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<DIV><SPAN class=060070807-24022007><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=#0000ff>You
mention David Denby and Pauline Kael as film reviewers who write
particularly well -- and they'd be high on my list, too.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=060070807-24022007><FONT face="Book Antiqua"
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=060070807-24022007><FONT face="Book Antiqua"
color=#0000ff>Maybe even higher in this category would be <STRONG>Stanley
Kauffmann</STRONG> and <STRONG>David Kehr</STRONG>. Neither is an Asian
studies specialist, but both have paid attention to Japanese films and have
written many fine reviews. Kauffmann can be quirky and idiosyncratic in
his likes and dislikes, but his New Republic film reviews are <STRONG><EM>always
</EM></STRONG>worth reading! One Kauffmann piece that is especially
distinguished, I think, is his review of Shinoda Masahiro's 1977 film
<EM>Hanare Goze Orin </EM>(released with various English titles: <EM>Banished,
Banished Orin, Melody in Gray). </EM>Not a great film, but a great review,
in which Kauffmann singles out Miyagawa Kazuo's cinematography as an
example of how a superb cameraman can transform a mediocre film script.
(This review from October, 1979,was included in Kauffmann's 1986 book <EM>Field
of View: Film Criticism and Comment.)</EM></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=060070807-24022007><FONT face="Book Antiqua"
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=060070807-24022007><FONT face="Book Antiqua"
color=#0000ff>Peter Grilli</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
owner-KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
[mailto:owner-KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Bruce
Baird<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 23, 2007 6:20 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
KineJapan@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu<BR><B>Subject:</B> Well-written Movie
Reviews of Chinese and Japanese Cinema<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Dear Colleagues,
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>My question is overly broad, I know, but I have done much more reading of
academic articles on movies, than of reviews of movies (other than the ones
that are included in the Kurosawa volume), so I am coming to this list for
help, on the assumption that there are those of you who have also read a lot
of movie reviews, and can make good suggestions.</DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>I am teaching a writing class which is supposed to focus on writing
specific to our Chinese and Japanese majors, so I thought that they should
write a movie review. (Of course, they will also have to do other kinds
of writing such as a research project as well, but that is later in the
semester.) Thus, I am looking for well written movie reviews (in
English) about Chinese and Japanese films. They don't necessarily have
to be from a person who has a great background in Asian Studies so Denby or
Kael, or anyone like that is quite acceptable, but obviously if there are
people who write well who also have an extensive background, that would be
great too. (We have already used Donald Richie for a travel article, so
although he writes well and has extensive knowledge of Japan, I am reluctant
to have them read more of his prose.) I also would like a variety of
tones. While I was at UCLA, I used to read reviews from someone who
reviewed for the LA Weekly or the Village View who always had such a
pleasantly acerbic scathing tone to her/his pans, but I don't remember who it
was. (I suppose this is a way of saying I welcome reviews panning asian cinema
as well as praising it.)</DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>Any suggestions? </DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>Best,</DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV>
<DIV>Bruce</DIV>
<DIV><BR>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Bruce
Baird</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Assistant
Professor</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Asian Languages and
Literatures</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">University of
Massachusetts Amherst</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">But</SPAN></FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">ô</SPAN></FONT><FONT class=Apple-style-span
face=Helvetica><SPAN class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">,
Japanese Theater, Intellectual History</SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
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<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">University of
Massachusetts Amherst</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
class=Apple-style-span style="FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Amherst, MA
01003-9312</SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT class=Apple-style-span face=Helvetica><SPAN
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href="mailto:baird@asianlan.umass.edu">baird@asianlan.umass.edu</A></SPAN></FONT></P>
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