Anachronism and the film

Rey Chow’s work has inspired me to watch Chinese cinema. The issues she brings up about the presentation of gender and history. Mainstream Chinese films are enjoyable, they are shot aesthetically and feature lovely costumes and actors. However there is a problem of representation in these films. As someone who watches films to substantiate academic arguments representation becomes a vital issue in understanding the mindset of the director and also of the audience.

Mainstream films are enjoyable primarily because they pander to our expectations.  Take for instance Red Cliff released in 200 by Director John Woo who openly acknowledged he took liberties with historical accounts to make the story appeal to a modern audience. This film is one of many historical dramas to misrepresent history. While the artist does have a choice in the production of their art it is important to understand which choices they make and why. China has a long history, one which it is very proud of yet watching these films is gives the viewer very little information about history but appeals to their expectations. Perhaps this obsession with presenting a comfortable view of history is tied to what Rachel Dwyer has to say about Indian cinemas use of history in film.

“Hindi cinema interprets Indian history, telling stories about the nation – whether under threat or victorious; about sexuality and gender, looking at great figures of the past, implying a contrast with the present; and other such themes, rather than trying to represent accurately the given historical moment. The past is used then as a heterotopia, or another place, more often than a heterochronia, or different time. It is then used to tell us more about the present than the present itself can.”

Both Indian and Chinese cinema seem to present history in a manner that is convenient to telling truths about the present. This is a deliberate attempt to domesticate history to tame it to our convenience. 

Postscript: While I have critiqued Asian cinema for its use of anachronism I do not exempt Hollywood for its deliberate omission of minority characters

Reference:

Dwyer, R. (2010) ‘Bollywood’s India: Hindi cinema as a guide to modern India.’

Asian Affairs, 41(3) pp. 381-398.