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Hollywood Chinese

Play trailer Poster for Hollywood Chinese 2007 1h 30m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 18 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Filmmaker Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese pays homage to the first century of the American film industry, as specifically colored and influenced by the Chinese immigrants to whom Hollywood owes an inestimable debt. Dong touches on everyone from actress Anna May Wong, of Limehouse Blues (1934) and Lady from Chungking (1943), to the late cameraman James Wong Howe, responsible for giving the Rock Hudson thriller Seconds (1966) such a creepy and inventive look. Dong also explores the newer generation of Chinese-American filmmakers, including such giants as Wayne Wang and Ang Lee, responsible for such contemporary classics as The Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Brokeback Mountain. At the same time, a haunting and telling undercurrent of racism and stereotypes weaves its way in, suggestive of the difficulties that Chinese men and women found working in Hollywood -- particularly in the early years. As a historical footnote, Dong also makes film history by rediscovering and editing in footage from what is alleged to be the first Asian-American film ever made: the 1916 Curse of Quon Gwan, directed by Marion Wong.

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Hollywood Chinese

Critics Reviews

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Reece Pendleton Chicago Reader 06/09/2020
There's more celebration than insight as the story moves closer to the present, but it's still a worthy look at a seriously neglected part of Hollywood. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey Variety 06/09/2020
A century of Chinese and Chinese-American screen representation is gracefully charted in Hollywood Chinese. Go to Full Review Michael Musto Village Voice 06/09/2020
Dong has assembled a top bunch of talking heads like Ang Lee, Nancy Kwan, and Amy Tan, who speak more with wry bemusement than with anger about Hollywood's cultural limitations. Go to Full Review Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl 06/25/2024
6/10
The most interesting aspect of Hollywood Chinese today is the film clips, which date back to what is probably the first Chinese America film ever: The Curse of Quon Gwon (1917), written and directed by Marion Wong. Go to Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 06/09/2020
Dong's subjects explain that each era has brought with it new freedoms and accompanying pitfalls. Go to Full Review Michael Fox SF Weekly 06/09/2020
[An] endlessly entertaining survey of Hollywood's depiction of Chinese and Chinese-American characters. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
Hollywood Chinese

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Cast & Crew

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Arthur Dong

Director

Turhan Bey

Actor

Joan Chen

Actor

Tsai Chin

Actor

James Hong

Actor

David Henry Hwang

Actor

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Hollywood Chinese

Hollywood Chinese (2007) Hollywood Chinese (2007) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese pays homage to the first century of the American film industry, as specifically colored and influenced by the Chinese immigrants to whom Hollywood owes an inestimable debt. Dong touches on everyone from actress Anna May Wong, of Limehouse Blues (1934) and Lady from Chungking (1943), to the late cameraman James Wong Howe, responsible for giving the Rock Hudson thriller Seconds (1966) such a creepy and inventive look. Dong also explores the newer generation of Chinese-American filmmakers, including such giants as Wayne Wang and Ang Lee, responsible for such contemporary classics as The Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Brokeback Mountain. At the same time, a haunting and telling undercurrent of racism and stereotypes weaves its way in, suggestive of the difficulties that Chinese men and women found working in Hollywood -- particularly in the early years. As a historical footnote, Dong also makes film history by rediscovering and editing in footage from what is alleged to be the first Asian-American film ever made: the 1916 Curse of Quon Gwan, directed by Marion Wong.
Director
Arthur Dong
Producer
Arthur Dong
Screenwriter
Arthur Dong
Production Co
Center for Asian American Media, DeepFocus Productions Inc.
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 30m