Asian Invasion

[Lang Thompson]

>Just out of curiosity, are there actually more Asian films being distributed
>(or showing in NYC) today that, say, ten years ago. My suspicion is that
>there aren't. If that's the case, what generates this? What brings Korea
>forward? What moves Japan to the background? I do think something is
>happening, but I don't think it has to do with distribution. Thoughts?

I think it's one of those situations where several factors come together at
once:  journalists need for a "fresh" story, high-profile Asian directors
in Hollywood (I think "Mission: Impossible II" was last year's second
highest grossing film), interesting films with an anticipated audience (the
wave of interest in Iranian films never translated to much business in the
US, though having seen several with predominantly Iranian audiences who
were greatly entertained I think this was just too restrictive marketing).
And of course the big success story of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon which
is already one of the highest grossing foreign-language films in the US but
has only just now gone into a wide release.  (In the multiplex near me it's
only the second subtitled film that's ever played there.)



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