Description
Book SynopsisThis ground-breaking book explores the moral dimensions of sexual imagery in contemporary, general-release Asian films. It examines debates that arise over aesthetic styles and the cultural and traditional influences that determine the content and impact of these films. The social and regulatory environments for filmmakers across Asia reflect distinct national and cultural differences. In just the past decade, for instance, Indian cinema has rapidly moved from representations of coy and submissive female protagonists to highly eroticized leading ladies unafraid of flaunting their sexuality. On the other hand, the cinema emerging from the Chinese mainland has been much more circumspect in its representations of overt sexuality, at times in conflict with other Chinese cinemas from Hong Kong and Taiwan. This use of sexual imagery or morally questionable film content raises on-going debates into censorship and the use of state or industry controls to protect certain sectors of society fro
Trade Review’Pugsley offers fresh perspectives on how contemporary Asian cinemas are transforming by challenging the cultural policy regimes that historically have shaped the ways in which their films represent gender and sexuality on screen. This book is key reading for anyone interested in peering into the rise and transformation of Asia and learning more about a bevy of dynamic filmmakers and films that are pushing the boundaries of self-expression and cultural diversity in the region.’ Brian Yecies, University of Wollongong, Australia; author of The Changing Face of Korean Cinema, 1960-2015
Table of ContentsList of Figures vii
List of Tables ix
Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
1 Indian Cinema’s New Aesthetic 13
2 Visual Decorum and Chasteness in Chinese Film 41
3 Maintaining Respectability in Singaporean and Malaysian Cinema 73
4 An Open Mind: Japanese Cinema’s Sexual Revolution 99
5 Culture, Tradition and Sexuality in South Korean Cinema 117
Conclusion 131
Films Cited 141
Bibliography 149
Index
