis of detailed collection of 3215 days of Lat Pau,this paper classifies the historical materials of Chinese films according to advertisements,news and reviews by statistics and induction,macroscopically presents the outlines of early Chinese film communication in Singapore.In the second and third chapters,this paper researches the internal subjects and external channels for Chinese films when entering Singapore market,and the content and actual effect of Chinese films during its overseas communication.Results indicate,the spontaneously exploration of Chinese film company and stars are the important force helping Chinese films go global,which supplement with the local film distributors,cinemas and printed media in Singapore who respect the market and audiences when promoting Chinese films.Together,they ensure Chinese film develop steadily in Singapore.Besides,the stories of Chinese film rooted in the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation,and made balance of moral education and entertainment,which not only satisfies the imagination of Singaporean Chinese toward their motherland,but also provides leisure choices and spiritual consolation for them.Thus,it attracted more local audiences.Finally,in case study of the film Burning of the Red Lotus Temple and the female star Yan Naimei,this paper depicts the communication ideas of Chinese films in Singapore from 1920 to 1932 at a micro level,which furthermore emphasizes the important roles of genre film and star effect in the overseas communication of Chinese films.The history of Chinese film overseas communication is an indispensable part of constructing the “Chinese Film School” academic system and “Rewriting Chinese film history”.With fully respect to the historical records about Chinese films in Lat Pau during 1920 to 1932,this paper is hoping to prove,supplement and correct the historical narration of the overseas communication of early Chinese films.