HERO and the Chinese Cultured Blockbuster: Visual Style, Vernacular Tradition, and Commercial Strategies

Abstract

This research covers the first ten years of the Chinese blockbuster (2002-2012) in the context of the transformation of the Chinese film industry. After China entered the WTO in 2002, the Chinese film industry opened to global film markets, leading to profound changes in that sector. Centered on the visualization of the elements from traditional Chinese culture, this study characterizes the disinctive visual style of the Chinese blockbuster against the backdrop of the industry's commercial strategies of appealing to the mainstream audiences both Eastern and Western.