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ChinaResourceNews No.24 (9 June 2004)
http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/chinaresource-l.html
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NEW VIDEO CDs OF OLD CHINESE FILMS

The Institute of Chinese Studies has recently acquired and is currently cataloguing more than seventy Chinese Video CDs of the period 1927-1949. These belong to a series called ZAOQI ZHONGGUO DIANYING (EARLY CHINESE FILMS) produced in 2002 and 2003 by Dalian Yinxiang chubanshe and Qiaojiaren Co. in Guangzhou. (ISBN 7-88352...) Their catalogue has 84 titles but their advertisements suggest that 100 titles will be published. (see http:/www.gzbeauty.com)

The films usually consist of one or two, sometimes three VCDs, prices range from 10-15 Yuan per film. The quality of most films is relatively good. The series includes numerous famous films by the directors

Bu Wancang (Taohua qixue ji - Peach Girl)
Cheng Bugao (Chuncan - Spring silk worms)
Fei Mu (Xiao cheng zhi chun - Spring in a small town)
Sun Yu (Dalu - Great Road, Tiyu huanghou - Sports Queen)
Wu Yonggang (Shennü - Goddess)

featuring the famous actresses and actors Bai Yang, Chen Yanyan, Han Langen, Hu Die, Jin Yan, Li Lili, Ruan Lingyu, Zhao Dan and Zhou Xuan.

Some of the films are based on novels, short stories and film scripts by Ba Jin (Chun - Spring), Lu Xun (Biao - Watch), Mao Dun (Chuncan - Spring silk worms), Xia Yan, Zhang Ailing (Taitai wansui - Long live my wife), etc .

Some of the films have already been catalogued by the libraries of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Cornell University.

Heidelberg also owns several films of another series - ZHONGGUO ZAOQI DIANYING JINGDIAN (CHINESE EARLY FILM CLASSICS) produced by Zhuhai tequ yinxiang chubanshe which plans to publish 300 films of the period 1905-1949. Titles overlap with the above-mentioned series and the quality seems to be the same.

Unfortunately, both companies do not provide much information about the films they sell. But as the VCDs are cheap, easy to handle and store they are convenient for libraries and individuals and very useful for teaching.

When the films are catalogued, details will be found in the main catalogue
http://www.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/cgi-bin/acwww25/maske.pl?db=kat
and in the video catalogue
http://www.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/cgi-bin/acwww25/maske.pl?db=vid


Thomas Kampen



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With kind regards,

Matthias Arnold ([log in to unmask])

ChinaResource.org
http://chinaresource.org/

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