Meet Charlie Chan Hock Chye. Now in his early 70s; Chan has been making comics in his native Singapore since 1954; when he was a boy of 16. As he looks back on his career over five decades; we see his stories unfold before us in a dazzling array of art styles and forms; their development mirroring the evolution in the political and social landscape of his homeland and of the comic book medium itself. With The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye Sonny Liew has drawn together a myriad of genres to create a thoroughly ingenious and engaging work; where the line between truth and construct may sometimes be blurred; but where the story told is always enthralling; bringing us on a uniquely moving; funny; and thought-provoking journey through the life of an artist and the history of a nation.From the Hardcover edition.
#3777401 in eBooks 2015-06-03 2015-06-03File Name: B00YTFERB0
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Restoring the value of five epic filmsBy Harikleia SirmansAs the book title suggests; The Epic Films of David Lean is a detailed study of the five epic films of David Lean; one of cinemas most accomplished directors. Lean won Academy Awards for classic films such as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist. But his career as filmmaker of the epic form took a major leap when he directed The Bridge on the River Kwai; which became an international hit and won seven Oscars. The epic filmmaking phase continued with Lawrence of Arabia; Doctor Zhivago; Ryans Daughter; and A Passage to India. Despite the accolades and awards; these epic films had "mixed critical attention" (p. xiv) and they were viewed as "Hollywood-financed spectacles" (p. xviii). Constantine Santas takes a closer look at these cinematic works to prove that they are as worthy of attention as Leans earliest works.Santas focuses on the epic films after his realization that the epics refined Leans directorial career. They expanded Leans horizons by using compelling narratives; broader themes; complex characters; a range of landscapes; cultural differences; and filming techniques. The epics were more complex endeavors because of their greater length; expense; and effort. But they brought Lean the adulation of international audiences and the reputation of "novelist of the screen" (p. x). Lean used the epics not only to entertain large audiences; but also to connect divergent cultures. Despite of their success; the epics received adverse criticism; and critics favored Leans earlier films. Santas hopes to restore the value of these five epics by reexamining in detail their structure; themes; characters; literary sources; history and politics; relation to earlier works; and critical responses.Santas has achieved his goal to restore the esteem of the undervalued epics by employing analytical approach and extensive research. For each epic; he provides general background information on production including details on the crew and cast; connection of the epic with the literary work it was adopted from; historical and political aspects; structural patterns and themes; plot synopsis; and characterization. Overall; Santas has accomplished a well-researched; engaging; and convincing work that will attract cinema students; fans of David Lean; and scholars.
