AAST 355
Fall 2021
Name:
Movie viewing sheet: The
Week 3
Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
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Please use this sheet for notetaking purpose, which you can use for class discussion and
other major assignments. You do not have to spend too much time to answer these
questions in an essay format—rather you can use it to brainstorm key points and ideas
related to the questions below.
1) What are the general themes and social contexts of the film? (you can list them)
Asians are
•
cruel and smart
(FU Manchu
has multiple doctorate degrees & he
tortures the innocent white man)
White people can do no wrong (they are trying to steal artifacts from the
East and display them in the west)
Asian people are crazy ( yelling and worshipping Gengis Khan) , they act like animals
The west should be scared of the East taking over because they are power hungry
'
'
.
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.
•
•
2) How does the narrative structure of the film help to tell the story? (Do not summarize
the film, analyze its Form)
the plot is presented in a series of chronological
to easily follow along with the story
•
.
events This helps the audience
.
.
"
The super obnoxious costumes for Asian characters and the tacky Oriental
interior design schemes in the East make it clear to the audience that
the characters are in the East and that the audience should view the East
as a strange and uncomfortable place
main white
Actual Asian actors are always filmed in a group observing or serving the
characters This might subtly convey to the audience that Asians come in groups the fear that Asians
will take over the
•
"
'
'
.
•
,
3) How do race, gender, class, immigration, and sexuality influence the characters and(
.
west in huge
groups
their identities?
White characters are not defined by their race like the Asian characters
"
"
are / The east has a foreign, strange and negative meaning in this film,
Asians are merciless lack empathy power-hungry (thus a threat to
western
'
•
,
.
civilization)
•
'
,
,
to go with the men to find the
Sheila wanted
"
Fu Manchu offered
but was told that that's no place for a woman ) and
and said she is " ugly and insignificant !
his daughter as a payment for information
uncomfortable
& portray Asian families
the
audience
FU Manchu doesn't have a wife which is probably to make
.
women are less than men
grave
"
(
4) What impact do you think the production crew (director, writers, promoters/producers)
•
,
have on the film and its content and social context?
The writers clearly littered the script with anti
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-
Asian sentiment
as broken &
untraditional
( the
East is bad Asian background characters only purpose is to aid the whites Asian men
and devious
are ugly , Asian women are easy )
Asian characters in a mysterious
frame the background
Asians
The director and producers
the West holds about
'
,
,
.
•
.
the
way This furthers
.
'
foreign and Untrustworthy Stereotypes that
'
'
'
.
)