Academy Museum: Hollywood Chinese Series

Building on his acclaimed documentary and book Hollywood Chinese, Arthur Dong curated the month-long film series Hollywood Chinese: The First 100 Years. Presented by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles from November 4 to 27, 2022, the series featured in-person introductions by Dong for each screening. He also contributed annotations, which were published both online and in the program booklet Film Calendar: October-November 2022.

ERRATA, “Daughter of the Dragon” introduction: Second sentence, add “American”, i.e., “both in their first American sound film”

Guest speakers in attendance were Andrew Ahn, Tym Buacharern, Joan Chen, Kieu Chinh, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Nancy Kwan, Peter Kwong, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Renee Tajima-Pena, Ellen Poon, Irene Tsu, Jacqueline Stewart, and Janet Yang.

For his introduction, Dong wrote: “I’ve programmed films from cinema’s first 100 years to both critique and celebrate Hollywood’s depictions of the Chinese, as well as spotlight groundbreaking Chinese and Chinese American artists who have navigated an industry often ignorant of race. There are studio blockbusters curated alongside forgotten gems — some films are extraordinary, others downright abhorrent.”

Watch the opening night program:

In the program guide, Dong’s writings offer preparatory remarks for 27 films in 15 programs. Among the topics were: Charlie Chan, colonialism, erasure and representation, Fu Manchu, LGBTQ depictions, #OscarsSoWhite, tong wars, and yellow face. Film artists such as Wah Ming Chang, Joan Chen, James Hong, Nancy Kwan, Bruce Lee, Ang Lee, Lisa Lu, Lady Tsen Mei, Wayne Wang, and Anna May Wong were highlighted.

“Hollywood Chinese: The First 100 Years” premiered with a 15th anniversary screening of Dong’s documentary Hollywood Chinese, followed by a month-long slate of events that showcased the seminal films Big Trouble in Little China, Enter the Dragon, Flower Drum Song, The Joy Luck Club, The Wedding Banquet, Year of the Dragon, as well as lesser-known titles.

An “Oscar® Sundays” component was also programmed, Dong wrote, to show “four films not only for their artistic achievement, but also for how they might be reconsidered through a contemporary Hollywood Chinese lens”. The films selected were Lost Horizon, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Sand Pebbles, and The Last Emperor.

The complete Film Calendar: October-November 2022 program book is available for viewing online. The main “Hollywood Chinese” series appears on pages 56-87. The “Oscar® Sundays” component appears on pages 110-115.

“Hollywood Chinese” series program notes can also be found on the Academy Museum website as listed below. Guest speakers, photos, and video recordings from select screenings can be viewed as noted.

Series Introduction

Hollywood Chinese, November 4, 2022. Guest speakers: Jacqueline Stewart, Academy Museum director and president, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here. Video recording here.

Anna May Wong: Daughter of the Dragon & King of Chinatown, November 5, 2022. Guest speaker: Anna Wong, niece of Anna May Wong. Photos here.

James Hong: Big Trouble in Little China & Black Widow, November 5, 2022. Guest speakers: James Hong, Dennis Dun, and Peter Kwong in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here. Video recording here.

Lost Horizon, November 6, 2022 (“Oscar® Sundays”)

Dragons: Two Leading Men: Enter the Dragon & Walk Like a Dragon, November 11, 2022. Guest speaker: Nancy Kwan in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here. Video recording here.

Six Early Films, 1900-1929, November 12, 2022

The Tong Wars: The Tong-Man & Year of the Dragon, November 12, 2022. Guest speakers: Renee Tajima-Pena and Dennis Dun, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

7 Faces of Dr. Lao, November 13, 2022 (“Oscar® Sundays”). Guest speakers: visual effects artist Ellen Poon and make-up artist Tym Buacharern, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here. Video recording here.

Gay Night @ Hollywood Chinese: M. Butterfly & The Wedding Banquet, November 18, 2022. Guest speaker: Andrew Ahn in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

The Sand Pebbles, November 20, 2022 (“Oscar® Sundays”)

Flower Drum Song, November 25, 2022. Guest speakers: Nancy Kwan and Irene Tsu, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

Hollywood Chinese Kids: Our Gang: Baby Blues & Charlie Chan in Honolulu, November 26, 2022

The Joy Luck Club, November 26, 2022. Guest speakers: Kieu Chinh, France Nuyen, and Janet Yang, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

Escape from Hollywood: The Arch & Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl, November 27, 2022. Guest speakers: Joan Chen and Lisa Lu, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

The Last Emperor, November 27, 2022 (“Oscar® Sundays”). Guest speakers: Joan Chen and Lisa Lu, in conversation with Arthur Dong. Photos here.

NOTE: The “Oscar® Sundays” introduction does not appear on the Academy Museum website; please see image below, or pages 110-111 here.

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Director and President Jacqueline Stewart and filmmaker/curator Arthur Dong in conversation at the opening night screening of “Hollywood Chinese”, Nov. 4, 2022, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Watch a video recording here. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, ©Academy Museum Foundation)